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 […]
On Aug. 6, the Postal Service will release Mid-Atlantic Lighthouses, the seventh installment in the popular Lighthouse stamp series. The five stars of the finale are New York’s Montauk Point Lighthouse, Navesink in New Jersey, Pennsylvania’s Erie Harbor Pierhead Light, Delaware’s Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse and the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay. […]
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Where does Sharpy, the American Mammoth Jackstock donkey featured on the Heritage Breeds stamps, reside? a) Guilford, CT b) Mount Vernon, VA c) New York City d) None of the above […]
I really loved “To Sharpy, with love,” the article about the American Mammoth Jackstock donkey featured on the new Heritage Breeds stamps. Sharpy is a beautiful animal. […]
The USPS letter carrier academy in New York City has changed its name to honor the late Anthony Puccio, a postal employee whose work ethic set a high standard for others to follow. The Anthony Puccio Letter Carrier Academy, located at a Manhattan Post Office, features a mural of Puccio painted by Michael Mateo Sr., […]
USPS is reminding employees about a new service that ensures timely deliveries for customers who request expedited packaging supplies (EPS). These supplies — including corrugated containers, envelopes, pressure-sensitive labels and decals — are specially designed for use with domestic and international Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail services, at no additional cost to customers. All expedited packaging […]
August is National Immunization Awareness Month, a time to check your health records and make sure you’ve received all relevant vaccinations and boosters. Immunity from childhood vaccines can subside over time, and we become susceptible to different diseases as adults. While the COVID-19 vaccine is at the forefront of our national conversation, you may find […]
Congrats to Sharpy — the American Mammoth Jackstock donkey featured at the recent Heritage Breeds stamps dedication ceremony — for helping people understand donkeys are good-natured. […]
Robert Brown, a custodian at the Youngstown, OH, Processing and Distribution Facility, was on duty recently when he grew concerned about a colleague who didn’t look well. Brown approached the man, who was in medical distress, and immediately rendered first aid while 911 was called. Emergency responders soon arrived to provide further assistance, and the […]