President Joe Biden has ordered U.S. flags flown at half-staff to honor U.S. service members and other victims of the Aug. 26 terrorist attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. Flags should be flown at half-staff until Aug. 30 at sunset. To fly the flag at half-staff, hoist the flag to the peak for an instant and then […]
Postmaster Relief Amy Barber was recently on duty in Scotland, GA, when she grew concerned about a customer, Karen Murphy, whose Post Office Box was filling up. Barber requested a wellness check, and Murphy was found unconscious at home, in dire need of medical attention. The gravely ill customer was rushed to a hospital, and […]
Kudos to all the winning safety posters highlighted in “Aiming for the heart.” Kaneohe, HI, Retail Associate Gerry Nelmida’s 15-year-old son, Tyler, is a very talented artist. […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees about an important deadline involving the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is requiring all federal agencies to verify eligible family members who are enrolled in the program, also known as FEHB, by Aug. 31. To comply with this regulation, USPS employees who are […]
The Postal Service’s ACE computers will receive software updates this month that will improve security, functionality and compatibility with Office 365 products and other programs. The updates will occur in three phases: • BIOS update, which will consist of a set of computer instructions that control input and output; • Driver update, which involves a […]
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. When does hurricane season end? a) Sept. 15 b) Oct. 31 c) Nov. 1 d) Nov. 30 2. True or false: Bronze2021, the new Analytics University certification program, uses BlueTube videos […]
Employees at the Anaheim, CA, Processing and Distribution Center were thrilled last year when USPS chose the facility for solar panel installation. “How did we get so lucky?” Maintenance Manager Frank Garcia remembers thinking. One asset in the site’s favor, he later found out, was the facility’s new roof. Alas, Murphy’s Law prevailed. The panels’ […]
The Postal Service is reminding managers and supervisors to protect USPS computer systems and resources by proactively approving, denying, suspending or terminating user privileges through eAccess. Access should not be granted to the organization’s systems or resources unless it’s absolutely necessary. Grant as few privileges as possible to limit user access and protect postal technology. […]
The Postal Service wants its retail locations to start preparing now for the busy peak delivery season before it kicks into high gear this fall. Retail locations should use the next few weeks to get lobby areas in order by, for instance, running diagnostics on all self-service kiosk customer display units and other equipment to […]
With summer temperatures starting to rise, the Postal Service wants employees to recognize symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, two types of heat-related illnesses. Heat exhaustion symptoms include cool, moist skin; heavy sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; light-headedness; weakness; thirst; irritability; and a fast heartbeat. Here are first-aid guidelines for people who experience […]
Postmaster James Tee and Letter Carrier Joseph Hayes were on duty one afternoon recently at the Parlin, NJ, Post Office when they heard screams for help in the parking lot. Tee and Hayes rushed outside and saw that a woman had been struck by a customer’s vehicle, leaving her pinned beneath it and gravely injured. […]
Gregory Huff was excited when the Postal Service released its Western Wear stamps last month. “I bought them because they will remind me of my love for line dancing every time I use them,” said Huff, a general clerk at the USPS Vehicle Maintenance Facility in Edison, NJ. Huff discovered line dancing in 2011, when […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees of the rules when it comes to giving and receiving gifts. Gifts between employees Generally, a supervisor cannot accept a gift from a subordinate, but there are exceptions. • For a regularly occurring event, such as a birthday: Gifts, other than cash, that have a value of $10 or […]
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Fill in the blank: The Postal Service reported (blank) in total operating revenue during its most recent quarterly financial report. a) $1.85 billion b) $18.5 billion c) $185 billion d) None […]
The Postal Service is offering new training to help employees use data and fresh thinking to overcome obstacles in their work. The courses, available through the Analytics University educational platform, are part of Bronze2021, a curriculum that offers certifications in processing, logistics, and retail and delivery. The format focuses on how to use operational, analytics-driven […]
