Tova Upshur, Norfolk, VA
I enjoyed reading the article about how the Postal Service is recycling undeliverable Marketing Mail. It’s great to see the organization thinking outside of the box with sustainability initiatives that generate revenue. […]
Shawn Selby
Posts by Shawn Selby
Hospitality shift
The Postal Service’s training and conference properties in Maryland and Oklahoma are working to recoup lost revenue as result of the coronavirus pandemic. The Bolger Center in Potomac, MD, and the National Center for Employee Development (NCED) in Norman, OK, both have hotels and restaurants, in addition to conference rooms. Before the pandemic, both properties […]
VP transition
Timothy Costello has been named Southern Area’s retail and delivery operations vice president, succeeding Shaun Mossman, who plans to retire from the Postal Service on Dec. 31. The area has 18 postal districts spread across 11 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee, as well as […]
Healthy savings
Postal Service employees who want to save money for future medical expenses have several options to choose from during this year’s open season, which runs from Nov. 9-Dec. 14. 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 […]
Staying grounded
The Postal Service’s policy limiting business travel during the coronavirus pandemic has been extended until at least Jan. 19, 2021. The policy affects all business trips, including in-person training. Only travel that is deemed critical to the organization’s mission and trips that cannot be postponed will be approved. However, certain travel will be necessary in […]
New look
The USPS Ethics Office has redesigned its Blue page to give employees easier access to ethics-related information. The page is laid out with several blue boxes, each covering a topic, such as “Gifts from Outside Sources,” “Misuse of Time” and “Political Activity.” Clicking on a box will take the visitor to a secondary page that […]
Tina Kuhr, Otoe, NE
I’m so proud of the efforts of the Postal Service employees who are working to recycle undeliverable Marketing Mail for home insulation. I hope this will be a requirement across the organization. […]
Hear ye for Erie
A safety meeting held one morning earlier this year at the Erie, PA, Processing and Distribution Center turned into a scene of crisis when an employee experienced a medical emergency. Maintenance Operations Support Supervisor Lee Huhta immediately called 911 when Electronic Technician Paul Kircher complained of physical discomfort. As Kircher’s symptoms worsened, Huhta was joined […]
‘Home’ for Christmas
The Postal Service’s new holiday television commercial began airing Nov. 13. The commercial, titled “Home,” shows holiday mail and packages working their way through a mail processing center and being loaded onto trucks while mail carriers get ready to start their delivery rounds. Carriers are then shown making deliveries in rain and snow. The commercial […]
Health care ABCs
Do you know the difference between a deductible and a copayment? If you don’t know, 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: This is the amount you pay for covered […]
Touch points
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. The Postal Service is working with the Sandboxx app to help customers use Informed Delivery to connect with whom? a) College freshmen b) Kindergarteners c) Military recruits d) None of the […]
Teresa Navarette, San Diego
The Postal Service’s collaboration with Sandboxx, an app that helps families and friends send physical letters to military recruits in basic training, is excellent. […]
Holiday connections
In this week’s all-employee video message, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy discusses the significance of the holiday shipping and mailing season. “Many customers will be ordering more gifts online this year than they normally would. With fewer people traveling for the holidays, those cards and gifts will mean more. That is why our role in connecting […]
New prices
The Postal Service has announced additional price changes for next year. If reviewed favorably by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), the changes would take effect Jan. 24, 2021. Here’s a list of current and planned prices: Priority Mail small flat-rate box: $8.30 (current), $8.45 (planned) Priority Mail medium flat-rate box: $15.05 (current), $15.50 (planned) Priority […]
Better shop around
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. Checkbook has information about all plans available through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The comparison tool allows you to find the right health plan for you and your […]
Your count counts
The Postal Service is reminding facilities to have sufficient coronavirus pandemic-related supplies on hand — and to accurately and regularly report their inventories in the organization’s field surveys. Each facility should have a 30-to-45-day supply of COVID-19 materials, including face coverings and gloves; cleaning and disinfectant products; and hand soaps, sanitizer and paper towels. Having […]
