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‘I’ve been fortunate’

Top story

‘I’ve been fortunate’
Employee marks 60 years of service
52 mins ago
It’s open
Video explains benefits options
43 mins ago
Tool time
Employees see savings from benefits changes
1 day ago

In the green

In the green

USPS names nine Sustainability Award winners
Nine facilities, teams, programs and individuals will receive Postmaster General Sustainability Excellence Awards for their efforts to help USPS achieve its sustainability goals.
1 day ago

Avoiding misuse

Avoiding misuse

Follow the rules for postal computers
The Postal Service wants employees to follow its rules on using USPS-issued computers and mobile devices, including laptops, tablets and smartphones.
24 hours ago

How’d they do that?

How’d they do that?

Video shows making of TV ads
A new Postal Service video shows how this year’s holiday television commercials were filmed.
23 hours ago

Here comes Santa

News Briefs

Here comes Santa

Benefits chat, newsletter also highlighted
Read about the start of this year’s Operation Santa program, a Nov. 22 open season live chat and Capital Metro Area Update’s latest newsletter.
23 hours ago

Marking a milestone

Marking a milestone

Informed Delivery reaches subscriber goal
Informed Delivery has reached 20.6 million subscribers, surpassing the Postal Service’s goal for 2019.
4 days ago

Better shop around

Better shop around

Tool allows you to compare health plans
To help Postal Service employees compare health plans during this year’s open season, the organization offers access to Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans.
4 days ago

Cybersecurity training

Cybersecurity training

Contractors must complete three courses
To help protect Postal Service data, the organization’s contractors must complete mandatory CyberSafe at USPS training by Jan. 7, 2020.
4 days ago

USPS finances

Link Extra

USPS finances

Year-end results reported
The Postal Service has reported its financial results for fiscal 2019 (Oct. 1, 2018-Sept. 30, 2019).
5 days ago

Need to know

Need to know

Open season changes announced
The Postal Service wants employees to know about some important changes concerning the open season benefits enrollment period that began this week.
1 week ago

Now open

Now open

Annual benefits enrollment period begins
Open season, the once-a-year opportunity for Postal Service employees to make changes to their health coverage or choose a new plan, is Nov. 11-Dec. 9.
1 week ago

Archives

About the Business

  • Peak performance

    Season offers opportunities for growth

    Today

    Peak performance

    Season offers opportunities for growth
    Today at 10:32 a.m.

    It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

    For the Postal Service, it’s also the most important time — especially from a business perspective.

    Peak season occurs annually from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. This period — which lasts anywhere from 34 to 40 days, depending on the calendar — always includes the busiest mailing, shipping and delivery days of the year.

    Each year during peak season, USPS accepts, processes and delivers hundreds of millions of packages and billions of First-Class Mail pieces, including greeting cards.

    This makes the season a prime opportunity to attract customers, boost loyalty and drive revenue.

    Because the season is so important, USPS spends all year getting ready. This includes making sure the organization has the right equipment, technology and seasonal help to get the job done.

    To help ensure customers have excellent experiences during the holidays, the Postal Service also provides the public with information about recommended shipping dates and useful products, services and features like Informed Delivery, which allows users to manage package deliveries from computers, smartphones and other mobile devices.

    Additionally, USPS uses television and online advertising, direct mailings and other channels to promote its holiday stamps and services, and the organization offers programs like Operation Santa, which allows customers and employees to grant the holiday wishes of families in need.

    Archives

Heroes’ Corner

  • Sharp-eyed save

    Employee rescues man trapped by mower

    Nov. 18

    Sharp-eyed save

    Employee rescues man trapped by mower
    Nov. 18 at midnight

    Rural Carrier Associate William Ray was recently delivering mail in Bristol, TN, when he spotted a riding lawn mower overturned against a retaining wall.

    Ray stopped and soon saw a man trapped underneath the machine.

    The Postal Service employee and another passerby called 911, freed the man and remained on the scene until emergency responders arrived.

    “Thankfully the victim was not severely injured,” said local Officer in Charge Lisa Yates. “Since he was down an embankment, he could have been there for some time before he was rescued.”

    Archives

Best Practices

  • Showing love

    Finding the right CFC charity for you

    Nov. 4

    Showing love

    Finding the right CFC charity for you
    Nov. 4 at 10:26 a.m.

    Laree Martin looks forward to the Combined Federal Campaign each year.

    The Postal Service attorney has donated to the annual charity drive, also known as the CFC, for more than two decades. She especially enjoys reading the CFC catalog.

    “It’s fascinating to see what all the organizations are doing and who or what they help,” says Martin, who works at USPS headquarters in Washington, DC. “Looking at the catalog helps me learn about new ones I could donate to.”

