The Postal Service is reminding employees that the percentages used to tax supplemental wages differ from normal taxation percentages. Supplemental wages can include: Annual leave exchanges Awards Back-pay awards Prizes Severance pay Reimbursements for nondeductible moving expenses Currently, supplemental wages are subject to a withholding rate of 22 percent. There’s also a mandatory withholding rate […]
Ned Dannenberg and his wife received quite a surprise when they began a home renovation project last fall. A worker removing insulation from the Memphis, TN, couple’s attic stumbled across a bundle of more than 20 letters wrapped in twine. “We were amazed that something that old was still in the house,” Dannenberg said. The […]
A beloved children’s story that was honored with a 2017 stamp release has topped the New York Public Library’s list of its all-time most popular books. To mark its 125th anniversary this year, the library compiled a list of the 10 books checked out most frequently in its history. The No. 1 spot belongs to […]
Only USPS could squeeze a place called Big Bend onto a postage stamp. The new Priority Mail stamp featuring the West Texas region was celebrated this month at a special dedication ceremony where local community leaders and others praised the stamp’s image of the famed Santa Elena Canyon. “This stamp beautifully depicts … one of […]
The stamp honoring acclaimed journalist Gwen Ifill — the 43rd entry in the Black Heritage series — will be released Thursday, Jan. 30. Ifill was among the first African Americans to hold prominent positions in both broadcast and print journalism. She was known for her nonpartisan and in-depth reporting, as well as her personal warmth […]
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning score slipped during the week ending Jan. 24, although several districts improved their standings. The national score was 97.7 percent, down from 97.75 percent one week earlier. The top-ranked area was Western (98 percent), while the top-ranked district was Dakotas (99.1 percent). Six districts improved their scores: eighth-ranked […]
The Postal Service’s seven areas and most districts saw their scanning scores slip during the week ending Jan. 17, pushing the national rating to 97.75 percent — down more than a quarter of a percentage point from one week earlier. But not everyone was down. Two Eastern Area districts — Western Pennsylvania and Ohio Valley — […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees that they are eligible to receive tuition discounts from several colleges and universities. More than 20 higher education institutions offer discounts. Most of these institutions offer undergraduate and graduate programs that can be completed online, and in many cases, the tuition discounts are also available to USPS employees’ immediate […]
The Postal Service will release its Made of Hearts stamp Thursday, Jan. 23. The stamp, part of the Love series, features horizontal lines of red and pink hearts on a white background. Toward the center, red hearts in varying sizes replace pink hearts in a formation that creates one large red heart, the focal point […]
The Postal Service is adding QR codes to all blue standard and Priority Mail Express collection box labels to provide customers with information on nearby Post Offices. To use this new feature, customers can use the camera on a mobile smart device, or the QR code reader available on the USPS Mobile application, Informed Delivery […]
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rate reached 97.91 percent during the week ending Jan. 10, up more than three-tenths of a percentage point from one week earlier. For the second consecutive week, Western (98.17 percent) led the areas and Dakotas (99.14 percent) topped the districts. Major gainers among the 67 districts included Hawkeye […]
The latest Combined Federal Campaign ended this week — but not for everyone. The campaign, also known as the CFC, allows federal employees, retirees and contractors to contribute to charitable organizations during a period that begins each fall. While the CFC officially ended Jan. 12, USPS employees hired after the deadline can make a pledge […]
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday that commemorates the birthday of the civil rights icon, will be observed Monday, Jan. 20. King, born in 1929, helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his landmark “I Have a Dream” speech. He also helped pave the way for enactment of the Civil […]
USPS has streamlined the job posting process for hiring external bargaining unit employees and Postmaster relief positions. A new online Job Posting Request form (eJPR) has replaced the Excel-based Job Posting Request form that was available on the Bargaining Hiring Blue page and the Critical Staffing Request (CSR) form. The new eJPR form offers multiple […]
The Postal Service is reminding bargaining unit employees they can use the Enterprise Leave Request Application to request unscheduled leave. The application, also known as eLRA, is accessible through LiteBlue using a computer, smartphone or other mobile device. To request unscheduled leave, the employee should log into LiteBlue, select the eLRA icon in the Employee Apps […]