Hooray for Hollygrams
Do you have a co-worker who could use a little cheer this holiday season? Maybe it’s someone who deserves recognition for a job well done, or someone who simply embodies the spirit of postal pride. Whatever the situation, why not send them a Hollygram? The Postal Service has created six templates that employees can use […]
Critical massive
Rural Carrier Reggie Elliott was delivering mail one day last winter in Yorkville, IL, when he spotted a customer lying on the ground at the end of a driveway. The man had suffered a massive heart attack while shoveling snow, and his wife was frantically trying to administer CPR while talking to a 911 dispatcher. […]
Mary Neokleous, Windsor, CT
The “2020 Veterans Day Celebration” video was an excellent presentation to honor our military veterans. I hope the Postal Service will do this every year. Bravo! […]
Recycled mail
The Postal Service recycles 200,000 tons of undeliverable Marketing Mail each year, and now some of that mail is being turned into home insulation. USPS is marking America Recycles Day by highlighting a recycling test taking place in Utah. America Recycles Day, held each Nov. 15, is a campaign to raise awareness of the importance […]
Scanning snapshot
Scanning snapshot. A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.03 percent during the week ending Nov. 6, down 0.14 percent from one week earlier. The data was collected Nov. 12. Western-Pacific led the four areas with a rating of 97.39 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.65 percent rating. […]
Easy does it
Do you need help figuring out which health care, dental and vision plans are best for you during open season? If so, you can use Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans on the Open Season LiteBlue page to compare available options. Once you’re ready to make a change, use PostalEASE to enroll in the Federal Employees […]
Leading the way
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. What’s the name of the current campaign to encourage Postal Service employees to submit sales leads? a) Get the Red Out b) Go for the Gold c) The Power of One […]
Nadine Burton, Atlanta
I just loved the “Little boy blue” and “Doggie double take” articles featuring pictures of kids and dogs dressed as mail carriers. It warms my heart to know our customers acknowledge the service we provide. […]
Open season webinars
The Postal Service will offer a special webinar for employees who want to learn more about their options during this year’s open season benefits enrollment period. The session, “Making the Most of Open Season,” will be offered several times throughout open season, which runs from Nov. 9-Dec. 14. Each session will take place through the […]
Background check
The Postal Service wants employees to remember to keep it professional when it comes to profile photos on HERO, Outlook, Zoom and other platforms used by USPS. Under the organization’s photo policy, employees should post only recent images of themselves wearing appropriate attire, such as business-casual clothing or a USPS-sanctioned uniform. Profile photos should also […]
Peak planning
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s latest video message for Postal Service employees previews the holiday peak delivery season. He discusses the growth in the organization’s package business during the coronavirus pandemic and explains that volumes are expected to further increase during the holidays. To ensure USPS effectively serves package customers, the organization is expanding air and […]
CFC season
With the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) underway, the Postal Service wants employees to understand the rules about fundraising in the workplace. The CFC allows federal employees, retirees and contractors to contribute to more than 7,000 charitable organizations. The campaign consolidates solicitations of postal employees into a single, officially supported effort. Contractors cannot be solicited, but […]
Relocation reminder
The Postal Service wants employees to remember that relocation expense reimbursement requests submitted after Nov. 20 will be processed for payment on Jan. 2, 2021. USPS established this deadline to ensure the organization has adequate time to record and report all relocation expenses for 2020 tax purposes. All relocation expense reimbursement requests submitted after the […]
Crosswalk collapse
Customer Services Supervisor Lucille Hickerson was driving to work on a recent morning in Colorado Springs, CO, when a crisis erupted at a stoplight: A pedestrian crossing the street collapsed. Hickerson rushed to check on the woman. Detecting no pulse, the Postal Service employee immediately called 911, retrieved a CPR kit from her car and […]