    The CFC allows federal employees, retirees and contractors to contribute to more than 7,000 charities. USPS workers pledged $7.7 million during the previous drive, exceeding the organization’s goal by 20 percent.

    To help employees participate this year, Martin offers these tips:

    • Do your homework. The CFC online pledging system allows you to search for organizations by name or by category.

    Many USPS facilities also hold CFC fairs that allow employees to meet representatives from participating charities.

    • Give wisely. “Start out by donating an amount that’s comfortable for you, and then see if you can do a little more the next year,” Martin says. Remember: Donations to CFC charities are tax deductible.

    • Consider donating your time, too. In addition to giving money, the online pledging system allows you to search for organizations that accept volunteer hours.

    Martin’s final piece of advice: Don’t underestimate the personal advantages of charitable giving.

    “One of the most important beneficiaries of your CFC donation is you,” she says. “You help your emotional well-being and sense of community. It makes you feel good.”

    Archives

On the Job

  • With care

    Mail handler sees herself as customer

    Nov. 8

    With care

    Mail handler sees herself as customer
    Nov. 8 at 10:38 a.m.

    My name is Linda Anderson and I’m a mail handler at the Merrifield, VA, Processing and Distribution Center. I unload and separate mail before it’s routed to distribution areas for processing.

    I primarily use an automatic induction flat sorter machine. I load the machine, which reads the ZIP Code and sends the mail where it’s supposed to go. I handle thousands of mailpieces each day.

    I’m a country girl, so I’m not afraid to do hard work.

    Before I joined USPS in 1987, I held various jobs. I once worked for a company that made military weapons. I would fill Tomahawk missiles with propellant. It was tedious and dangerous. Before that, I worked in a lumberyard.

    My aunt and uncle worked at the Warrenton, VA, Post Office. They encouraged me to apply for a job with USPS. When I saw my first postal paycheck, I said, “OK, this might be something I could stick with.”

    I think what I do is important. The Postal Service has a duty to the community. I don’t see our customers, but I know they have faith in us to get their bill payments and packages delivered on time. I’m like the customer because I definitely want my mail to get where it’s going in a timely manner.

    When I’m not working, I spend time with my grandson. I enjoy every moment of it. My daughter has another one on the way, so I’ll soon have two grandchildren. I’m looking forward to retirement. I’m 56 and a 12-year cancer survivor.

    The Postal Service is a good place to have a career. There are a lot of opportunities here. If I weren’t working for USPS, I probably wouldn’t have everything I have now.

    Archives

The List

  • Proud people

    5 Native American Heritage Month facts

    Today

    Proud people

    5 Native American Heritage Month facts
    Today at 10:39 a.m.

    To mark Native American Heritage Month, here are five facts about the annual commemoration and the people it celebrates.

    1. The first Native American Heritage Month was celebrated in 1990. President George H.W. Bush signed a joint resolution designating November as “National American Indian Heritage Month.”

    2. The American Indian and Alaska Native population is estimated to be around 6.8 million. This represents about 2 percent of the U.S. population, according to U.S. census data. The number is expected to rise to 10 million by 2060.

    3. There are 326 distinct federally recognized American Indian reservations as of 2016. This number includes federal reservations and off-reservation trust land. There are 573 federally recognized Indian tribes as of 2018.

    4. Almost 20 percent of Alaska’s population identifies as American Indian and Alaska Native. The state is followed by Oklahoma (13.7 percent), New Mexico (11.9 percent), South Dakota (10.4 percent) and Montana (8.4 percent).

    5. The Postal Service has issued several stamps that honor American Indians. The first stamp to portray a uniquely Native American theme was the 4-cent Indian Hunting Buffalo stamp in 1898. The most recent stamp shows the “Kiowas Moving Camp” mural at the Anadarko, OK, Post Office, which is part of this year’s Post Office Murals stamp release.

    Archives

Mailbag

  • Teresa Navarette, San Diego:

    I was amazed by the “Heroes’ Corner” story about Heather Adams, the Portland, ME, financial programs compliance manager who donated a kidney to a co-worker’s daughter. Blessings really do happen.

    Archives

Latest videos

  • ‘2019 Open Season’ Today
  • ‘Behind the Scenes’ Nov. 18
  • ‘Holiday Wreaths’ Nov. 15
  • ‘Winter Berries’ Nov. 7
  • ‘Walt Whitman’ Nov. 6
  • ‘Bringing the Holidays Home’ Nov. 5
  • ‘Business Focus’ Nov. 4
  • ‘USS Missouri’ Oct. 25

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