Wednesday, July 31, 2019

How to Update Your Contact Info


 It only takes one hurricane to realize the importance of having current information in your eOPF (electronic Official Personnel File). If you already haven’t done so, now is a good time to update your information to ensure that your manager/supervisor can contact you in any emergency --- including the aftermath of a hurricane. Here are five options:

www.liteblue.usps.gov
Go to www.liteblue.usps.gov. On the welcome page, enter your Employee Identification Number (EIN) and Postal Identification Number (PIN). In the middle of the next page, where you see Employee Apps – Quick Links, click on Change of Address to update your contact information.

Personnel Computer Kiosks
Use the personnel computer kiosks and look for a tab titled Present Job Info/Change of Address on the main web page. 
Blue Page (USPS internal web page)
All employees who have access to the Blue page may change their mailing and residential address and emergency contact information. To change your address from the Blue page:  
        
1. Select Log On from the upper left corner. 
2. Log on with your ACE ID and password.
3. Ensure the welcome screen has your name on it.
4. Select the tab labeled My Life. Under this tab, on the right side of the page is the heading My Profile, where you will find two links titled Address/Phone and Emergency Contact.  Select Address/Phone.
5. Select the Address type from the drop menu and click on the Change button.
6. Make your desired change(s) and click on Save.

PS Form 1216, Employee’s Current Mailing Address 
Use a PS Form 1216, “Employee’s Current Mailing Address.” Send Copy 1 of your completed form to HRSSC COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS, PO BOX 970400, GREENSBORO NC  27497-0400.
           
HRSSC
Call the Human Resources Shared Service Center at 1-877-477-3273, and select Option 5. Validate your identity with your Employee Identification Number (EIN) or Postal Identification Number (PIN). Follow the prompts. 

Heat Exhaustion vs. Heat Stroke


'What Safety Means to Me!'


Monday, July 29, 2019

'What Safety Means to Me!'


PMG Commends Stuart Rural Carrier


Recently, Stuart, FL, Rural Carrier Victor Rios (above) received a letter from Postmaster General (PMG) Megan J. Brennan who thanked him for coming to the aid of a customer on his route.

Rios was delivering mail when he heard a customer yell for help. He rushed to aid the man, who had slipped on a doormat at his front door and suffered a head injury.
Rios called 911 and comforted the customer until paramedics arrived.
The man recovered from the incident.
Employees featured in "Heroes Corner" receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

'What Safety Means to Me!'


USPS Ad Campaign Seeks Employees


The U.S. Postal Service is inviting employees to audition for a holiday-themed advertising campaign. The deadline is being extended to Friday, August 23, at 5 p.m. EDT.
Employees who are chosen to participate could be featured in a variety of different types of USPS holiday ads. The audition is open to all employees. No prior acting experience is required.
The USPS Holiday 2019 Employee Casting site has instructions on creating and submitting audition videos. Here’s the link: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/4f76896e49ac4be1a525306fcdf5b611.
All applicants must receive approval from their managers before selection and production begins.

Expanding Our Packages Business



USPS is continuing to expand its shipping and packages business, part of the organization’s efforts to grow revenue.


The Postal Service intends to deliver packages for United Parcel Service (UPS) on Sundays.
The arrangement is part of the Postal Service’s broader efforts to expand its shipping and packages business, a key component of the organization’s revenue growth strategy.
The parcels that the Postal Service would deliver are for UPS SurePost and Mail Innovations.
“The Postal Service continues to be a market leader in Sunday package delivery, and we look forward to the prospect of expanding our relationship with United Parcel Service by providing this service to UPS,” said Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan.
“This initiative will showcase the Postal Service’s unique ability to scale and meet market demands through our unrivaled network to benefit shippers, retailers and consumers alike. With today’s increasingly competitive package delivery landscape, the Postal Service remains focused on providing our customers like UPS with prompt, reliable and efficient service at competitive prices to meet their expanding delivery needs.”
The Postal Service will provide employees with additional information when available.

