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Leading the way

Top story

Leading the way
June sales campaign has new focus
1 day ago
BusinessCOVID
Ceremonies canceled
Stamps will be released as planned
1 day ago
BusinessCOVID
LGBT Pride Month
Annual commemoration begins June 1
1 day ago

First-class learning

First-class learning

Schoolkids take virtual Post Office tour
A group of Florida first-graders got an inside look at a Post Office even though their school is closed.
2 days ago
COVIDCustomers

Need info?

Need info?

Library offers new research tools
If you need to conduct research related to the coronavirus pandemic, the USPS Corporate Library can help.
2 days ago
COVIDEmployees

For all you do

For all you do

New video showcases customers’ messages
The latest “Thank You for the Thank-You’s” video highlights messages of gratitude that USPS customers are sharing through woodwork and drawings.
2 days ago
COVIDCustomers

Expert advice

Expert advice

News Quiz: Test your postal knowledge
How much do you know about direct mail help, commercial mail forwarding services, new stamps and other newsworthy topics?
2 days ago

The bottom line

The bottom line

Corbett discusses pandemic’s financial effects
The coronavirus pandemic is having “a significant negative impact” on the Postal Service’s finances, Chief Financial Officer Joe Corbett reports in his latest “Dollars and Change” video.
3 days ago
BusinessCOVID

Do’s and don’ts

Do’s and don’ts

How to properly process PFSC mail
The Postal Service is reminding employees about specific procedures for processing Premium Forwarding Service Commercial (PFSC) mail.
3 days ago
COVIDOperations

Whenever, wherever

Whenever, wherever

EAP assistance available 24/7
The Postal Service wants employees who feel particularly challenged during the coronavirus pandemic to know that the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to help.
3 days ago

Clean sweep

Clean sweep

Dispose of trash, recyclables responsibly
The Postal Service is reminding employees to maintain healthy workplaces by disposing of trash, recyclable items and other refuse responsibly.
3 days ago

Scanning snapshot

News Briefs

Scanning snapshot

Postal Bulletin also highlighted
Check out the latest scanning snapshot and read about Postal Bulletin’s newest edition.
3 days ago

Out of office

Out of office

Employee facing rebuke for Hatch Act violation
The Hatch Act is a law that prohibits postal and other federal employees from engaging in political activity while on duty, while wearing a uniform, while on federal property or while inside a federal vehicle.
4 days ago

Past and present

Past and present

Updated Publication 100 now available
The Postal Service has updated its own history book.
4 days ago

Coronavirus coverage

Coronavirus coverage

Stories archived on new pandemic page
Link has devoted a section of its website to the coronavirus pandemic.
4 days ago
COVIDEmployees

For your information

For your information

Special edition of newsletter discusses virus
The Postal Service is publishing a special coronavirus pandemic-themed edition of Area Update, its print newsletter for employees.
1 week ago
COVIDEmployees

Passing it on

Passing it on

Tip from carrier results in shipping deal
A letter carrier’s chat with a customer on her route recently led to a sale that has brought in nearly $91,000 in revenue for the Postal Service.
1 week ago

Not open

Not open

Beware of unofficial insurance solicitations
The Postal Service wants employees to use caution when reviewing promotions for Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) alternatives.
1 week ago

Mind over matter

Mind over matter

To find balance, consider meditation
The USPS Wellness team wants to help employees maintain healthy lifestyles during these uncertain times.
1 week ago

Postal purpose

Postal purpose

Board adopts USPS mission statement
The statement describes the organization’s duty to serve the American people through its universal service obligation.
1 week ago

DPMG resigns

DPMG resigns

Stroman to depart USPS in June
Deputy Postmaster General Ronald A. Stroman will resign from the Postal Service, effective June 1.
2 weeks ago

New PMG

New PMG

Board selects DeJoy for role
The Postal Service Board of Governors has selected Louis DeJoy to serve as the nation’s 75th Postmaster General, effective June 15.
3 weeks ago

Archives

About the Business

  • World of possibility

    Passports a key postal service

    May 26

    World of possibility

    Passports a key postal service
    May 26 at 11:24 a.m.

    If you want to travel the world, USPS can help.

    Thousands of Post Offices across the nation accept first-time passport applications for the U.S. State Department.

    These offices can also assist customers with passport renewal applications, and some offices can take customers’ passport photos.

    The Postal Service collects fees for some passport services, making them a revenue source for the organization.

    To serve passport customers, USPS offers the Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler, a tool that allows individuals to go online to schedule first-time passport application appointments at participating Post Offices.

    Additionally, usps.com offers guidance for passport customers, including detailed instructions on obtaining first-time passports and for adults and minors and renewing passports by mail.

    Archives

Heroes’ Corner

  • Scam, ma’am

    Employee saves customer from $25K loss

    May 29

    Scam, ma’am

    Employee saves customer from $25K loss
    May 29 at midnight

    Lead Retail Associate Greg Graham was on duty recently in Springfield, IL, when he grew concerned about an older customer mailing a check via Priority Mail Express.

    Graham noticed that a supposed company name the woman wrote on the envelope did not correspond to an individual’s name she’d made the $25,000 check out to, and she’d written “cashier’s check” on the memo line.

    The customer said someone had phoned her and requested a cashier’s check, but her bank didn’t provide one and she wanted to send the funds regardless, believing professional services would be rendered in return.

    When the woman left, Graham spoke to his supervisor, who contacted the Postal Inspection Service.

    An inspector soon arrived, determined that the customer was being scammed, and thanked Graham for saving her from a substantial financial loss.

