Rural Carrier Harold Durham was delivering mail in Grand Prairie, TX, one day last fall when he spotted a toddler alone at a busy intersection. Durham stopped to check on the boy, who was around 2 years old, and called 911. Police officers soon arrived and took custody of the lad, whom Durham visited at […]
I enjoy reading Link stories. […]
You’ve probably heard of the Freedom of Information Act, but do you understand how it helps the Postal Service foster transparency? The law, also known as FOIA, gives the public the right to request information from any federal agency. During the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, USPS, the Postal Inspection Service and the Office […]
Tax Day isn’t the major mailing event that it used to be, but it still allows USPS employees to deliver excellent experiences to customers. The Postal Service canceled an estimated 62 million pieces of First-Class Mail on April 15, down from the 87 million pieces that were canceled on that date in 2009. The organization […]
The Postal Service is marking National Dog Bite Prevention Week by offering tips, a video and other resources to help employees and customers avoid attacks. The annual campaign, which kicked off in Brooklyn, NY, this year, is underway through Saturday, April 20. Through newsletters, stand-up talks and other materials, USPS is offering employees several tips […]
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.71 percent during the week ending April 12, up from one week earlier. Western (97.96 percent) led the areas, while Dakotas (99.04 percent) topped the districts. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail, and it helps USPS improve efficiency and network management. To see […]
Rural Carrier Thomas Bates was delivering mail on a frigid January day in Enosburg Falls, VT, when he spotted an older customer in trouble. The man was splayed out on his icy driveway in temperatures below zero — having fallen while trying to retrieve something from his car — and was unable to get up […]
Donna Gill does her part to protect her Postal Service colleagues from dog attacks. “Not only are we trying to prevent the injury, we want to prevent the trauma from being confronted by dogs,” says Gill, who is Northeast Area’s safety manager. Gill and the area’s safety teams use stand-up talks, on-the-job instructors and other […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees that plugging smartphones, unapproved thumb drives, e-cigarettes and other personal devices into USPS computers violates the organization’s security policies. Plugging unauthorized devices into postal equipment runs the risk of inadvertently transferring malicious software, which could disable computers and allow hackers to gain access to the organization’s network. To protect […]
Lisa Walker was recently presented with the prestigious Patriot Award in recognition of her ongoing support of Postal Service employees who serve in the National Guard. Walker, a supervisor at the Carol Stream, IL, Vehicle Maintenance Facility, was nominated by Tool and Parts Clerk Zavala Deangelo, a veteran who serves in the guard. “To be […]
John Vick is an employee you can count on. Co-workers sometimes joke that the letter carrier is practically “part of the fixtures” at Brevoort Station in Brooklyn, NY. Even his wife gets in on the act. “My wife always teases me that I’m married to the Post Office,” Vick said with a laugh. The reason […]
Letter Carrier Syreeta Frasier was delivering mail on a January day in a New Haven, CT, neighborhood when she spotted a toddler wandering alone. As the girl got closer, Frasier saw that she was wet, bruised and bloody. The Postal Service employee rushed to the child’s aid and enlisted a customer nearby to assist. They […]
I love reading Link’s “Heroes’ Corner” column. I’m proud to have so many co-workers who go above and beyond to help their customers, neighbors and colleagues. […]
Like a lot of Postal Service employees, Scot Grossnicklaus relies on the U.S. Mail for his tax-filing needs. This year, the process worked better than ever — thanks to Informed Delivery. Grossnicklaus, a Portland, OR, letter carrier, signed up for the mail notification service at the urging of a co-worker. A few weeks ago, he […]
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.69 percent during the week ending April 5, down from one week earlier. Western (98.08 percent) led the areas, while Dakotas (99.24 percent) topped the districts. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail, and it helps USPS improve efficiency and network management. To see […]
The Postal Service is making it easier for you to provide the organization with your current contact information. USPS requires you to keep your mailing address and other information up to date so you can receive communications about payroll, health benefits, tax changes and other important topics. You can now use the new Life Changes […]
