LINK mobile
  • News
  • Facts
  • People
  • Etc.
  • Videos
Printable version
View archives published before year 2015

USPS News Link

Skip to content
  • About the Business
  • Best Practices
  • By the numbers
  • Editor password reset
  • Heroes’ corner
  • Link welcomes you
  • Mailbag
  • Need to Know
  • News Archives
  • On the Job
  • Privacy & Terms of Use
  • Quotable quotes
  • The List
  • Tip of the day

Safe deliveries

Top story

Safe deliveries
Video explains new procedures for carriers
10 hours ago
On hold
Annual food drive postponed
6 hours ago
Survey says
Informed Delivery an option for census participants
11 hours ago

How inviting

How inviting

Two new stamps perfect for special occasions
The Postal Service has released the Contemporary Boutonniere and Garden Corsage stamps, which form a natural pair to dress up envelopes for wedding invitations, RSVPs, thank-you notes and similar celebratory mail.
11 hours ago

Scanning snapshot

News Briefs

Scanning snapshot

Area newsletter also highlighted
Check out the latest scanning snapshot and read about Northeast Area Update’s spring edition.
11 hours ago

Going the distance

Going the distance

New guidance issued for retail employees
The Postal Service is providing retail employees with new guidelines to help them practice social distancing on the job during the coronavirus pandemic.
1 day ago

Care enough

Care enough

Hallmark card giveaway aims to lift spirits
Hallmark is giving away 2 million greeting cards that customers can mail to friends and family to spread encouragement as the nation grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.
1 day ago

Letter to the law

Letter to the law

How to deal with travel restrictions
USPS is providing employees and contractors with a letter they can show to law enforcement during the coronavirus pandemic to affirm their status as essential public servants.
2 days ago

Bad sign

Bad sign

Employee suspended after Hatch Act violation
The Postal Service is again educating employees about the Hatch Act by providing examples of co-workers who broke the law.
2 days ago

Gift cards

Gift cards

Visa promotion runs April 4-17
Employees and customers will receive $3.95 off the purchase fee of a Visa gift card valued at $100.
2 days ago

Employee profiled

News Briefs

Employee profiled

Postal Bulletin also highlighted
Read about a USPS manager who is profiled by Diversity in Action magazine, and Postal Bulletin’s latest issue.
2 days ago

Sign of the times

Sign of the times

USPS modifies procedures for carriers
The Postal Service has modified procedures for letter carriers to help them practice social distancing while delivering mail and packages.
5 days ago

Every contribution counts

Every contribution counts

Employee leads helping grow USPS programs
Now that Clerks Care has crossed the $1 billion sales threshold, the Postal Service is looking toward the next milestone for the program: $2 billion.
5 days ago

Fore to pour

Fore to pour

The story behind the Arnold Palmer drink
Before there was an Arnold Palmer stamp, there was an Arnold Palmer drink.
5 days ago

Living legacy

Living legacy

Women in journalism influenced by Ifill
CNN journalists Jasmine Wright and Pamela Kirkland both counted Gwen Ifill as a mentor.
6 days ago

Need a barcode?

Need a barcode?

Application can be used from any postal computer
The Intelligent Mail Barcode Generator is web-based and lets users print barcoded addresses.
6 days ago

Keeping current

Keeping current

Catching up with Link’s COVID-19 coverage
Link has published many stories recently about the coronavirus pandemic.
6 days ago

Hands off

Hands off

Restrictions for shipping sanitizers, wipes
The Postal Service wants employees to know there are specific shipping restrictions for hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes that contain alcohol.
1 week ago

Steadfast service

Steadfast service

Employees stay upbeat in face of pandemic
As the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic evolves, Postal Service employees are continuing to proudly serve their communities.
1 week ago

Paychecks notice

Paychecks notice

Employees encouraged to use direct deposit
The Postal Service is encouraging employees who don’t use direct deposit to receive their paychecks to sign up as soon as possible due to potential network disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
1 week ago

Posts navigation

1 2 Next →

Archives

About the Business

  • Package perks

    Services help customers manage deliveries

    March 31

    Package perks

    Services help customers manage deliveries
    March 31 at 10:48 a.m.

    USPS offers a variety of services to help customers manage their package deliveries — a particularly useful benefit in a time when people are having more products shipped to their homes.

    For example, Package Intercept allows a sender or recipient to stop delivery or redirect an incoming package or letter. Most domestic mailings with a tracking or Extra Services barcode are eligible for Package Intercept, which customers can request through usps.com.

    USPS also offers a redelivery service. If a mail carrier is unable to complete a delivery, he or she will leave PS Form 3849, also known as the notice left form, which allows customers to look up their items and reschedule delivery.

    And, of course, customers can track and manage their packages through Informed Delivery and other applications offered by the Postal Service.

    These services, part of the organization’s core strategy to deliver excellent customer experiences, help USPS build consumer loyalty, win new business and drive revenue.

    Archives

Heroes’ Corner

  • Driveway danger

    Employee aids customer who fell

    April 1

    Driveway danger

    Employee aids customer who fell
    April 1 at midnight

    City Carrier Assistant Peter Duncan was recently delivering mail in a Canton, MI, neighborhood when he spotted an 86-year-old customer sprawled out on her driveway.