Saturday, July 27, 2019

A Perfect Retail Customer Experience



Fort Lauderdale Manager, Customer Service Operations (MCSO) Andrea Burrell (left) recognized and thanked Sunrise, FL, Sawgrass Postal Store Lead Retail Associate Quan Barnes (right) who achieved a perfect score on a Retail Customer Experience (RCE) transaction. Photo: Fort Lauderdale Customer Relations Coordinator Edwin Vivas

'What Safety Means to Me!'


They Heard It Through the Grapevine



Manager, African American Latino and Gender Studies of the Palm Beach County School District Brian Knowles (left) and West Palm Beach, FL, Postmaster Ernest Onody (right) were pleased to recognize Marvin Gaye, the “Prince of Soul.”

The U.S. Postal Service issued the Marvin Gaye commemorative stamp on April 2, on what would have been the singer’s 80th birthday.

In June, West Palm Beach Postmaster Ernest Onody and Customer Relations Coordinator Gayle Jones represented the U.S. Postal Service at a Riviera Beach community event co-sponsored by the Urban League of Palm Beach County and the African American Research Library and Cultural Center. The event was a tribute to Gaye, and the dedication of a stamp enlargement was a highlight of the evening.

“With this new stamp in the Music Icons series, the U.S. Postal Service honors Marvin Gaye — the ‘Prince of Soul’ — one of the most influential music performers of his generation,” said Onody in his dedication remarks.


West Palm Beach Postmaster Ernest Onody (left) and Earl Hudnell, who is a member of the African American Research Library and Cultural Center (right), posed for this photo opportunity.

Photos: West Palm Beach Customer Relations Coordinator Gayle Jones

Friday, July 26, 2019

Coulton is New Boca Raton Postmaster

Brian Coulton (right) has been promoted to Postmaster, Boca Raton. Prior to this position, he was Postmaster, Jupiter.

As Boca Raton's 18th Postmaster, Coulton is administratively and operationally responsible for  365 employees, who work at 10 stations and branches. Managing a budget of over $32 million, the Boca Raton Post Office has 188 city routes, providing service to over 122,000 delivery points.Last year, the Boca Raton Post Office generated approximately $250 million in total revenue.
In March 1985, after four years in the U.S. Air Force, Coulton joined the U.S. Postal Service as a Distribution Clerk at the Lake Worth  Post Office.

During his postal career, Coulton also has held various assignments of increasing responsibility, including Manager, Customer Services, Tequesta Branch, Jupiter; Acting Manager, Post Office Operations (MPOO): and Officer In Charge (OIC), Port St. Lucie.

"Please join me in welcoming Brian to his new assignment and in wishing him continued success in his postal career," said MPOO Ron Jarrell.





'Happy Birthday, U.S. Postal Service!'



Today the United States Postal Service celebrates its 244th birthday!

In Philadelphia, on July 26, 1775, Benjamin Franklin was named the first Postmaster General of the newly-established United States Post Office. He still held that office the following summer when the Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed, and, so, remained the Postmaster General of the United States Post Office until November 1776.

Then in 1792, the United States Post Office became the United States Post Office Department and Congress was given the power to create post roads and Post Offices.

In August 1970, President Richard Nixon signed The Postal Reorganization Act and the United States Post Office Department became the United States Postal Service. The first clause of the Postal Reorganization Act reads:

“The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic and fundamental service provided to the people by the Government of the United States, authorized by the Constitution, created by Act of Congress, and supported by the people. The Postal Service shall have as its basic function the obligation to provide postal services to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people. It shall provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas and shall render postal services to all communities. The costs of establishing and maintaining the Postal Service shall not be apportioned to impair the overall value of such service to the people.”

Recruiting Veterans

For more than two centuries, the U.S. Postal Service has been one of America's largest employers of veterans. Nationwide, the USPS employs over 113,000 veterans --- 2,000 work in the South Florida District. 

