The USPS Ethics Office wants employees to remember that complying with the organization’s rules on giving and receiving gifts is especially important during the holidays. The Ethics Office Blue page has a presentation to help employees become familiar with the rules, which are known as the standards of ethical conduct. The presentation includes the standards […]
The Postal Service is seeking nominations for the 2019 Postmaster General Sustainability Excellence Awards. The annual awards recognize areas, districts, facilities, teams and individuals who help foster sustainable workplaces. According to the call for nominations, USPS wants nominators to share stories from fiscal 2019 (Oct. 1, 2018-Sept. 30, 2019) that “demonstrate innovation, leadership and measurable […]
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, an annual commemoration of the 1941 attack, will be observed Saturday, Dec. 7. Postal Service facilities are required to fly the U.S. flag at half-staff this day. To fly the flag at half-staff, hoist the flag to the peak for an instant and then lower it to the half-staff position. […]
Let’s chat. Postal Service employees can participate in a live chat with health insurance experts Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. EST. The chat is part of an online virtual benefits fair that is running during this year’s open season benefits enrollment period. The fair offers information about the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program […]
I love Link stories. […]
The Postal Service is using a direct mailpiece to remind customers how the organization delivers for them during the holidays. “We have everything you need to send holiday gifts and greetings,” the piece states. “We’re helping spread holiday joy all across the country.” The mailer offers information on Priority Mail shipping products, holiday stamps, mailing […]
A new exhibit at the National Postal Museum in Washington, DC, takes a look at how another federal agency delivers letters, packages and even heavy equipment. “None Swifter Than These: 100 Years of Diplomatic Couriers” opened in September and is on view through Jan. 26, 2020. The U.S. Diplomatic Courier Service (DCS) carries the sensitive […]
The CyberSafe at USPS team is offering tips from the experts who spoke at the Postal Service’s recent Cybersecurity Awareness Fair in Washington, DC. According to the experts, protecting yourself from cyberattacks is as easy as ABC: • Always avoid poor cybersecurity behaviors. For instance, sharing passwords or discussing proprietary information in public can potentially […]
Do you wear eyeglasses, contact lenses or visit the dentist more than twice a year? If so, experts say a flexible spending account (FSA) is likely a good option for you. FSAs can help your health care dollars go further — but only if you plan accordingly. FSAs allow you to set aside money on […]
The following message is from Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan: As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving Day, I want to express my gratitude for everything you do for the Postal Service. Every day, you demonstrate unwavering commitment to serving the American public, no matter what challenges arise. This year, you helped our customers recover from […]
Letter Carrier Melanie Dix was recently outside the Hampton, IA, Post Office, preparing to deliver mail, when she spotted a 5-year-old boy alone on a busy highway. As Dix rushed to aid the child, she saw two vehicles narrowly miss hitting him. The Postal Service employee safely stopped traffic until she could reach the boy […]
Here’s Link’s latest “News Quiz,” a weekly feature that invites readers to test their knowledge of recent stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Fill in the blank: On average, USPS employees who made changes to their benefits last year are on track to save about (blank) pay period in 2019. a) 78 […]
A fair to remember. Postal Service employees can view video highlights from “Welcome to the New Cyber Frontier,” the organization’s recent cybersecurity awareness fair. The highlights include presentations from corporate and academic cybersecurity leaders, including representatives from Verizon, Domino’s and the University of California at Berkeley. Employees can also download tips, guidelines and other materials […]
Postal Service employees who want to save money for future medical expenses have several options during this year’s open season, which runs from Nov. 11-Dec. 9. If you enroll in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP), you may be eligible to contribute to a health savings account (HSA). An HSA allows you to pay for current […]
Think your commute is rough? Imagine being Georg Brendel. Brendel is a special agent for the USPS Office of Inspector General, which helps ensure the Postal Service’s efficiency, accountability and integrity. His assigned terrain is Alaska — also known as the Last Frontier, a state whose geography and weather pose unique challenges. While Alaska’s letter […]
