There are few places in America without a postal presence, so it is little wonder that USPS workers cross paths with members of the animal kingdom from time to time. What is a little unusual is when the animals come looking for USPS, as was the case with an alligator in Florida. The 7-foot-long specimen […]
The continuing coronavirus pandemic brought new levels of appreciation for Postal Service workers and even whole new streams of revenue for USPS this year, with many customers turning to the organization for their newly launched businesses. Case in point: Deysigns, a home-based business in Chevy Chase, MD, that sells face masks and accessories. It is […]
The Postal Service wants employees and contractors to remember they’re prohibited from speaking on behalf of the organization on websites, blogs and other forms of social media without permission. Under the organization’s policy, employees must receive written permission from the USPS social media and legal teams and the appropriate vice president before establishing online accounts […]
Link is looking back at the year in “Heroes’ Corner” with a countdown of the 10 most-viewed articles. Coming in at No. 2 is “Fearsome fivesome,” the story of Abby Puckett. The Corinth, MS, rural carrier associate was delivering mail when she came upon an 18-year-old customer being attacked by five dogs. Puckett used repellent […]
The “Courageous countdown” series, which highlights the 10 most-viewed “Heroes’ Corner” columns of 2021, reminds us how special our employees are. […]
Link is taking a look back at the Postal Service in 2021. From Dec. 23-30, we’ll publish a four-part review of major headlines, as well as stories about employees and customers who made news, and a special year-end edition of “News Quiz.” Additionally, we’ll conclude our countdown of the top 10 “Heroes’ Corner” stories of […]
Postal Service employees are a dedicated bunch, so it’s no surprise that many carry that dedication over to personal projects after clocking out. Among those profiled in Link this year were: • William “Butch” Lyle, a Mary Esther, FL, postmaster and world-class power lifter. The former letter carrier’s 341-pound bench press broke a world record […]
You can now keep track of the number of mailpieces being handled by the Postal Service this holiday season. The organization has introduced an online counter that shows the number of letters, cards and packages that USPS has accepted since Thanksgiving. By Dec. 20 at 12:01 p.m. EST, the number exceeded more than 9 billion. […]
One day a year, Sean Fleming forgoes postal blue for a red suit. Fleming, a rural carrier, dresses as Santa Claus every Christmas Eve to make deliveries along his route in Herndon, VA, a suburb of Washington, DC. “The faces of the kids have a look of, ‘I can’t believe I just saw Santa Claus.’ […]
Online criminals are pros at developing new cons to steal information — and “vishing” might be one of the most sophisticated schemes yet. Vishing — a term that combines the words of “voice” and “phishing” — involves callers who use spoofed phone numbers to make it appear as if the calls originate from legitimate numbers […]
More than 2,700 Postal Service employees participated in the Worldwide Wellness challenge, an initiative that demonstrated how small steps can lead to big, positive changes. The challenge, conducted in cooperation with the Government Employees Health Association, ran from Sept. 13-Oct. 24. The goal was to encourage healthy behaviors as participants virtually traveled the globe and […]
Link is looking back at the year in “Heroes’ Corner” with a countdown of the 10 most-viewed articles. Coming in at No. 5 is “She’s a saint,” the story of Kelli St. Dennis. The highway contract route relief carrier was delivering mail in a Garden Valley, CA, subdivision when she spotted something unusual: Cash totaling […]
“The List” column highlighting 10 facts about the Postal Service is very good. I learned some great information. […]
The Postal Service has adjusted its postage refund policy for Priority Mail Express packages and envelopes sent from Dec. 22-25. Under the adjusted policy, postage for Priority Mail Express will not be refunded unless the first delivery attempt or delivery occurs more than two delivery days after the acceptance scan. To submit a refund request at […]
The Postal Service’s busiest week of the holiday season is underway — and if you need help to get through the next few days, there’s plenty available. The USPS Holiday Newsroom website has fact sheets, recommended mailing and shipping dates, information on the USPS Operation Santa and the Greetings from the North Pole programs, and […]