    Duncan rushed to check on the woman, who had fallen and struck her head.

    The Postal Service employee immediately called 911 and comforted her until paramedics arrived.

    The customer is recovering from the incident.

    Archives

Best Practices

  • Eagle eye

    Maintaining focus on the road

    March 30

    Eagle eye

    Maintaining focus on the road
    March 30 at 11:06 a.m.

    Durice Washburn knows a thing or two about safe driving.

    Last year, the National Safety Council recognized the Old Town, ME, rural carrier for driving at least 30 years, or approximately 1 million miles, without causing an accident.

    Washburn has spent most of her 36-year postal career on the same route, which covers 72 miles and 550 delivery points.

    “There wasn’t the focus on safety like there is now,” says Washburn, who has become an expert at navigating the road with a focus on remaining accident-free.

    To help other employees stay safe, Washburn offers these tips:

    • Stay focused. “Keep your eyes up on the road, not down on the mail,” she says.

    • Be aware of your surroundings. “Always check twice when you turn on a road or stop at a stop sign.”

    • Be prepared. For example, when driving during winter weather, make sure your windows are clear of snow and ice, and ensure your vehicle’s tires are in good shape.

    In addition to safety, Washburn has a general rule of thumb for her postal colleagues:

    “Treat the mail like you would like your own mail treated,” she says.

    Archives

On the Job

  • Highway hauling

    Employee proud of transportation role

    March 27

    Highway hauling

    Employee proud of transportation role
    March 27 at 10:54 a.m.

    My name is Dale Scalero and I’m a tractor-trailer operator in Sacramento, CA, which is part of Pacific Area.

    While people may not think that much about how their mail gets to them, mail processing and delivery would not be possible without transportation. I’ve been operating tractor-trailers for the Postal Service for 14 years, but I’ve been driving trucks for as long as I can remember.

    I’m proud to transport mail for USPS. As drivers, we are a moving billboard for the organization’s brand. That’s why I keep my truck in pristine condition by cleaning the rims until they shine and polishing the fuel tank until I see my reflection.

    Driving tractor-trailers requires operators to be safety-conscious to avoid hazards on and off the road. I watch out for hazards like untrimmed trees, which can create blind spots and cause accidents. For example, I recently encountered a tree that needed trimming and contacted city officials, who had it trimmed.

    My job has changed since I joined USPS. For example, I now use a scanner. Before I load my tractor-trailer, I have to scan the barcodes on the equipment I’m going to transport and the barcode inside the back of my trailer. Scanning lets the customers know when to expect a delivery.

    Tractor-trailer operators aren’t often recognized, but we work hard to make sure that our customers’ mail gets to its recipients. It’s an honor for me to wear the uniform and a privilege to drive for our organization.

    Archives

The List

  • Good fun

    3 facts about April Fools’ Day

    March 31

    Good fun

    3 facts about April Fools’ Day
    March 31 at 11:05 a.m.

    Here are some things you may not have known about April Fools’ Day and its history of good-natured humor.

    1. The origins of April Fools’ Day are unclear. Some historians believe the day’s customs stem from a calendar change in 16th-century France, when the Gregorian calendar was adopted and New Year’s Day moved from April 1 to Jan. 1. People who continued to celebrate the arrival of the new year on April 1 were referred to as “April fools,” prompting others to play tricks on them.

    2. The day’s customs vary around the world. In France, people tape paper fishes to their friends’ backs and yell “poisson d’Avril!” when the prank is discovered. In Scotland, April Fools’ Day lasts two days and prank victims are called “gowks,” or cuckoo birds. In England and Canada, April 1 pranks are played only in the morning. In Brazil, the first day of April is known as “dia da mentira” or “day of the lie.”

    3. Some famous pranks have been played on April 1. Examples: In 1957, the BBC news show “Panorama” aired a report about how Swiss farmers were experiencing a bumper spaghetti noodle crop harvest, thanks to the elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil. In 1996, Taco Bell took out a full-page ad in six major newspapers announcing that it had purchased the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia as a way to help the country pay off its national debt. And in 2013, the U.S. Army sent out a hoax press release announcing that cats were being drafted as a way to decrease military spending. The Army’s K-9 units, presumably, were not amused.

    Archives

Mailbag

  • Teresa Navarette, San Diego:

    “Her story” was a fabulous read. I enjoyed learning about Sgt. Hilda Griggs, who helped process mail during World War II as a member of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, a group made up only of African American women.

    Archives

Latest videos

  • Video Coronavirus Carriers April 1
  • ‘Fight Germs: Wash Your Hands!’ March 18
  • ‘Gwen Ifill’ March 13
  • ‘Made of Hearts’ March 12
  • ‘Year of the Rat’ March 11
  • ‘Business Focus: Special Edition’ March 9

About Link

USPS National Employee Emergency Hotline: 888-363-7462

Copyright © 2020 United States Postal Service. All rights reserved. Privacy & Terms of Use
  • Home
  • About Link

USPS National Employee Emergency Hotline: 888-363-7462
  • About USPS
  • Archives
  • Privacy & Terms of Use
View archives published before year 2015
LINK mobile
Your source for USPS employee news.
Sign up for weekly highlights:
Privacy Act Statement