    Archives

Best Practices

  • Neighborhood watch

    Keeping an eye out for potential hazards

    May 18

    Neighborhood watch

    Keeping an eye out for potential hazards
    May 18 at 10 a.m.

    Oscar Osorio watches out for his customers.

    The Los Angeles letter carrier delivers mail in Los Feliz, the neighborhood where he also lives with his wife and three daughters.

    “I feel lucky to work in my own community,” he says.

    Because Osorio’s customers are also his neighbors, he takes special care to protect them during the coronavirus pandemic, when many people are staying at home.

    USPS expects all employees to follow this approach, so the organization has provided them with these guidelines:

    • Be safe behind the wheel. When driving postal vehicles in residential areas, be alert and keep an eye out for children or dogs suddenly running into the street.

    Also pay attention to traffic lights, check blind spots, look both ways before moving a vehicle and come to full stop at intersections and stop signs.

    • Watch out for children. Keep an eye out for youngsters who might run up to you because they don’t understand the need for social distancing. Also watch for toys and bikes that could be left on sidewalks and stairs, creating tripping hazards.

    • Stay safe around dogs, too. Employees who deliver mail should always carry a satchel and keep a can of repellent spray within reach.

    Additionally, complete warning cards for addresses with dogs on a route, verify that Mobile Delivery Devices have an active dog alert for delivery addresses with dogs, and notify a supervisor of all dog incidents.

    Osorio says he appreciates the guidance that USPS has provided him and his co-workers during a challenging time.

    “It goes back to how we are treated by management,” he says. “It’s a family environment, from the office to the street.”

    Archives

On the Job

  • Rewarding days

    Oklahoma letter carrier connects with customers

    May 29

    Rewarding days

    Oklahoma letter carrier connects with customers
    May 29 at 10:38 a.m.

    My name is David Moffitt and I’m a letter carrier in Bartlesville, OK, where I’ve delivered mail on the same route for 20 years.

    If you think being on the same route is boring, it is not. Every day is different and I always look forward to seeing my customers. I know their names by heart and they know mine.

    As I watch their children grow up, I see their parents become grandparents. I look after my elderly customers and give them special attention, especially if they do not have family in the area.

    My job has changed over the years as I scan every parcel now, which allows customers the ability to track their packages. I am always in awe of the technology changes that have taken place over the years. It has proven beneficial for the carriers and the consumers.

    One thing that has not changed over my time with the Postal Service is the importance of looking professional. Uniformed letter carriers are among the most recognizable and respected figures in the nation. So from the tip of my shoes to the top of my hat, I try to look professional on the job. Our office has a shoeshine stand that has been there so long, no one knows exactly the age of it. I use it regularly to maintain that professional look.

    Before I joined USPS 37 years ago, I worked in a window factory. A friend happened to mention the postal exam to me, so I took it and was hired. I started my career in Eureka Springs, AR, and was there for five years as a part-time flexible employee. I then got married and transferred to Bartlesville, OK, and shortly thereafter I was full time.

    When I am not working I spend time with my family and my nine grandkids, where there is never a dull moment!

    I’m at retirement age. In fact, I’ve been at retirement age for several years. But I love my job, so why would I retire when I still love what I do? Every day is rewarding. So I just take it one year at a time and enjoy it as much as I can.

    Archives

The List

  • Show of force

    5 facts about the U.S. military

    May 26

    Show of force

    5 facts about the U.S. military
    May 26 at 11:44 a.m.

    To help mark National Military Appreciation Month in May, here are five facts about the U.S. armed forces.

    1. The military is big — and getting bigger. The Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard are the armed forces of the United States, according to the U.S. Defense Department. The Army National Guard and the Air National Guard are reserve components of their services and operate in part under state authority. The Space Force was established in 2019 as a military service that “organizes, trains and equips space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint force.”

    2. Thirty-one of the 45 men who’ve served as president of the United States have served in the military. The 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor. Among the presidents who served, only one — James Buchanan, the 15th president — never became an officer. The last president with military combat experience was George H.W. Bush, who was a World War II hero.

    3. The military has produced lots of famous faces. Johnny Cash and Morgan Freeman served as airmen in the Air Force, while Jimmy Stewart rose to the rank of brigadier general in the Air Force Reserve. Meanwhile, several celebrities have received the title of “honorary” Marine, including Brig. Gen. Bob Hope, Master Sgt. Bugs Bunny and Cpl. Jim Nabors, star of “Gomer Pyle: USMC.”

    4. Memorial Day was first widely observed in 1868. For many years, the commemoration, known as Decoration Day, honored fallen soldiers from the Civil War. Congress made Memorial Day a national holiday in 1887. After World War I, the day was expanded to honor service members who died in all American wars. In 1968, Congress changed the annual observance from May 30 to the last Monday in May.

    5. The Postal Service is one of the nation’s largest employers of veterans. The USPS workforce includes more than 100,000 military veterans, who make up 16 percent of all employees nationally. Veterans account for just 5.8 percent of all employed Americans, according to the Pew Research Center.

    Archives

Mailbag

  • Alyxiah Nelson-Walker, Cylinder, IA:

    I’m a new Postal Service employee, and I look forward to reading Link each day on my break. Thanks for all the work that goes into providing this news source.

    Archives

Latest videos

  • ‘Thank You for the Thank-You’s’ May 28
  • ‘Dollars and Change’ May 27
  • ‘Thank You for the Thank-You’s’ May 20
  • ‘Thank You for the Thank You’s’ May 13
  • ‘National Military Appreciation Month’ May 11
  • ‘Thank You for the Thank-You’s’ May 6

Coronavirus coverage

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