Tuesday, July 2, 2024
The ban on gifts isn’t ironclad
USPS can make an exception if an offer is ‘necessary or convenient’ for business
Federal regulations generally prohibit the Postal Service and its employees from accepting gifts of monetary value from anyone outside the organization.
However, these regulations also give USPS the authority, on a case-by-case basis, to accept a gift that would normally be prohibited if doing so is deemed “necessary or convenient” to the organization’s business.
This power is referred to as the agency gift acceptance authority.
For example, an employee might receive an invitation to attend a conference free of charge.
If the conference offers educational or networking opportunities that may benefit both the employee and the Postal Service, the organization could exercise its agency gift authority to allow the employee to accept the gift of free attendance, including any meals offered.
Employees should email the Ethics and Legal Compliance team or call the ethics helpline at 202-268-6340 if they have been offered a gift that they believe could be of benefit to the organization.
Exploring the horse-human bond
A new video celebrates the animals’ beauty, grace and strength
The Postal Service has released a video about its new Horses stamps.
The Forever stamps, which were dedicated June 17 in St. Joseph, MO, recognize the vital and changing role horses play in the United States.
The four-minute video features remarks from Sharon Owens, the USPS pricing and costing vice president, and Erin Superczynski, a therapy program coordinator at Maryland Therapeutic Riding.
