Kimberly Freeborough, Richmond, VA
I love the Postal Service’s new TV commercial “Certainty,” highlighted in the article “Delivering peace of mind,” and how it spotlights the men and women of USPS who are serving during the coronavirus pandemic. […]
Shawn Selby
Posts by Shawn Selby
Special delivery
City Carrier Assistant Jamey Miller was recently delivering mail in a Decatur, AL, neighborhood when a customer carrying her 20-month-old son ran toward him screaming for help. The woman said the baby was choking, so Miller immediately called 911 and rendered first aid. Due to the boy’s age, the USPS employee administered back blows until […]
Trial run
The Postal Service offers several mailing promotions each year that can give business customers an opportunity to try something new. Rachel Katich, a customer relationship manager for Hudson, OH-based Jo-Ann Stores Inc., is one marketer who has done just that. A few years ago, she oversaw a campaign that combined two components: a postcard with […]
Meeting the press
The Postal Service wants employees to follow proper procedures when interacting with the news media. If an employee is contacted by a reporter or another member of the media, the employee should refer the individual to his or her supervisor or manager. The employee can also direct the reporter to the USPS Newsroom website, which […]
Asian Pacific American Month
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month — an annual celebration of the nation’s 22.2 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders — begins Friday, May 1. About 48,000 Postal Service employees identify as being Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. This represents approximately 7.6 percent of the USPS workforce. The organization celebrates the contributions of Asian Americans […]
Wonder wheels
“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 bike delivery routes are operated by the Sun City, AZ, Main Post Office? a) 25 b) 40 c) 61 d) None of the above 2. Fill in the blank: […]
‘Paint it Pink’
USPS is offering special “Paint it Pink” ReadyPost shipping supplies at select Post Offices, in time for Mother’s Day. Customers can purchase decorative box and bubble mailer designs that can be used for gift wrapping as well as mailing. The boxes fit inside Priority Mail boxes, making an ideal shipping item with added protection. The […]
Threat assessment
The Postal Service is asking employees to remain vigilant for insider security threats that could compromise the organization’s operations. Insider security threats refer to employees, contractors or business partners who fall into two categories: accidental insiders and malicious insiders. Accidental insiders unintentionally violate security policies or online best practices by: Not physically securing laptop computers […]
Special solicitation
The Combined Federal Campaign has reopened so federal employees can contribute to charities during the coronavirus pandemic. Donations can be made from April 20 through June 30. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which runs the campaign, also known as the CFC, is offering the special solicitation period to support charities as they face unprecedented […]
Information, please
Ikaika Bright understands the importance of employee communications. Bright, the Honolulu Processing and Distribution Center’s acting senior plant manager, sees stand-up talks as one of the Postal Service’s most valuable methods to deliver information. Stand-up talks are brief presentations on a single topic that managers and supervisors deliver to groups of employees. During the coronavirus […]
Primary colors
More than a dozen states are considering allowing voters to cast their ballots by mail or have already done so this primary season as physical distancing and stay-at-home orders make conducting traditional elections difficult. The coronavirus pandemic has prompted many states to postpone their primaries until late summer. In several of these states, governors and […]
Millions and millions
Informed Delivery has reached 25 million subscribers, another milestone for the free online feature that is helping the Postal Service to bridge digital and physical communications. Informed Delivery allows consumers to digitally preview their incoming mail and manage their packages from computers, smartphones and other devices. Since its national launch in 2017, the feature has […]
Caring carrier
Rural Carrier Associate Rosalinda Roman was making deliveries one day last summer in Mathis, TX, when she grew concerned about an older customer whose mail was piling up. Roman was especially worried because there was a late notice for the woman’s electric bill and she didn’t answer the door for a package delivery — both […]
Derek Terveer, St. Paul, MN
I loved the “Cycling success” article about Post Offices where letter carriers make their rounds on bikes. If I were a carrier, I’d want to deliver by bike. […]
Smart wheels
“News Quiz” is a weekly feature that lets you test your knowledge of recent Link stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Approximately how many vehicles are in the Postal Service fleet? a) 44,000 b) 160,000 c) 228,000 d) 470,000 2. True or false: Although ethics rules generally prohibit the acceptance of gifts, […]
Sustainability excellence
Eight facilities, teams and programs will receive Postmaster General Sustainability Excellence Awards for their efforts to help USPS achieve its sustainability goals. The honorees, announced this week, are: The Facilities team at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC, which installed waste receptacles in designated smoking areas to implement a process for free recycling of cigarette butts, […]
Think before posting
The Postal Service is reminding employees to avoid taking photos or videos of their workplace to share on social media, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. During this challenging time, employees may want to post images of the inside or outside of the facility where they work, and share workplace stories with friends and family. However, […]
In the mail
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 […]
Cycling success
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 […]
COVID-19 support
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 […]
Peace of mind
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 […]
Stay safe
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 […]
Fire man
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 […]
Shelene Costello, Geneva, NE
I enjoy Link. By reading it, I learn a lot about the Postal Service. […]
Top of the world
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 […]
Drawn together
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 […]
Small world
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 […]
On notice
“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 […]
Military survey
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 […]
Eye cue
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 […]