Letter Carrier Kevin O’Day was delivering mail on an August day in Covington, KY, when he spotted smoke pouring from the upper floor of Grainwell, a family-owned shop specializing in custom wood products. O’Day rushed to the scene to alert co-owner Michelle Kirn and ensure that she and three dogs got out of the building […]
Here’s Link’s latest “News quiz,” a weekly feature that invites readers to test their knowledge of recent stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Fill in the blank: USPS wants consumers to sign up for (blank) to help them manage their holiday package deliveries. a) Informed Delivery b) Informed Facility c) Informed Visibility […]
Grab your Checkbook. USPS is reminding employees that they can use Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans to compare their options during this year’s open season. Checkbook has information about all plans available through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB). The comparison tool includes information on copays, deductibles, prescription drug costs and whether dental and […]
Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan and the leaders of the postal unions and management associations discuss the importance of the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) in a new video. The CFC, the world’s largest workplace effort, allows federal employees to contribute to more than 8,000 charities. Postal workers pledged $6.1 million to the CFC last year. […]
A member of the Minnesota Vikings recently visited a USPS plant in Minneapolis to learn how mail is processed. George Iloka, a defensive safety player, toured the Minneapolis Processing and Distribution Center with Jason Brain, a customer services operations manager. The tour was featured on an episode of “Vikings Huddle,” an educational TV show for […]
The USPS employees featured in the new Postal Uniform Guidelines manual say they’re proud to serve as role models for their colleagues across the nation. Managers and supervisors are using the pictorial guidebook, available in a digital format, to help ensure employees wear their uniforms properly. Edwin Tabarez, an Alexandria, VA, letter carrier who is pictured in […]
Letter Carrier Maisha Tate was recently delivering mail in a Ringwood, NJ, neighborhood when she spotted a customer unconscious on his front lawn. Tate rushed to the man’s aid, called 911 and alerted a neighbor. The customer, who had collapsed due to diabetic complications, was hospitalized for several days. The man later visited the local […]
Hanukkah, the subject of a new stamp from USPS, begins Sunday, Dec. 2, at sundown. Here are eight things to know about the holiday. 1. Hanukkah celebrates a military victory and a miracle. The eight-day observance commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem by the Maccabees after their victory over the Syrian-Greeks during […]
You can learn more about the advantages of high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) and health savings accounts (HSAs) through a 2-minute video. The segment, titled “A Closer Look,” explains that an HDHP, combined with an HSA, can save Postal Service employees money when compared to traditional plans. HDHPs allow users to spend less on insurance premiums […]
Although federal ethics rules apply all year long, the Postal Service’s Ethics Office wants employees to remember that compliance is especially important during the holidays. The Ethics Office Blue page has a presentation to help employees become familiar with the rules, which are known as the standards of ethical conduct. The presentation includes the standards […]
The Postal Service’s continuous improvement manager discusses her career in Woman Engineer magazine’s latest issue. “I like that USPS strives for operational excellence to service its customers,” Jewelyn Harrington tells the publication. She explains that her job includes helping the Postal Service to improve its processes and empower its employees to solve problems. “When I […]
USPS employees submitted more than 104,000 sales leads that resulted in $877 million in postal revenue during fiscal 2018, a new record. The leads were submitted through six programs — Business Connect, Clerks Care, Customer Connect, Mail Handlers, Rural Reach and Submit a Lead — that have generated $7 billion in revenue overall since they began several […]
City Carrier Assistant Kiley Mumaw was recently delivering mail in an Ashville, OH, neighborhood when she spotted a tree on fire. Flames were quickly spreading to a house nearby, and Mumaw knew that the residents were typically at home sleeping during the daytime. The Postal Service employee banged on the front door as she called […]
The Postal Service is giving employees a sneak peek at this year’s holiday advertisements. A new site, USPS Holiday 2018, offers employees a preview of what customers will see throughout the season on TV, social media, inside their mailboxes and elsewhere. The site showcases this year’s TV commercials, which feature actual USPS employees, as well […]