USPS is beginning its twice-yearly update of Handbook AS-805, Information Security Policy. This handbook contains policies that govern the use of the information technology assets and protocols that help guide the Postal Service’s comprehensive response to incidents of cybercrime and technology misuse. These policies and protocols help protect the interests of USPS, its employees, business […]
Rural Carrier Christopher Ahern was delivering mail on a January day in Wiscasset, ME, when he spotted an older man sitting in a snowbank, waving at him. With temperatures hovering around 12 degrees, Ahern immediately stopped to check on the man, who was disoriented and inadequately dressed for the frigid weather. The Postal Service employee […]
The Postal Service has implemented USPS Returns for business mailers, the first phase of a new package platform for automating postage assessment, sampling and payment. USPS Returns uses recent mail processing equipment upgrades to streamline package weighing, measuring, scanning and payment calculations. The platform also allows customers to be charged electronically through their Enterprise Payment […]
For many years, the easiest way to mail a letter in many big buildings was to drop it down the chute. Mail chutes were to urban high-rises what curbside mailboxes are to suburban residential neighborhoods. In a recent tribute to the chutes, Crain’s New York, a business publication, recalled how they allowed building residents “to […]
The Postal Service is offering mandatory security training courses for Payment Card Industry (PCI) and Corporate Developers Directory (CDR) registered application developers. Developers must log into the HERO learning portal to complete the training. Here’s an overview of the courses: • Web Developer. These courses focus on the Open Web Application Security Project. Completion deadline: […]
Link is seeking suggestions for “Best Practices,” a regular column in which USPS employees share tips on workplace topics. For example, “Best Practices” in recent months has featured: A retail associate who offered hints on promoting stamps to customers A letter carrier who discussed the value of dressing smartly for work A Postmaster who shared […]
A mural in the former Post Office in Rockville, MD, is one of five from across the nation to be featured in the new Post Office Murals stamp release. The “Sugarloaf Mountain” mural was painted in 1940 by Judson Smith (1880-1962). The oil-on-canvas painting depicts a mountain visible from Rockville with farm fields in the […]
Rural Carrier Tanya Morris was recently delivering mail in Perry, GA, when she spotted smoke pouring out of a customer’s home. Morris immediately called 911 and alerted neighbors, who converged on the scene to check on the homeowner, who is disabled and couldn’t escape on his own. The neighbors pulled the man to safety through […]
Thank you for “Understanding and acceptance,” the article about World Autism Awareness Day — a topic that is near and dear to my heart. My son was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome as a child. Educating people about developmental disorders is important. […]
Marvin Gaye was honored by USPS this week for his contributions to the Motown sound of the 1960s and R&B music in the 1970s. During the April 2 dedication ceremony for a stamp honoring Gaye in Los Angeles, he was hailed as one of the most influential performers of his generation. “The love the world […]
The Postal Service is marking National Card and Letter Writing Month with a little help from its friends. USPS is collaborating with Scholastic and Hallmark on Show Someone You Care, a program that encourages third-grade and fourth-grade students and their families to send handwritten notes to share love, show thanks and build connections. More than […]
Scanning snapshot. The Postal Service’s national scanning rating was 97.71 percent during the week ending March 29, down from one week earlier. Western (98.04 percent) led the areas, while Dakotas (99.14 percent) topped the districts. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail, and it helps USPS improve efficiency and network management. To see […]
A mural in the Deming, NM, Post Office is one of five from across the nation to be featured in the new Post Office Murals stamp release. The “Mountains and Yucca” mural was painted in 1937 by Kenneth M. Adams (1892-1966). The 12-foot-wide landscape painting shows yucca and other vegetation in the foreground with local […]
Rural Carrier Associate Michael Dalton was delivering mail earlier this year in North Tazewell, VA, when a customer rushed out of her home and flagged him down. Dalton immediately stopped to assist the distraught woman, who said her son had harmed himself inside their residence. The Postal Service employee called 911 and comforted the customer […]