I was amazed by the “Heroes’ Corner” story about Heather Adams, the Portland, ME, financial programs compliance manager who donated a kidney to a co-worker’s daughter. Blessings really do happen. […]
Open for business. USPS Operation Santa kicked off Nov. 18 and runs through Dec. 20. The annual program allows employees and customers to aid families in need by “adopting” their letters to Santa Claus and granting their holiday wishes. A legacy program available only in New York City and Chicago allows individuals to adopt letters […]
A new Postal Service video shows how this year’s holiday television commercials were filmed. The video showcases the five employees who appear in the ads, including Jose Godinez, a Redondo Beach, CA, letter carrier who, through the magic of Hollywood, delivers mail to a snow-covered farmhouse. “We’re in California and it doesn’t rain or snow […]
The Postal Service wants employees to follow its rules on using USPS-issued computers and mobile devices, including laptops, tablets and smartphones. Here’s what you should know: • Postal equipment should be used for postal business. However, the organization’s policy allows for limited personal use of USPS equipment, as well as office equipment and supplies. • […]
Nine facilities, teams, programs and individuals will receive Postmaster General Sustainability Excellence Awards for their efforts to help USPS achieve its sustainability goals. The honorees, announced last week, are: • eDispose, a collaboration that involves several USPS teams that worked together to develop an online portal that explains how to handle electronic waste • Erie, […]
When Gieti Mojadidi joined the Postal Service four years ago, she signed up for health benefits and didn’t give it another thought. Last fall, as open season approached, Mojadidi, an organization design consultant at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC, heard that premiums for her plan, CareFirst, were going up. That prompted her to use the […]
City Carrier Assistant Alfonso DeoCampo was recently making deliveries in Albuquerque, NM, when he discovered a note in a customer’s mail box indicating that she had harmed herself. DeoCampo soon discovered the woman inside her residence, unresponsive but still breathing. He immediately called 911 and rendered first aid until emergency responders arrived. “I’m a National […]
Thanks for the “Here’s the skinny” article on flats. It helped clear up some questions about padded and bubble-wrapped items. […]
USPS will soon have a better method to measure service performance, but it will require employees to think differently about the terms “urban” and “rural.” When you hear these terms now, you probably associate them with delivery route definitions. Urban refers to city routes, while rural refers to rural routes. In the delivery world, this […]
I’m an acting organizational development analyst with Employee Engagement at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC. A lot of people ask me what “engagement” means. Here’s what I tell them: Engagement is not “having” or “doing” — it’s “becoming.” When you’re proud of where you work, when you’re excited to have conversations with customers and co-workers, […]
The Postal Service wants area and district Election Mail and Political Mail coordinators to stay vigilant throughout this year’s election season. All USPS plants and customer service units are required to complete daily “all clear” reports two weeks before and one week after an election in their districts. Election Mail and Political Mail coordinators are […]
The Postal Service wants you to make workplace security a high priority, part of the organization’s effort to mark National Preparedness Month. You can help keep your workplace safe by securing your facility’s entry points when they’re not in use, always wearing your USPS photo ID badge, and keeping an eye out for strangers and […]
Rural Carrier Dewana Anderson was delivering mail on a recent afternoon in Scottsville, KY, when a 9-year-old boy flagged her down. Anderson stopped to assist the lad, Braden Spears, who told her he’d gotten off the school bus at his grandparents’ house, as planned, and found no one at home. Anderson comforted Spears and called […]
I like reading Link articles like “Fired up,” which covered the Dragons stamp dedication ceremony. […]
The Postal Service is getting help promoting Informed Delivery to younger consumers from some in-house experts: the organization’s summer interns. College students from across the nation are interning with USPS during a 10-week program this summer, part of the organization’s broader workforce development efforts. Several interns have been working on projects related to Informed Delivery, […]