A newly updated video about the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) reminds employees to conduct a “health plan checkup” during this year’s open season. The 3-minute segment encourages employees to evaluate their health care options to ensure they have the coverage they need. The video also explains how employees can use the Open Season LiteBlue […]
Reminder: Four types of plans are available during open season, the annual period when Postal Service employees can make changes to their health coverage. The plan types are: Health maintenance organizations (HMOs), which provide care from in-network plan physicians and hospitals located in particular geographic or service areas Preferred provider organizations (PPOs), which offer fee-for-service […]
You celebrate Thanksgiving each year, but how much do you know about the holiday? Here are five facts for you to digest. 1. The first Postmaster General was wild about turkeys. Contrary to popular myth, Benjamin Franklin did not want the turkey to be our national bird, but he did think the turkey would have […]
Great Lakes Area Sr. Business Service Network Specialist Alfred Strickland was recently on the job in Carol Stream, IL, when a co-worker experienced a lunchtime medical crisis. The woman had been eating peanuts when she began to choke. Strickland sprang into action when he realized his colleague was struggling to breathe. He performed the Heimlich […]
The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has approved the price changes that USPS proposed in October. The changes will raise Mailing Services product prices approximately 2.5 percent. Shipping Services price increases vary by product. For example, Priority Mail Express prices will increase 3.9 percent, while Priority Mail prices will increase 5.9 percent. Here are the current […]
Postal Service employees who use government-issued credit cards to pay for various supplies and services will soon receive new cards. New cards will be issued for each of the following programs: Fleet Purchase Travel Uniform Allowance Program (UAP) USPS Supply Management worked with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and several postal departments — including […]
Got questions about high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), one of the options available during this year’s open season? Here’s what you should know: • HDHPs generally offer lower premiums than other plans. This means you’ll have less money taken out of your paycheck. • HDHPs give you greater flexibility. While HDHPs have higher annual deductibles and […]
Highlights from this year’s Kwanzaa stamp dedication event are featured in a new video from the Postal Service. Kwanzaa, which is celebrated each year from Dec. 26-Jan. 1, is based on seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility; cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. “Through its seven founding principles … Kwanzaa successfully melds communal […]
Here’s Link’s latest “News quiz,” a weekly feature that invites readers to test their knowledge of recent stories. The correct answers appear at the end. 1. Fill in the blanks: During fiscal 2018 (Oct. 1, 2017-Sept. 30, 2018), the Postal Service’s First-Class Mail volume fell (blank), while package volume increased (blank). a) 2.1 percent, 3.6 […]
Thank you for acknowledging the military veterans in the USPS workforce. […]
Letter Carrier Kelli Carlson was recently delivering mail in Warren, OH, when she spotted an unsupervised toddler playing near a busy road. Carlson immediately stopped to check on the girl and ensure she didn’t run into traffic. When the child indicated she resided nearby, Carlson took her there and located her mother, who was doing […]
GIS revolutionizes USPS. Wednesday, Nov. 14, is National GIS Day, an annual observation to demonstrate how geospatial applications are used to educate the public on geographic information systems. GIS provides a variety of capabilities designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage and visualize geographical data. The Postal Service’s Office of Addressing and Geospatial Technology (AGT) […]
The Postal Service’s latest “Behind the Scenes” video shows viewers how the organization created this year’s holiday TV commercials. The video features Carilla Hayden, a Chicago letter carrier who appears in the advertisements as a carrier who encounters Santa Claus while delivering mail and packages to a home at Christmastime. “I love Christmas … and I […]
Need help figuring out which health care, dental and vision plan is 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 Health Benefits Program […]
The Postal Service plans to deliver almost 15 billion pieces of mail and 900 million packages this holiday season. The estimates, released Nov. 13, cover the period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. “The Postal Service is ready to deliver for the holiday season. We have increased our operating capacity to include additional transportation and […]
The Postal Service released its Alzheimer’s semipostal stamp almost one year ago. To mark the occasion, here are some facts about the disease, courtesy of the Alzheimer’s Association. 1. Millions are living with Alzheimer’s disease. More than 5.7 million Americans have Alzheimer’s. By 2050, this number is projected to rise to nearly 14 million. 2. Alzheimer’s […]