Doyle Keith knows how to help employees feel like their jobs matter. “Our mission is to serve the American public. Every employee, regardless of position, has a vital purpose in that service,” says Keith, Post Office operations manager in Eastern Area’s Kentuckiana District. USPS leaders say this approach to managing can help the organization become […]
Postal Service employees helped raise awareness of heart disease throughout February, which is American Heart Month. Some facilities hosted health fairs where employees received diet and exercise tips, blood pressure screenings and more. The Los Angeles Processing and Distribution Center went a step further, offering employees bottled water and fruit and encouraging them to share […]
Flag notice. President Trump has ordered flags flown at half-staff Friday, March 2, to honor the late Rev. Billy Graham, who will be interred that day in Charlotte, NC. Graham died last week. Flags should be flown at half-staff until sunset March 2. To fly the flag at half-staff, hoist the flag to the peak […]
Rural Carrier Mary Blair was recently delivering mail in New Bethlehem, PA, when she spotted a single-car accident. Blair stopped to assist the lone victim, a 21-year-old woman who was crawling out of the overturned vehicle and bleeding. The Postal Service employee called 911 and urged the woman — who was on her way to […]
I smiled as I read “Write for each other,” the story of how mail helped sustain the courtship between Augie Ruiz, a Navy veteran and USPS employee, and his wife, Mary. As Augie said, it was “a captain’s log of the heart” entrusted to the Postal Service’s care. […]
Things were different when Alfonzo Wilson Jr. began delivering mail in 1958. The 80-year-old Cleveland letter carrier, who recently celebrated 60 years on the job, didn’t have a delivery vehicle in the beginning and used a city bus to get to his route. “An employee in a truck would place our mail in brown mailboxes […]
Chief Financial Officer Joe Corbett discusses the Postal Service’s latest financial numbers in a new “Dollars and Change” video. During fiscal 2018’s first quarter (Oct. 1-Dec. 31, 2017), USPS posted total revenue of $19.2 billion and controllable income of $353 million. Controllable income describes net income or net loss that is adjusted for items outside […]
A couple who made headlines recently after receiving a second honeymoon through a letter-writing campaign appeared last week on Steve Harvey’s TV talk show. Gilbert and Grace Caldwell, who were turned away from a resort in Poconos, PA, 60 years ago because they are African-American, were guests on the Feb. 13 episode of “Steve.” Joining […]
If you think you know everything about Lena Horne, think again. Here are six facts about the subject of the Postal Service’s latest Black Heritage stamp. 1. Horne began her career as a dancer at Harlem’s Cotton Club. She later became a featured vocalist with traveling orchestras but stopped touring due to the rampant racial […]
Take five. Angela Bradley, a Great Lakes Area senior field account manager, is the latest employee to receive a complimentary registration for this year’s National Postal Forum. Bradley earned the registration by recruiting five new customers to attend the event, which will be held in San Antonio from May 6-9. Bradley said she persuaded the customers […]
Postal Service employees delivering mail in Ohio and California recently took extra steps out of concern for their customers. Bedford, OH, Letter Carrier Nydra Levett contacted police when she noticed that mail was piling up at a woman’s home. Responding officers discovered that the customer was deceased, with her dog by her side. The animal […]
Read More… from Nydra Levett, Bedford, OH; Charles Sonnenberg, Paradise, CA
Semper fi to Gilbert Segovia, the Los Angeles letter carrier and former Marine, for his acts of bravery while under fire at the Las Vegas concert last fall. His willingness to help others, even after being injured in the process, is a testament to his humanity. […]
A surprise guest joined a special dedication ceremony for the Lena Horne stamp in Los Angeles last week: Dionne Warwick. Warwick was being honored at Los Angeles City Hall, where local Postal Service leaders were holding the stamp ceremony. When Warwick learned about the dedication, she asked if she could join the event — a […]
Frankie Wright says knowledge is important to his job. The White Plains, NY, operations programs specialist provides administrative support for dozens of USPS systems in Northeast Area’s Westchester District. “There are always new tools and programs to improve USPS,” Wright says. “We’re the first in line to troubleshoot if anyone has a problem, so we […]
