The Postal Service will deliver the economic impact payments that the federal government is sending to eligible households as part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic. USPS, in its role as an essential service, will accept, process and deliver an estimated 60 million checks from the U.S. Treasury Department. About 5 million to 8 […]
Letter carriers at the Sun City, AZ, Main Post Office are contributing to USPS sustainability efforts two wheels at a time. The office is one of only four in the Postal Service where carriers make their rounds on bike. “They’re very sturdy, and carriers have to be trained how to ride them because they are […]
The Postal Service has established a COVID-19 Supplies Command Center to ensure USPS facilities have supplies to keep employees safe and meet facilities’ cleaning needs during the coronavirus pandemic. While facilities should continue to order supplies following standard procedures and using local buying where available, the center is working closely with Supply Management and district […]
Kabirul Islam is vigilant in his efforts to help keep the Merrifield, VA, Post Office safe for his colleagues and customers. The retail associate understands the importance of following the Postal Service’s new guidelines to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. “We wear masks and gloves and put hand sanitizer in the lobby area […]
The Postal Service is reminding employees to watch out for children and dogs whose normal routines have changed due to lockdowns prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. With many workplaces and most schools closed because of the outbreak, more customers are at home during the daytime with their kids and pets. When driving postal vehicles in […]
Letter Carrier Christopher Giacini was recently delivering mail in a Glendale, AZ, neighborhood when he spotted smoke pouring out of a four-unit apartment building. While a bystander called 911, Giacini leapt into action, banging on the front door of each unit, shouting “fire” and guiding residents and their pets to safety. Firefighters soon arrived to […]
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Toni Guist is a natural. The Postal Service retail associate has handled passport applications for less than a year, but she already has been honored for her work by the U.S. State Department. Guist, who works at Clarence B. Craft Station in Fayetteville, AR, was one of four finalists for a special recognition citation in […]
A new coloring page is available to celebrate the outpouring of public support that Postal Service employees are receiving during the coronavirus pandemic. The page shows a letter carrier delivering mail to a home where two children stand at a window, holding a homemade thank-you sign and a drawing of a postal worker. In the […]
The Postal Service will release a stamp Saturday, April 18, to celebrate Earth Day, which will mark its 50th anniversary next week. Earth Day, held each year on April 22, was first celebrated in 1970, when U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin inspired thousands of people to organize against pollution following a major oil spill […]
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. USPS is testing a new Informed Delivery feature that lets users know when certain mailpieces are delivered. What mailpieces are involved? a) Letter-size mail and flat-size mail b) Letter-size mail, flat-size […]
The Postal Service is encouraging employees who are military members, veterans or spouses of veterans to complete a voluntary self-identification survey using a new application on HERO. “Completing this survey will allow the Postal Service to update its data, which can help us improve the workplace for veterans, current military members and employees who are […]
The Postal Service is making it easier to identify external mails to prevent employees and contractors from clicking on malicious links or downloading attachments that could pose a cyberthreat to the organization. Starting April 13, all emails from non-USPS senders will display the following banner at the top of the email: “CAUTION: This email originated […]
To help mark Financial Literacy Month in April, the USPS Wellness team will offer a retirement planning webinar for Postal Service employees. Aetna will host the webinar, which will focus on the following topics: Medicare, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB), the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) and the Thrift Savings […]
Link is seeking suggestions for “Best Practices,” a regular column that allows Postal Service employees to share tips on a variety of workplace topics. In recent months, “Best Practices” has featured Malik Jackson, a retail associate who offered advice on promoting USPS products and services; Tom Cappaert, a letter carrier who shared tips on delivering mail in […]
City Carrier Assistant Michael Jordan was recently delivering mail in Chillicothe, OH, when he spotted an older motorist in distress. The man had pulled over alongside a road, opened his car door and yelled for help as he slumped out of the driver’s seat. Jordan rushed to the man’s side, called 911, guided him to […]
The National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) membership has ratified a new three-year labor contract with the Postal Service. The contract covers approximately 43,000 employees represented by the union. Highlights of the agreement include annual general wage increases, a reduction in the employer share of health premiums, increased flexibility to use non-career mail handler assistant […]
The Postal Service is testing a new Informed Delivery feature that lets users know when their mail has been delivered. Informed Delivery, which has more than 23.5 million subscribers, allows users to receive digital previews of their incoming mail and manage their packages from smartphones, tablets and other devices. During the test, users receive email notices […]
The Postal Service employee who helped integrate New Orleans public schools as a child returned to her alma mater last month to mark a new beginning for the historic site. Gail Etienne-Stripling was one of three African American first-grade students known as the McDonogh Three who integrated McDonogh 19 Elementary School in 1960. The Tulsa, […]
“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 stamps were released April 2? a) American Gardens, Contemporary Boutonniere b) Contemporary Boutonniere, Garden Corsage c) Garden Corsage, Earth Day d) All of the above 2. True or false: Under […]
The Postal Service is sharing guidance from public health organizations and other authorities that have stated there’s no evidence the coronavirus is spread through the mail. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus is spread through respiratory droplets, and there is currently no evidence to support the transmission of COVID-19 […]
The Postal Service wants employees to know that the organization keeps their health information confidential. This includes employees who contract COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The Rehabilitation Act and the Privacy Act, two federal laws, require agencies to keep specific employee medical information confidential and to share it only in very limited […]
Ashley Ortiz never misses an opportunity to help USPS grow its business. The Derry, NH, letter carrier particularly enjoys finding sales leads, which she submits through the Customer Connect program. “I have just enough life experience that I can connect with a lot of people,” she says. The Postal Service wants all employees to follow […]
The Postal Service shares highlights from the recent Wild Orchids stamp dedication ceremony in a new video. “Orchids are beautiful but strange critters,” Jim Fowler, the photographer whose images appear on the stamps, says in the video, explaining how some orchids require fungi to germinate. Part of the largest family of plants on Earth, wild […]
Purchasing power. The General Services Administration (GSA) recently recognized Nancy Croteau-Westcott, a purchase card coordinator in the Postal Service’s Purchasing Shared Service Center, for her efforts to help USPS save money. During the previous fiscal year, the Postal Service had 323 purchase card convenience check accounts and issued more than 950 checks to suppliers, resulting […]
Link wants to hear your thoughts about “Steadfast service” and other stories about the coronavirus pandemic. Email your feedback to uspslink@usps.gov. Your comments could be featured in “Mailbag.” […]
Letter Carrier Zachary Karlovitz was recently delivering mail in a Grayslake, IL, neighborhood where he often exchanges pleasantries with an older customer while the man works with wood and metal in his garage. On this particular day, however, something was drastically different. Karlovitz found the man gravely injured after a power tool accident. The Postal […]
The Postal Service wants employees to take care of their health and well-being as they continue to adjust to challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. To help employees cope, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) has introduced “Coronavirus: Prepare without Panic,” a series of information sheets. The sheets cover several topics, including becoming more comfortable with […]
A new USPS video explains the changes customers will see in Post Office retail lobbies as the organization continues its efforts to promote social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. “Help Us Serve You: Post Offices,” which lasts one minute, explains that the organization limits the number of customers inside a Post Office to 10 at […]
“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: Hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes that don’t contain alcohol aren’t regulated as hazardous materials and are allowed in the mailstream. a) True b) False 2. Who oversees employee […]