The USPS supports local and national veteran outreach organizations to help veterans find stable and secure careers. Recently, the USPS participated in a Veterans Job Fair at the Hard Rock Stadium.  


At the Veterans Job Fair, Coral Springs Sales and Services/Distribution Associate Miguel Nieves (left) and Field Recruiter Lorraine Ramsey (right) shared information on available job opportunities. 


Field Recruiter Lorraine Ramsey took a break from recruitment duties to pose for this photo opportunity.

'What Safety Means to Me!'


Thursday, July 25, 2019

Stamps Celebrate America's Fairs



The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the fun of America’s state and county fairs with four new Forever stamps. The State and County Fairs Forever stamps were dedicated at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot, ND, on Thursday, July 25. 

"The great thing about fairs is they have something for everyone, from concerts and carnival rides to cotton candy and contest winners," said Postal Service Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President David E. Williams, who served as the dedicating official. “These whimsical stamps highlight the educational and social value fairs bring to communities with opportunities to learn, teach, and have fun with friends and family.” 

Fairs are annual events that families and communities anticipate with enthusiasm. State and county fairs are quintessential Americana. Long before there were extension services or schools of agriculture, America’s fairs were organized to educate farm families in the agricultural, mechanical and domestic arts.  

At the earliest fairs, the educational mission was enlivened by competitions for the “best” or “biggest” and are still among the most popular events today. Competitors vie to produce the best in baked goods or the most perfect — and largest — example of a particular fruit, vegetable or flower. Competitive livestock exhibitions display the hard work that goes into raising farm animals. A lucky few display the ribbons their efforts have won.

'What Safety Means to Me!'


Tuesday, July 23, 2019

'What Safety Means to Me!'


Informed Delivery




The U.S. Postal Service is reminding employees they can sign up for Informed Delivery, a free feature that allows users to preview their incoming mail and manage their packages from computers, smartphones and other devices.

More than 17 million people use Informed Delivery.

The Postal Service wants to have 40 million users by the end of 2020.

Increasing the number of subscribers will help USPS attract businesses that want to add interactive content to Informed Delivery emails, which will extend the “life” of the businesses’ mailpieces, keep mail relevant and boost postal revenue.

Voluntary sign up is at informeddelivery.usps.com.


Fly the U.S. Flag at Half-Staff Today

All Postal Service facilities should fly the U.S. flag at half-staff Tuesday, July 23, to honor John Paul Stevens, a retired U.S. Supreme Court associate justice who died this week. July 23 will be the day of Stevens’ interment.

To fly the flag at half-staff, hoist the flag to the peak for an instant and then lower it to the half-staff position. The flag should be raised to the peak again before it’s lowered for the day.

For additional information, refer to the Administrative Support Manual, which explains the organization’s guidelines on U.S. flag display and maintenance.

'What Safety Means to Me!'


Monday, July 22, 2019

'What Safety Means to Me!'


Hopping To It ... Rib-bit, Rib-bit



Some of the world’s most fascinating amphibians hopped into the nation’s Post Offices earlier this month when USPS released its Frogs stamps.
Frogs live on every continent except Antarctica. There are approximately 4,800 different species of frogs, including more than 90 species that live in the United States.
Each stamp features one of four North American frogs:
• The Pacific tree frog (Pseudacris regilla): Known for its familiar “rib-bit, rib-bit” call, this frog is nicknamed the “Hollywood frog” because it’s often featured in movies and television shows that call for nighttime scenes.
• The northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens): This frog is known for its highly distinctive rattle-like snoring noise, followed by several “chuckling” or “clucking” sounds.
• The American green tree frog (Hyla cinerea): Also called the rain frog or the cowbell frog, it’s usually noisy after a warm rain.
• The squirrel tree frog (Hyla squirella): Known for a raspy, quack-like call — much like the scolding noise of gray squirrels — this frog is found from southeastern Virginia through Florida and along the Gulf Coast to Texas.
William J. Gicker designed the stamps based on digital illustrations by Nancy Stahl, who used a palette of green and brown colors to capture distinctive features of each frog.