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 Supplemental wages are subject to a withholding rate of 22 percent. Congress and the IRS determine taxation percentages. […]
“Jeopardy!” alert. A stamp that celebrates a children’s author will be a clue on the “Jeopardy!” episode that is scheduled to air Thursday, Feb. 15. Think you know which stamp will be featured? Tune in to find out. The “Jeopardy!” site has broadcast times and stations. Holiday hours. The Postal Service is providing general operating […]
Thank you for the “Status symbols” article about the four postal insignias. The Mercury image was quite a surprise. […]
Amid the chaos that engulfed the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas last fall, Gilbert Segovia became one of the many victims wounded when a gunman opened fire on the crowd. Yet the Los Angeles letter carrier and former Marine also became one of the many heroes who put others first on that devastating […]
Samuel J. Mitchell made history last week. Mitchell — the last Postmaster appointed by a president — retired Jan. 31 after 52 years managing the Philo, OH, Post Office. “The Post Office has been a good living and treated me well,” he said. Mitchell became acting Postmaster in 1965 and was appointed Postmaster by President […]
Postal Service employees now have access to discounted pet insurance coverage through Trupanion. The coverage is available for domestic dogs and cats across the United States. Trupanion pays 90 percent of covered veterinary costs associated with sickness or injury. The company offers a variety of coverage and deductible options. The discount is available to employees […]
IdeaSMART, a new online platform that allows Postal Service employees to share ideas to help improve the organization, is now open. You can use IdeaSMART to respond to current business challenges that managers need help with or to share general ideas to improve USPS. Here’s how to participate: • Log in to IdeaSMART at https://ideasmart.ideascalegov.com. […]
The Postal Service wants employees to spread the word about its Affiliates Program, an initiative that helps business customers create Every Door Direct Mail campaigns. Through the program, service providers help small businesses with a variety of direct mailing needs, including design, printing, list services, mail preparation, online payment and measurement. USPS recently launched a […]
City Carrier Assistant Ashley Dalton was recently delivering mail to an older customer in Tarkio, MO. As she approached the man’s front door, Dalton detected a strong odor of natural gas, so she urged him to call 911 and stayed on the scene until emergency responders arrived. It was determined that there was a dangerous […]
Congratulations to James Balluff, the newly retired special delivery messenger profiled in the “Last messenger” story. […]
Alaska State Fair visitors may not know Chuck Pfeifer by name, but they know his “umiak,” one of the annual event’s most popular food items. Viewers of the Cooking Channel series “Carnival Eats” will soon know about the local favorite, too. The Palmer, AK, retail associate is slated to appear on the show’s Thursday, Feb. […]
Ralph Bello understands the importance of good customer service. The retail associate at Howard Beach Station in New York City strives to show each customer that he or she is valued. “I believe that customers want to feel important and relevant,” Bello says. Postal Service leaders say employees like Bello help improve customers’ experiences, one […]
Lena Horne is back in the spotlight, courtesy of the Postal Service. The organization will release a stamp this week honoring Horne (1917-2010), the iconic performer who also inspired millions of people as a civil rights activist. Horne will appear on the 41st Black Heritage stamp, which USPS will release Jan. 30. The stamp will […]
Training update. The Postal Service is reminding all non-bargaining unit employees that they must complete the Political Activity and the Hatch Act strategic training initiative by Monday, July 30. The course — available through the Learning Management System — can help employees learn about the rules and regulations established under the Hatch Act, a law […]
Thank you for the “Candid camera” article about Steven “J.R.” Reynolds, the Hot Springs, AR, letter carrier who demonstrated his respect for the U.S. flag. It’s nice to read good things about our organization. […]
Postal Service employees delivering mail in Pennsylvania and Washington recently responded to customers in distress. In Brownsville, PA, Letter Carrier Mark Seto was on a steep hill when he heard a man calling out for help. The customer’s truck was rolling backward and he was outside hanging on to the door, struggling to reach the […]
Read More… from Mark Seto, Brownsville, PA; Julie Dunlap, Enumclaw, WA