Practicing Social Distancing

Pompano  Postmaster Mike Vecchitto (not pictured) procured the placement of plexiglass at each retail counter at facilities under his jurisdiction: Atlantic Branch (Coral Springs); Coconut Creek Postal Store; Coral Reef Finance Unit (Coconut Creek); Coral Springs Branch; Margate Branch; Pompano Main Office; and Tropical Reef Branch (Pompano). 

"Our Sales and Services Associates really like it, and it gives them added protection for them, as well as our customers adhering to social distancing," Vecchitto said.

Pompano Main Office Manager, Customer Services Louis Mongilia (above) is pleased with the new plexiglass installation to protect employees and customers. 

Coral Springs Branch Sales and Services Associates Joann Savage (above, left) and Sabrina Libos (above, right) appreciated the social distancing provided by the plexiglass.

Coral Springs Branch Sales and Services Associate Sabrina Libos (above, left) and Letter Carrier Juliann Hibbert-Barton (above, right) approved of the plexiglass initiative.

Additional photos on social distancing will be posted in future blog entries. Please send your social distancing photos to debbie.j.fetterly@usps.gov.

Dealing with Travel Restrictions

The Postal Service is providing employees and contractors with an “essential service provider letter” they can show to law enforcement officers in case they’re stopped and questioned during the coronavirus pandemic.

The letter explains that USPS is part of the nation’s critical infrastructure and is continuing normal operations during the pandemic.

The letter also affirms to law enforcement that postal employees and postal contractors provide an essential public service and are exempt from general quarantines and other pandemic travel restrictions issued by state and local governments.

The Postal Service advises employees and contractors to:

• Carry a Postal Service-issued identification badge and the essential service provider letter whenever they travel
• Show the postal ID and letter if stopped by law enforcement officials enforcing travel restrictions
• Explain the nature of their work for the Postal Service and the reason they’re traveling, whether they’re commuting to or from work or traveling during their workday

Employees and contractors should also carry their supervisor’s name, number and email address, in case authorities need additional information.

USPS managers and supervisors are delivering a stand up talk and distributing copies of the essential service provider letter. Employees and contractors who have not received this letter should contact their Postal Service manager, supervisor or USPS contracting officer’s representative.

The Postal Service has additional resources to help educate employees about the coronavirus pandemic on Blue and LiteBlue.

'What Safety Means to Me!'

'What Safety Means to Me!'

'What Safety Means to Me!'

'What Safety Means to Me!'

'What Safety Means to Me!'

Miami Customer Service on COVID-19

Story & Photos: Miami Customer Relations Coordinator Mirtha Uriarte

Miami General Mail Facility (GMF) Postal Store employees work safely especially during the COVID-19 outbreak. Retail Associates take precaution and ownership to maintain their work area as safely as possible against the COVID-19. 

Retail Associates have taken safety into their own hands by keeping their own workspace as clean as possible. Miami Customer Services has received and distributed supplies to the stations/branches and retail offices to ensure that facilities have what is needed to maintain clean areas. 

During these challenging times, we might all have to do a little extra to ensure our own safety ... something our employees are ready to do.

There are still items in back order due to nationwide shortages, but supplies are on the way.  Miami Customer Services Operation (MCSO) managers are patiently awaiting the arrival for distribution. Items are separated by units, and in most cases, managers themselves distribute these items within their area of responsibility.   

  

Miami General Mail Facility (GMF) Postal Store Retail Associate Irma Knighton (above) wipes all counters to ensure the safety of our employees and our customers. 

Miami GMF Postal Store Retail Associate, Wung Shu Lee (above) uses a disinfecting wipe to clean his monitor, keyboard and workstation before he starts his day. 

   

Miami GMF Postal Store Retail Associate Myriam Matias wears protective gloves while assisting customer at the retail counter.  

Wearing Your Seat Belt

On Tuesday, March 24, at approximately 2:30 p.m., a Miami MVS driver was traveling east on NW 13 Street in Ft. Lauderdale. The initial investigation indicates that a POV failed to yield the right of way and turned in front on the tractor trailer. Fire Rescue had to use the “jaws of life” to extract the driver and POV passengers. The MVS driver was wearing his seat belt and did not sustain life-threatening injuries. He remains hospitalized. The two POV individuals are 14- and 16-year-old sisters. They are in the hospital as well.

'I Was Caught Working Safely ...'

Direct Deposit: Try It, You'll Like It

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

While no disruptions are expected, the organization wants employees to enroll in the direct deposit option as a precaution. Employees who already have direct deposit aren’t required to make changes.

If you currently receive hard copy paychecks, switching to direct deposit will ensure your wages are electronically deposited directly into your personal checking or savings account each payday.

By signing up before Wednesday, March 25, at 4 p.m. Eastern time, you can establish direct deposit and ensure your next paycheck is electronically deposited into your account.

Enrollments submitted after this deadline will continue to be processed but the direct deposit will occur in a later pay cycle.

Paychecks will enter the mailstream beginning Tuesday, March 31, for the Friday, April 3, payday.

To sign up for direct deposit, follow these instructions:

• Go to liteblue.usps.gov.