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. By how much did USPS shipping and package revenue grow during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30? a) 3.4 percent b) 3.5 percent c) 4.9 percent d) 12.2 percent 2. […]
The Hollygrams, highlighted in “Holly’s hobby,” are a wonderful idea. Encouraging colleagues during peak season, the Postal Service’s most hectic time of the year, can make someone’s day. […]
Dec. 13 kicks off what is expected to be the busiest week of the year for the Postal Service, the peak of peak season. Nearly 2.3 billion First-Class Mail pieces, including greeting cards and packages, are expected to be processed and delivered this week. The organization, which is encouraging customers to use usps.com for at-home […]
Scammers never take a holiday — and this is their favorite time of year. Undeterred by the coronavirus pandemic and inflation, consumers are projected to spend up to $1.3 trillion between November and January, which makes the holidays a prime time for online scams. Here are two to watch out for: • Package delivery scams: […]
The Postal Service offers counseling and other services during the holidays — and all year long — through the USPS Employee Assistance Program (EAP). If you need to talk to someone, you can call EAP’s toll-free number at 800-327-4968 (800-EAP-4YOU). The TTY number is 877-492-7341. Counselors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a […]
The USPS Health and Wellness team wants to help employees have a safe, healthy holiday season. Here are some tips: • Follow coronavirus pandemic safety protocols.Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to prevent the spread of germs. Continue adhering to social distancing guidelines and wearing face coverings. •Stay safe […]
Link is looking back at the year in “Heroes’ Corner” with a countdown of the 10 most-viewed articles. Coming in at No. 8 is “Dear Abbie,” the story of Abbie Campagna. The retail associate was on duty in Greendale, WI, when she grew concerned about a 91-year-old customer. Over the course of a few days, […]
Reminder: The Postal Service is discontinuing production of its Priority Mail Prepaid Flat Rate Stamped Envelope. The envelope, which is only sold online at usps.com/postalstore, will remain available until January. Customers who currently use Priority Mail Prepaid Flat Rate Stamped Envelopes are encouraged to place orders before supplies are depleted. Once supplies are gone, Priority […]
The Postal Service wants employees to remember to use PostalEASE to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program or the USPS Health Benefits Plan. You can access PostalEASE from the Benefits Enrollment Changes section of the OpenSeason LiteBlue page or by calling the employee service line at 877-477-3273 (select option 1). The Federal Relay Service number is […]
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Which USPS-licensed Vans sneaker will be released Jan. 20 at Foot Locker? a) Authentic b) Old Skool c) Sk8-Hi MTE-1 d) Sk8-Hi Reissue 2. Through the USPS Pen Pal Project, how […]
My colleagues and I admire Link’s clever headlines. It’s almost become a game to spot the pop culture references and puns that color each edition. Thank you for brightening our days. […]
A new Informed Visibility tool allows users to see the number of packages small and midsize commercial mailers are adding to the mailstream. Called the Customer Visibility Dashboard, or CVD, the tool leverages data from mailer manifests. This data provides USPS plant and facility managers and supervisors with the information needed to make staffing decisions, […]
Now that the holiday season is here, some Postal Service teams may be planning festive events that involve employees gathering to share food and drinks in a plant or delivery unit. While there is no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted by food or drinks, close contact between individuals does increase the risk of spreading the […]
The Postal Service wants to remind all workers that it is important to complete or update beneficiary information as soon as possible. This simple task takes just a minute or two and can save a lot of heartache down the line. The Life Changes LiteBlue page, a one-stop shop for updating employee information, makes it […]
The USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) completed more than 1,500 investigations during the six-month period that ended Sept. 30. These investigations led to 520 arrests and more than $70 million in fines, restitutions and recoveries. This amount includes $17 million that was returned to the Postal Service. The data is included in […]