Thursday, August 15, 2024
Round and round
USPS to release upbeat, punchy Pinback Buttons stamps
The Postal Service will release its Pinback Buttons stamps on Thursday, Aug. 15.
The round Forever stamps are designed to resemble the sort of pins that convey a political leaning, tell a joke, champion a social or environmental cause or simply serve as a souvenir.
The stamps’ circular shape, as well as the shadowing and reflection techniques used in the design, give the appearance of three-dimensional pinback buttons.
The 10 stamps feature work by various artists, each with a single, upbeat word as the central design element: “Smile” (Don Clark), “Hello!” (Tré Seals), “Peace” (Jay Fletcher), “Love” (Juan Carlos Pagan), “Fun” (Gia Graham), “Sweet” (Jeff Rogers), “Yes!” (Ryan Feerer), “Cheers!” (Lisa Congdon), “Kudos!” (DKNG Studios) and “Happy” (Gina Triplett).
Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps.
The back of the stamp pane features an illustration of a round silver button back with pin fastener repeated 20 times, one for each button shown on the front of the pane, further emphasizing the theme.
The stamps are available in panes of 20 and are available at Post Offices and usps.com. Several Pinback Buttons-themed products, including an informative stamp portfolio, are also available on the website.
The stamps will be dedicated at the Great American Stamp Show in Hartford, CT.
Employees should never steal, delay or destroy letters and packages
Handling the mail is the Postal Service’s sacred trust
The Postal Service is marking USPS Ethics Awareness Week by reminding employees of their duty to protect the sanctity of the mail.
USPS delivers important items such as medications, bills, payments, gifts for loved ones and other items of value to its customers every day.
Customers put their trust in the Postal Service. Each letter and package should be treated with care and respect and delivered to its destination on time and untampered with.
Mail theft and the willful delay, damaging or destruction of mail erode the public’s trust and drive customers away.
Employees who steal, delay or destroy mail can face administrative action — including removal from employment — and criminal prosecution.
Employees who are having trouble delivering on their assigned routes should speak with a supervisor.
The free, voluntary USPS Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available 24/7 to assist any employee, including those experiencing personal issues that may be affecting their ability to properly perform their job duties.
Counselors can be reached by calling 800-EAP-4YOU (800-327-4968).
The Ethics Blue page covers these topics in more detail.
For more information, employees can email the Postal Service’s ethics helpline or call 202-268-6346.
August 22, 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, Aug. 22, 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.
Atlantic Area, Minnesota-North Dakota District lead in scanning
A snapshot of Postal Service scanning data shows the national rating was 97.17 percent during the week ending Aug. 9, down 0.25 percent from one week earlier.
The data was collected Aug. 14.
Atlantic led the four areas with a rating of 97.52 percent, while Southern ranked last with a 96.53 percent rating
Among the 50 districts, Minnesota-North Dakota, part of Central Area, ranked first with a 98.42 percent rating, while Georgia, part of Southern Area, ranked last with a 93.27 percent rating.
Scanning data allows customers to track their mail and packages, which helps USPS deliver excellent service, boost loyalty and drive revenue.
To see the latest data, go to the Informed Visibility website and select “Customer Experience,” followed by “DES 2 Scan Performance.” Postal Service employees must request Informed Visibility access through eAccess.