Thursday, June 20, 2024
Milestones
Appointments, awards and more
Here’s a look at recent USPS announcements
• Christopher J. Karpenko was named product management senior director. He previously served as customer marketing senior director.
• Louisville, KY, Postmaster Shoca Moore completed a detail assignment as the Chicago Post Office’s officer in charge and resumed her regular duties.
• Taren L. Reynolds was named national training director. He previously served as training development director.
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June 27, 2024
Datebook
PSHB virtual seminar
USPS employees and annuitants may participate in an upcoming virtual seminar on the new Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program.
The session will be held Thursday, June 27, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern and from 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern.
PSHB — which takes effect in 2025 — is a new, separate program within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and will be administered by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
USPS employees, annuitants, and eligible family members are required to enroll in this new program.
The MyHR website’s PSHB page has more information, including the Zoom links and passcodes to participate. To find the page, enter “Postal Service Health Benefits” in the MyHR search bar.
Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees must be off the clock or on authorized breaks.
Employees can also receive updates by texting “PSHBP” to 39369.
If you don’t know about quishing, read this
Scammers could use QR codes to steal your info
The Postal Inspection Service is warning USPS employees and the public about a form of phishing — called quishing — that uses fake QR codes to commit identify fraud.
The scam typically starts with an unsolicited text message, email, social media post or a poster that contains a QR code.
The message may claim to offer a discount, a gift or an enticing offer — but when the code is scanned, the user is redirected to a fake site designed to look legitimate.
The user is asked to enter personal information such as their name, address, banking details and passwords, which the scammer then uses to commit identity fraud.
How can you protect yourself from quishing? Here are some tips from the Inspection Service:
• Don’t scan the code: Instead, verify the source by contacting the company or organization directly using their official website.
• Block spam messages: Call your carrier — usually by dialing 611 — and request a block on text and multimedia messages sent as email.
• Update your software: Keeping your smartphone’s software up to date could help protect your data.
• Trust your instincts: If something is too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t let the promise of something free cloud your judgment.
The Inspection Service is promoting identity fraud awareness throughout June. The agency’s website has more information.
USPS celebrates 250 years of Shaker design
A new stamp pane showcases architecture, furniture and more
The Postal Service will release its Shaker Design stamps on Thursday, June 20, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the arrival of the first Shakers in America.
Founded in England in the 18th century, the Shakers were a celibate, pacifist and socially progressive offshoot of mainstream Quakerism.
In 1774, a small group of Shakers immigrated to America to escape persecution and eventually settled near Albany, NY.
By the 1840s, at their height, approximately 5,000 Shakers lived in more than a dozen, largely self-sufficient settlements from Maine to Kentucky.
Their minimalist designs — including furniture, textiles and architecture — include no excessive ornamentation. Instead, the Shakers concentrated on the harmony of form and function, creating pieces renowned worldwide for their simplicity, utility and impeccable quality.
Derry Noyes, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using photos by Michael Freeman.
The selvage features a black-and-white photo of Brother Ricardo Belden (1868-1958), a Shaker carpenter and artisan, in his workshop in Pittsfield, MA. The 1930s photo was taken by Samuel Kravitt.
The stamps will be available in panes of 12 at Post Offices and usps.com.
USPS will dedicate the stamps June 20 during an event in Pittsfield.
June 26, 2024
Datebook
‘USPS Retirement Health Benefits’
Postal Service employees may participate in an upcoming webinar that will address benefits available after retirement.
The session, “USPS Retirement Health Benefits: Medicare, Dental and Vision,” will be held Wednesday, June 26, from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern.
Representatives from Aetna, a provider of health plans for federal employees, will lead the discussion.
Participants must register before the event on the webinar website.
Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees must be off the clock or on authorized breaks.
Employees who have questions can email the USPS Benefits and Wellness team.
USPS will no longer offer these boxes and variety pack
The Postal Services is discontinuing several USPS-branded boxes and one variety pack of boxes.
The Priority Mail medium box option 2 and Priority Mail DVD box will no longer be offered.
The Priority Mail Express medium box option 1 is also being discontinued.
The Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes variety pack, which contains one of each the flat-rate boxes, also will no longer be offered, but the boxes offered in the pack will still be available separately.
Customers can purchase the boxes and variety pack while supplies last.
View past printouts
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What's included
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Milestones
Appointments, awards and more
Here’s a look at recent USPS announcements
-
June27Datebook
PSHB virtual seminar
-
If you don’t know about quishing, read this
Scammers could use QR codes to steal your info
-
USPS celebrates 250 years of Shaker design
A new stamp pane showcases architecture, furniture and more
-
June26Datebook
‘USPS Retirement Health Benefits’
-
Brief
USPS will no longer offer these boxes and variety pack