You hear a lot about Postal Service employees who have banked years’ worth of sick leave during the course of their careers. What does that actually mean — and how could saving sick leave benefit you? Here are some things to keep in mind: • Conserving leave can help you when you’re sick. By saving […]
A group of New Jersey fifth-graders recently demonstrated the power of mail when they wrote letters to correct a racial injustice from 60 years earlier. In 1957, newlyweds Gilbert and Grace Caldwell were turned away from the Mount Airy Resort in Poconos, PA — the place they planned to spend their honeymoon — because they […]
The Postal Service is inviting employees to participate in National Wear Red Day, which is held annually to raise awareness of heart disease. This year’s National Wear Red Day is Friday, Feb. 2. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, accounting for approximately 1 in […]
Link marked African-American History Month last year by looking at notable African-American postal workers from the 19th century. Here’s a look at some 20th-century pioneers. 1. Christopher Scott. In 1961, this 38-year postal veteran from Los Angeles was appointed as deputy to the assistant Postmaster General for transportation, making him the highest-ranking African-American in the […]
It was love of family — not love of country music — that brought Paul Gallegos Sr. to Las Vegas on a fateful day last fall. The Lakewood, CA, letter carrier’s wife and three grown sons convinced him to join them for the Route 91 Harvest Festival, the outdoor concert where a gunman opened fire […]
“‘I’m a new woman!’” was a fantastic story. […]
A new video explains how PS Form 3849 has been updated with a simpler format with additional instructions for letter carriers, retail associates and customers. Postal Service employees are required to leave the redesigned form, now called We ReDeliver for You!, when they are unable to deliver packages and other mailpieces. The 1-minute, 30-second segment shows […]
Sometimes being a city letter carrier is about more than delivering mail and packages. Customer Connect, a joint program between USPS and the National Association of Letter Carriers, encourages carriers to identify sales opportunities for the organization. Here’s what you should know: • Customer Connect leverages relationships. The program encourages carriers to talk to business […]
Letter Carrier Donald Gray recently brought help and hope to two older Postal Service customers while delivering mail in Walton, NY. Gray first heard a tapping noise at a woman’s house and soon spotted her hand touching a front window. He investigated, saw that she was collapsed on the floor, and heard her faintly say […]
I loved the “Unexpected path” profile Stephanie Smith. Most Postal Service employees don’t realize that the Postal Inspection Service has a forensics lab — our very own “CSI” unit. […]
The Postal Service price changes that were approved last fall will take effect Sunday, Jan. 21. The changes will raise Mailing Services product prices approximately 1.9 percent, while most Shipping Services product prices will increase an average of 3.9 percent. The First-Class Mail single-piece Forever stamp price will increase 1 cent to 50 cents. Here […]
Dick Helling will retire from USPS this month after 42 years and 3,500 hours of banked sick leave — but these aren’t his only achievements. Helling, a custodian at the Waterloo, IA, Processing and Distribution Center, is also a longtime assistant track and field coach who specializes in shot put and discus events. During a […]
The Postal Service is releasing new Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express stamps. Byodo-In Temple, a $6.70 Priority Mail stamp, and Sleeping Bear Dunes, a $24.70 Priority Mail Express stamp, will be issued Jan. 21. The Priority Mail stamp features a colorful illustration of the Byodo-In Temple, a popular tourist attraction in Hawaii. A special […]
The 2018 stamps featured in “Stamps spotlight” are indeed praiseworthy. […]
Letter Carrier Brandon Franklin was quick on his feet — literally — when he recently encountered a traffic emergency while delivering mail in West Bloomfield, MI. Franklin was driving on a busy road when he noticed a car moving erratically. When he attempted to pass the vehicle, he saw that the driver was slumped over […]
Postal Service employees across the nation participated in this year’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the federal workplace charity drive that concludes Jan. 12. Employees volunteered their time to promote the campaign and encourage co-workers to support the 12,000 participating charities. In Greenville, SC, Berea Branch became the first workplace in Greenville County to pledge volunteer hours, a new method […]
