Maria Columbus, San Francisco
The “Courageous countdown” series, which highlights the 10 most-viewed “Heroes’ Corner” columns of 2021, reminds us how special our employees are. […]
Shawn Selby
Posts by Shawn Selby
Looking back
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 […]
Passion projects
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 […]
Count on us
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. […]
Santa Sean
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.’ […]
Pros at cons
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 […]
Worldwide Wellness
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 […]
Courageous countdown: No. 5
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 […]
Teresa Barwick, Center Hill, FL
“The List” column highlighting 10 facts about the Postal Service is very good. I learned some great information. […]
Priority Mail Express
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 […]
Glad tidings
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 […]
Growing season
“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. […]
Marianne Miller, Winnebago, IL
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. […]
Delivering for the holidays
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 […]
Holiday grifts
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: […]
Help for the holidays
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 gift of health
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 […]
Courageous countdown: No. 8
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, […]
To be discontinued
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 […]
It’s so easy
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 […]
Shoe review
“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 […]
Jeremy Sanders, Washington, DC
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. […]
Commercial tracker
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, […]
Smart in-office celebrations
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 […]
Beneficiary information
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 […]
Fall report
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 […]
Oh-no boy!
City Carrier Assistant Maria Corey was recently making deliveries in Marion, IA, when she witnessed a two-vehicle accident that left a woman and her child injured. While another witness called 911, Corey rushed to help the duo. She rendered first aid to the unconscious little boy and comforted his mother until emergency responders arrived and […]
Staying the course
USPS reported mixed results for fiscal year 2021, but fully enacting the Delivering for America plan will help put the organization back in the black, Chief Financial Officer Joe Corbett says in his latest “Dollars and Change” video. For fiscal year 2021 (Oct. 1, 2020-Sept. 30, 2021), total revenue was $77.1 billion, with total expenses […]
Health care ABCs
Do you know the difference between a deductible and a copayment? If you don’t, you’re not alone. 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: • Deductible: The amount you pay for covered health care services […]
Delivery data
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. How many packages does the Postal Service expect to deliver this holiday season? a) 800-900 million b) 825-925 million c) 850-950 million d) 875-975 million 2. President Joe Biden recently announced […]