'What Safety Means to Me!'


Saturday, July 20, 2019

First Moon Landing Stamps Commemorate 50th Anniversary



On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin achieved something that had long been confined to the realm of science fiction when they landed a spidery spacecraft named Eagle on the Moon. A worldwide audience watched and listened when Armstrong stepped onto the Moon’s surface and famously said, “That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind.”

On the 50th anniversary of this first Moon landing, two stamp designs commemorate that historic milestone. One stamp features Armstrong’s iconic photograph of Aldrin in his spacesuit on the surface of the Moon. The other stamp, a photograph of the moon taken in 2010 by Gregory H. Revera from his home in Madison, AL, shows the landing site of the lunar module, Eagle, in the Sea of Tranquility. The site is indicated on the stamp by a dot. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps.

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

POS Survey: Short, Easy and Quick


Retail Manager Sue Walker regularly visits South Florida Post Offices to promote the ease and convenience of completing the Point Of Sale (POS) Survey.
 
The survey asks six questions to gather customers’ perception of overall satisfaction with their visit to the retail unit --- employee attributes including knowledge, courtesy, efficiency and attitude --- as well as Wait Time In Line (WTIL).  Three easy ways to take the survey:

· Online at postalexperience.com/POS Survey
· Scan the QR code with a QR reader or camera that takes you directly to the survey
· Call 1-800-410-7420
 
“The survey provides us with real-time feedback to ensure we are providing a positive experience,” said Walker. 

Recently at the Jog Road Post Office in Boynton Beach, FL, Walker utilized the POS Survey tear pad to demonstrate how customers may use their phone camera to scan the QR Code to access the survey. 

“Customers were surprised how short, easy, and quick it is to take the survey, and they promised to take the POS Survey for every trip to the Post Office,” said Walker.  

'What Safety Means to Me!'


Thursday, July 4, 2019

Today is the Fourth of July

Today is Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, the annual holiday that commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.



Independence Day holds special significance for the Postal Service, whose history is closely tied to the nation’s birth.

The organization traces its roots to July 26, 1775, when Benjamin Franklin was appointed Postmaster General by the Second Continental Congress, a convention of delegates from the 13 Colonies.

The Founding Fathers considered a strong postal system so important to the nation’s success that the U.S. Constitution empowered Congress to “establish Post Offices and post roads” to help ensure the free flow of ideas and information.

“The Postal Service has served the American people for more than 240 years,” said Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan. “Our history is America’s history, and we’re proud of the important role our organization has played in shaping the nation. Our commitment to public service is unwavering, and we will continue to bind our country through prompt, reliable and efficient delivery services.”

The National Archives’ site has a history of the Declaration of Independence, while usps.com has more information about the Postal Service’s history.

Source: LINK

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Hialeah SSA: 12 Perfect RCE Scores and Counting!


Story & Photo: Miami Customer Relations Coordinator Mirtha Uriarte

Hialeah Sales and Services Associate Michael Green (above) is recognized with two Gold Star Certificates after receiving back-to-back perfect scores on recent Retail Customer Experience (RCE) transactions. 

He accomplished his seventh perfect RCE transaction while covering at the Palm Village Branch, followed by his eighth the very next day while back at Promenade Branch. Since the South Florida District began tracking individual  performance, Green has received recognition for eight RCE transactions. 

“I really have 12 total under my belt, but who is counting?!” exclaimed Green.

Green does whatever it takes to provide a great customers experience every time and has a great technique to get customers to complete survey before they leave the unit. He circles the survey information and link and uses his pleasant attitude, smile and great demeanor to encourage the customers to complete the survey before they leave the Post Office.