Daily printout: July 7

The Postal Service is reminding employees that federal ethics laws and regulations prohibit them from using their positions to benefit family, friends and business partners.

Managers who become aware that an employee is or will be in a direct reporting structure to a relative or significant other should immediately consult with Human Resources and Labor Relations.

If Human Resources approves the reporting relationship, the higher-level employee should not take actions that benefit the lower-level employee. This includes approving promotions, overtime, leave requests and detail assignment requests, as well as weighing in on disciplinary cases and compensation decisions. Instead, another employee should perform these supervisory tasks.

USPS policy prohibits spouses from directly reporting to each other. There must be at least one layer of supervision between them.

Postal Service employees are also prohibited from hiring, appointing, promoting or advancing a relative — including a spouse, parent, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, cousin, niece, nephew, in-law, stepparent, stepsibling or half-sibling.

Additionally, employees cannot advocate for such actions by putting in a good word to a hiring manager or making other types of suggestions.

The Ethics Blue page has additional information.

Employees with questions can email the USPS Ethics Office or call 202-268-6346.

The Postal Service is reminding employees and contractors to keep their USPS-issued mobile devices secure in all work environments.

Smartphones, laptops and tablets are essential tools used at work, at home and while traveling to communicate and access information.

Cybercriminals target these devices through phishing text messages, malicious apps and unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Thieves also try to steal the physical devices.

A compromised or stolen mobile device can expose sensitive information, disrupt operations and negatively impact the Postal Service’s reputation and brand.

To protect from cyberattacks:

• Keep devices updated with the latest operating system and security patches;

• Use a strong PIN and password to lock devices;

• Be cautious of unexpected text messages, emails, QR codes and links that request personal or work-related information;

• Use a smartphone hotspot or a virtual private network instead of public Wi-Fi networks;

• Do not use USPS devices for personal tasks; and

• Keep personal apps and data separate from Postal Service apps and data.

Immediately report lost or stolen USPS devices to the Cybersecurity Operations Center at 866-877-7247 or by emailing cybersafe@usps.gov.

The CyberSafe at USPS Blue and LiteBlue pages have more information.