Participation surged to record levels last year in a Postal Service program that helps employees and customers fulfill the holiday wishes of those less fortunate. Through Operation Santa, individuals and organizations “adopt” letters to Santa Claus from families in need and fulfill their requests, which often involve basic necessities like food and clothing. More than […]
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rate was 97.55 percent during the week ending Jan. 3, down less than 1 percent from one week earlier. After dropping to second place during the week ending Dec. 27, Western (97.81 percent) reclaimed its frequent perch as the top-rated area, while Dakotas (98.88 percent) continued to lead […]
The Postal Service will release its Year of the Rat stamp, the first entry in a new Lunar New Year series, on Saturday, Jan. 11. Lunar New Year, an important holiday for many Asian communities, is celebrated primarily by people of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tibetan, Mongolian, Malaysian and Filipino heritage. The rat is the first […]
The Postal Service wants employees to know about Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), the life insurance program available to federal workers. For example, did you know that FEGLI rates increase every five years? Any time your age ends in a 0 or 5, your life insurance premiums will increase. You can use the FEGLI […]
Sarah Andrews has had a passion for helping animals for as long as she can remember. This is why Andrews, an associate instructional designer at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC, contributes to two Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charities that support her favorite cause: Anti Animal Cruelty Campaign, which provides food for neglected animals, and Animal […]
Tammy Edwards believes in the power of positive communication. In her role as Northern Virginia District’s acting district manager, one of Edwards’ primary duties is delivering important information to employees. Perhaps no topic is more crucial than workplace safety. “You can’t just talk about safety. You have to walk the walk,” Edwards says. “You have […]
The Postal Service is rolling out its roster of Strategic Learning Initiatives for the new fiscal year. The initiatives are training courses designed to provide employees with essential information, help them achieve the organization’s business objectives and comply with its legal obligations. Employees can complete the courses through HERO, the Postal Service’s online learning portal. […]
Sustainability excellence. The Postal Service is still 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. A recent call to action asks nominators to share stories from fiscal year 2019 (Oct. 1, 2018-Sept. 30, 2019) that “demonstrate innovation, leadership […]
I enjoyed “Hooray for Hollywood,” the article about the new book featuring letters, memos and telegrams from legendary movie stars. I was pleasantly surprised to see a letter from Colonel Parker, Elvis Presley’s manager. I recognized that covered wagon letterhead immediately. As an Elvis fan, I received letters from Parker’s office through the years. […]
Letter Carrier Kelly McKenna was recently delivering mail at an apartment complex in Tacoma, WA, when he heard someone yelling for help. McKenna soon found a customer who was on the floor of her unit after collapsing due to complications from diabetes. The woman told McKenna she had been stranded overnight and was desperate for […]
Race for a $Billion, a campaign to raise $1 billion in estimated annualized revenue for the Postal Service through sales leads from employees, is underway. The Small Business Sales team is organizing the effort, which began in the fall and will continue through the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30. The campaign […]
The Postal Service has announced two more additions to its 2020 stamp lineup. Presorted Star, intended for use by business mailers, will be available in coils of 3,000 and 10,000. The stamp will feature an asymmetrical design that includes one large white star, two white and three red stripes, and a blue background with letters […]
My name is Bob Hammes and I’m an electronic technician at the National Printing Center in Topeka, KS. I provide general maintenance on all the equipment we use at the facility, which serves as an internal printer for the Postal Service. My job is unique because I work on equipment unlike anywhere else in USPS. […]
The Postal Service wants employees to drive safely during winter, a time of year that presents unique challenges. Here are some tips: • Allow yourself extra time to stop and turn. Slow down well in advance of traffic lights, traffic signs and intersections. • Leave extra space between your vehicle and other traffic. Reduce speed and increase […]
Postmaster Shannon Ferraro was on duty in Bellevue, ID, one day last summer when she spotted a motor home on fire near the Post Office. While 911 was called, Ferraro rushed outside to the vehicle, which was occupied by a man, who was hindered by recent knee surgery, and his dog. The Postal Service employee […]