National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, an annual commemoration of the 1941 attack, will be observed Wednesday, 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. […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees they can use Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees to compare their options during this year’s open season. The guide has details about all plans available through the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. The comparison tool includes information on copays, deductibles, prescription drug costs, and whether […]
The Combined Federal Campaign’s cause of the week is human rights. “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood,” reads the first of the 30 articles of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of […]
The Postal Service has introduced an online version of PS Form 2489, Self-Identification of a Physical or Mental Disability, and is encouraging all employees with disabilities to complete it. The form allows employees to self-identify as an individual with a disability or to update a disability status already on file. For example, an employee may […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees to avoid reply-all email debacles. It usually starts with an email addressed to you and a large number of other recipients. Instead of responding directly to the sender, one of the recipients responds reply-all to everyone in the email distribution list. Another person does the same thing. Then another, […]
I love the new holiday commercial. The song “Holiday Road” is a perfect addition. I also think it’s pretty cool postal employees were in the commercial. It puts one in the holiday spirit. […]
Retail Associate Leah Kainz was recently on duty in Custer, SD, when she grew concerned about a customer whose PO Box was overflowing unusually. Kainz mentioned it to Letter Carrier Charles Lehmann, who pointed out that the woman had recently put up a mailbox at home. Kainz asked Lehmann to check on the customer, and […]
Do you have questions about high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), one of the options available during this year’s open season? Here’s what you should know: • HDHPs generally offer lower premiums than other plans. This means you’ll have less money taken out of your paycheck. • HDHPs give you greater flexibility. While HDHPs have higher annual […]
The Postal Service has redesigned the IT Self Help/Service Now portal to provide users with quick, step-by-step information on how to resolve software, operating system, technology and application issues. The updated portal separates the IT service catalog into four sections: • Resolve: where users can create tickets to fix issues, including problems involving desk phones, […]
The Postal Service has announced holiday hours for Post Offices and blue collection boxes. Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve: Some Post Offices may have extended hours leading up to the holidays, while others may have limited hours on Saturday, Dec. 24. There are currently no plans for limited hours on New Year’s Eve, Saturday, […]
The Combined Federal Campaign’s cause of the week is Giving Tuesday. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the observance, which takes place on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. What started in 2012 as a local endeavor in New York City is now a global movement dedicated to charitable giving and “radical generosity.” The Combined Federal […]
You have two more weeks to change your health coverage for next year or enroll in a new plan. Open season, the annual period when USPS employees can make benefits changes, ends Monday, Dec. 12. Employees can choose from a variety of health, vision and dental coverage through the following programs and plans: • Federal […]
The Occupational Safety and Health team wants field supervisors to know about a new video tutorial on Blue that offers training on their role in advancing workers’ compensation claims in the Employees’ Compensation Operations and Management Portal. The portal, also known as ECOMP, is a web application used to process injury or illness claims that […]
The time has arrived for making holiday wishes come true. Beginning Nov. 28, you can go to the USPS Operation Santa website to read letters from children and others who are less fortunate this holiday season. You can pick one or more letters to adopt and follow the directions on how to fulfil the writer’s […]
Many people are confused by health insurance terminology. To help you navigate your way through this year’s open season benefits enrollment period, here are some important definitions: • Copayment: This is a fixed amount paid for certain covered health care services. • Coinsurance: This is similar to a copayment but refers to a percentage paid […]
The USPS Continuous Improvement team is offering advanced training to select employees who are certified black belts in Lean Six Sigma, a data-driven business approach used worldwide to boost efficiency and reduce waste. Applications for the Lean Leader Certification Program are being accepted from Nov. 28 through Jan. 2. The initial review of applications is […]
A lead from a letter carrier in Texas has resulted in a shipping deal worth almost $250,000. While delivering mail on his route, Matthew Rabe, who works at the Bedford Post Office, talked with a customer who mentioned that the cost of shipping was negatively affecting their company’s growth. After Rabe submitted the customer’s information […]
After a disaster, letter carriers and retail associates are welcome faces for weary customers, a hopeful sign that things are returning to normal. But behind the scenes are other employees working tirelessly to help USPS — and the communities it serves — recover. Postal inspectors from the Postal Inspection Service are among these hidden helpers. […]
Postal Service employees who want to save money for medical expenses have several options during this year’s open season, which runs through Dec. 12. 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 medical expenses […]
The Combined Federal Campaign’s cause of the week is food and nutrition. According to data from the United Nations: • Nearly 1 in 3 people, or 2.37 billion, did not have access to adequate food in 2020. That is an increase of almost 320 million in one year. • 149.2 million children under the age […]
The Postal Service is discontinuing USPSCA, a corporate account payment method used for Express Mail Corporate Accounts and Priority Mail Express Manifest Accounts. USPSCAs — also known as United States Postal Service Corporate Accounts — are prefunded by customers to ship documents or packages by Priority Mail Express. USPSCA customers receive a 5 percent price […]
Rural Carrier Thomas De La Garza was recently delivering mail in Union, KY, when he heard a customer screaming. De La Garza hurried to assist the man, who had been using a riding lawn mower in his yard and had struck an unhitched trailer, leading to significant abdominal area injuries. The Postal Service employee immediately […]
The “Sense of Normalcy,” and “Postal family” videos honoring employees for their dedication in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian were so well put together. As a postal employee, I know what the Postal Service is capable of — and the videos highlighted moments that truly show the world who we are and what we do. […]
To help Postal Service employees compare health plans during this year’s open season, the organization offers access to Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees. The guide has details about all plans available through the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. The comparison tool includes information on copays, deductibles, prescription drug costs, and whether […]
Are you one of the more than 12,000 Postal Service employees who have requested access to Click-N-Ship through ARIS but have not yet received approval? If so, the Shipping and Commerce Product Management team would like you to create a Click-N-Ship G-10 user account through the USPS Business Customer Gateway. Instructions for creating the account […]
Cleveland Letter Carrier Mitchell Rivas shared his nonprofit work with readers in a recent issue of The Eagle magazine. Rivas and his wife, Mindy, founded Maryssa’s Mission Foundation to support the families of hospitalized children. Having lost their 2-year-old daughter Maryssa, who was born with a heart defect, the couple understands the difficulties faced by […]
The Combined Federal Campaign’s cause of the week is children and families. An extensive data page on UNICEF’s website offers numerous reports on the impact of COVID-19 on children around the world. The pandemic: • Intensified the hardships experienced by poor children. • Exacerbated the learning crisis. • Increased child malnutrition. • Increased children’s risks […]
Postal Service employees can participate in an online virtual benefits fair throughout open season, which runs from Nov. 14 through Dec. 12. The virtual fair allows users to visit health care provider booths, attend webinars and download health plan materials from their personal computer or mobile device. It is being presented by USPS and health […]
The Postal Service is reminding fleet managers and drivers to always buy the lowest-cost fuel from stations in the USPS Preferred Fueling Network. The network, or PFN, consists of more than 10,000 retail fuel sites and 24 brands throughout the nation that provide the Postal Service with special pricing. The organization regularly updates PFN agreements, […]
On Nov. 15, the Postal Service will observe America Recycles Day, dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of conservation and recycling. The organization launched its National Recycling Operation, or NRO, in 2013 to streamline postal recycling efforts nationwide. The NRO established hubs to handle backhaul recycling, which takes advantage of existing transport equipment to […]