The Postal Service is moving the ACE Web Conferencing Zoom meeting scheduler request process from eAccess to ARIS, the organization’s new platform for requesting access to USPS digital resources. Starting Aug. 30, employees who want access to become a Zoom meeting scheduler must submit requests through the ARIS website. Search for “ACE Web Conferencing — […]
Missouri Statehood, the Postal Service’s latest stamp, was dedicated Aug. 10 on the steps of the Capitol in Jefferson City. The stamp features two bucolic images from Bollinger Mill State Historic Site: Bollinger’s Mill and Burfordville Covered Bridge. The two were described as “treasured structures” by Peter Pastre, the USPS government relations and public policy […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees that they may not use USPS property for any unauthorized purpose. Misusing USPS property violates the standards of ethical conduct for employees of the executive branch, which applies to all postal employees. Here are some examples of USPS property misuse: • Postal-issued cellphones. Don’t use them for outside business […]
The Postal Service wants to remind workers that the high season for hurricanes is here. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, with most storms forming after Aug. 1. The storms can cause high winds, heavy rain, flooding and other dangerous conditions, with coastal areas most affected. Disasters don’t wait, so take time […]
Letter Carrier Phyllis Garcia was recently making deliveries in a Santa Fe, NM, neighborhood when she grew concerned about a customer whose mail was piling up. Garcia got no answer when she knocked on the man’s door and rang his bell, so she checked with neighbors, who had seen no sign of him in several […]
Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses, the seventh installment in the popular Lighthouse series of stamps, was dedicated Aug. 6 at Twin Lights State Historic Site in Highlands, NJ. The site is home to Navesink, one of the featured lighthouses. Linda Malone, the Postal Service’s engineering systems vice president, spoke during the ceremony and said “it’s easy to see […]
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 or while supplies last. Customers who currently use Priority Mail Prepaid Flat Rate Stamped Envelopes are encouraged to place orders before supplies are depleted. Once supplies […]
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1, True or false: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers VaccineFinder, a free online service that lists COVID-19 vaccination sites with open appointments nearby. a) True b) False 2, How […]
“The List” highlighting canine stamps generated such good feelings. Thanks for sharing them. […]
USPS has been testing Extended Mail Forwarding for only about a year, but the service is already a hit with customers. “It’s very successful, beyond what we had projected,” said Liz Flake, a senior address management support analyst who is part of team that developed the service. So far, 1.1 million customers have signed up […]
The Postal Service wants employees to be aware of the risk of wildfires. Currently, 107 blazes are roaring across the United States, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, a support center for wildland fires and other emergencies. Oregon, Montana and Northern California are especially hard hit. For the latest on USPS operational status in […]
USPS is offering savings on Mastercard and Visa gift card purchases at select Post Offices this month. From Aug. 7-20, customers and employees will receive $3.95 off the purchase fee of Mastercard gift cards valued at $100. From Aug. 21-Sept. 3, customers and employees will save $3.95 on the purchase fee of Visa gift cards […]
Postal Service employees can participate in an upcoming webinar to learn about the practice of mindfulness. The session, “Modern Day Mindfulness,” will be held Thursday, Aug. 12, at noon EDT. Representatives from Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Virginia Hospital Center will conduct the webinar and provide an overview of the art of mindfulness, including […]
Norman Bills, a rural carrier from Jamaica, VT, was recently making deliveries when he grew concerned about a 97-year-old customer whose mail was piling up. Seeing no sign of the man at home or in the immediate vicinity, Bills requested a wellness check. Responding police officers conducted a search and found the customer incapacitated at […]
Before Portland, OR, carrier technician Steven Lusk sets off into the record-breaking heat of his adopted hometown, he goes through his daily checklist to make sure he has what he needs for work: Sunscreen? Check. Polarized sunglasses? Check. Water? Check. Hat, breathable shirt, leather shoes? Check, check, check. The Southern California native says he is […]