The Postal Service released its Year of the Dog stamp Jan. 11. The stamp is the 11th entry in the Celebrating Lunar New Year series. The Lunar New Year, the most important holiday of the year for many Asian communities around the world, is celebrated primarily by people of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tibetan and Mongolian […]
Hazardous materials. USPS is reminding employees about the proper handling of packages that contain exempt human or animal specimens, including samples transported for routine testing of noninfectious diseases, as well as drug, alcohol, cholesterol and pregnancy testing. Mailpieces marked “Exempt Human Specimens” should be handled appropriately for the mail class and product. No special handling […]
I’m not an advocate of social media, so I try to write to one relative at least once a month. I have actually gotten my family and some friends back into letter writing. They say it feels better getting a handwritten letter in the mail than a [social media] message. […]
Rural Carrier Raymond Luna recently smelled smoke as he delivered a package to a customer in Lyles, TN. At her front door, the woman told Luna not to worry because she had been burning brush. But as he started to leave, he saw black smoke pouring from the rear of the house. The Postal Service […]
You’ve probably seen her around your workplace. Deborah Valentine is one of several USPS employees who appear on posters to promote the current Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), which is underway through Jan. 12. The Washington, DC, retail associate became involved in the campaign’s marketing efforts after serving a customer who works for the National Capital […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees to dress warmly when working outside this winter. Here are some tips: • Layer up. Each layer provides insulation and acts as a barrier from the cold to help retain body heat. Avoid pure cotton, linen or similar materials because they retain moisture and can cause you to become colder. […]
The Postal Service has made improvements to prepare for the flurry of consumers returning holiday gifts through the mail. Approximately 15-30 percent of items bought online during the holidays will be returned, according to the National Retail Federation. To help these businesses, USPS has expanded its returns processing capabilities, which include more than 16,000 return […]
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.57 percent during the week ending Dec. 29, up from one week earlier. Eastern (97.74 percent) topped the districts, while Dakotas (98.81 percent) led the areas. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail. It also helps USPS improve efficiency and network management. To see […]
I love reading Link’s stories about postal history and looking at the vintage pictures. The stories about railroad routes and “Stagecoach Mary” were great. I also enjoy “The list” when it includes fun facts about Post Offices. […]
Postal Service employees were recognized throughout 2017 for moments when co-workers needed a heroic helping hand. Dodge City, KS, Letter Carrier Rex Romesburg was among those who performed the Heimlich maneuver on co-workers who were choking. Others, like Adam Quiles Jr., a mail handler equipment operator in Honolulu, rushed to the aid of co-workers injured […]
Spring began with the national rollout of Informed Delivery, a new feature that provides residential consumers with digital previews of their incoming mail. PMG Megan J. Brennan discussed the free feature at the 2017 National Postal Forum in Baltimore. “Informed Delivery brings mail into the daily digital lives of consumers, building anticipation of the physical […]
Postal Service employees delivered excellent customer service throughout 2017. A trio of employees from different USPS areas — Sherri Andrews (Great Lakes), Sharon Bayly (Capital Metro) and Awjanae Johnson (Pacific) — saved on customer’s honeymoon by reuniting him with his passport just in time for his flight. Another trio — Yvonne Bradbury, who works in […]
Several USPS retirees made news in 2017, along with employees who concluded their postal careers. Harold “Sundance” Thomas, a retired mail handler in Memphis, TN, performed on “America’s Got Talent,” while Charles Wiggins, a 100-year-old World War II veteran and former postal worker, received a tribute from the Pittsburgh Steelers. A retired letter carrier, Jim […]
Every weekday, the Link team is privileged to tell the stories of Postal Service employees. Here are 12 favorites from 2017 that include both reader submissions and selections from our team. 1. Keys to recovery. Link had boots on the ground in the Florida Keys after Hurricane Irma, and our writer and photographer brought back […]