• Select PostalEASE under “Employee Quick Apps – Quick Links.”

• In PostalEASE, enter your employee identification number and password. (If you don’t 
remember your password or need one assigned, select the “forgot password” option and you’ll be transferred to a verification page to obtain a new password.)

• Under the “Payroll” heading, select “Allotments / Payroll Net to Bank” and complete the worksheet.

If you have problems using PostalEASE or have questions, call the Human Resources Shared Service Center at 877-477-3273 and select Option 5, then request “benefits” when prompted. The TTY number is 866-260-7507.

Cleaning in Port St. Lucie

Laborer/Custodian Clyde Mitchell (above) disinfected vehicles at the Port St. Lucie Main  Office.

Passports: By Appointment Only

The Postal Service will conduct all passport application services by appointment only, beginning March 25.

Customers can use a computer or mobile device to go to usps.com/scheduler to make appointments.

This feature, also known as the Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler, guides users through four easy steps, allowing them to choose a day, location and time, and to provide their details.

The scheduler will display available appointment times for participating Post Offices that offer passport appointment services within a selected radius. Users will receive notifications of their scheduled appointment.

The Postal Service made this change in accordance with new safety guidelines on social distancing due to COVID-19.

'What Security Means to Me!'

'I Was Caught Working Safely ...'

'Tuesday Talk' in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale, FL, Supervisor, Customer Services  Nicole Lovett-Williams (left) created a weekly meeting called “Tuesday Talk” to engage her laborer/custodial staff (above) at the main office.  

“'Tuesday Talk’ is a safe space for the laborer/custodians to have safety talks, individual as well as team efforts, to improve the work ethics and facility appearance in Fort Lauderdale,” said Lovett-Williams. “I provide expectations of their positions so that each individual understands their work assignments.”

“Tuesday Talk” acknowledges week-to-week contributions and achievements to keep laborers/custodians engaged in their work. She developed this initiative following Employee Engagement training.

“There’s been a major improvement in their work performance, appearance, and overall difference in their attitude towards their job duties and each other,” said Lovett-Williams.

Photo: Fort Lauderdale Customer Relations Coordinator Edwin Vivas

'What Security Means to Me!'

Ft Laud SSDA Retires After 33 Years

Fort Lauderdale Postmaster David Guiney (center in suit) presented Alridge Station Sales and Services/Distribution Associate Robin Bryant (center with certificate) with a Retirement Certificate for more than 33 years of government service. Guiney thanked Bryant for her years of dedicated service, and her coworkers joined him in wishing her much happiness and good health in her retirement.

Photo: Fort Lauderdale Customer Relations Coordinator Edwin Vivas 

'What Safety Means to Me!'

Social Distancing at Tamiami Branch

Tamiami Branch Supervisor, Customer Services Ariel Lantigua (above) monitors the lobby and routinely cleans the customer counter. He also sets up social distancing stanchions in photos below. Retail Associates Takera Kitchen, Maxine Menendez and Raysa Rojas appreciated being able to serve their customers --- but at a safe distance for all concerned. 

Photos: Darrin Johnson

'What Safety Means to Me!'

40 Years & Counting in Miami

Miami, FL, Milam Dairy Branch Manager, Customer Services Larry Rogers (left) presented Letter Carrier Rafael Magarino (right) with his 40-year Service Award and Pin. Photo: Miami Customer Relations Coordinator Mirtha Uriarte

Remove & Discard: MTE Tags, Labels

USPS employees are responsible for removing all labels and tags from sacks, trays and tubs when they empty the mail.


The Postal Service is again reminding employees about the proper handling of mail transport equipment (MTE) tags and labels.

The labels identify the destination for each mail container, which means a misplaced label can send the mail to the wrong destination.

Employees are responsible for removing all labels and tags from sacks, trays and tubs when they empty the mail. The Mail Transport Equipment Service Centers do not remove labels or processing tags from MTE.

Old tray labels must be thrown away, and any tags must be collected and reused. This is especially important this year, when the Postal Service will handle high volumes of election, political, and census mailings.

“The small act of removing the tags and labels makes a lasting impression on our mailers when they receive clean, ready-to-use MTE for their organization’s mail,” USPS reported in Postal Bulletin’s March 12 edition. “Failing to remove these tags and labels inconveniences our customers and could lead to loss of brand loyalty or trust.”

The Postal Bulletin article has additional information.

Source: Link

'I Was Caught Working Safely ...'

'I Was Caught Working Safely ...'

Informed Delivery to Bolster Census

Informed Delivery users will receive images of their census questionnaire envelopes before they arrive in the mail, along with links that take them to the 2020 census login site.

For the first time in the nation’s history, respondents to the decennial census will have the option to complete the survey online.

The U.S. Census Bureau is working with the Postal Service to use Informed Delivery to provide customers with an easy way to access the 2020 questionnaire through the internet.

Informed Delivery allows users to preview their incoming mail on smartphones, tablets and other devices.

Residents who use the free feature will be able to see images of their census questionnaire envelopes before they arrive in the mail. These customers will have the option to click on the response image and be taken to the 2020 census login site.

All 23.5 million Informed Delivery subscribers will receive the census email notification, making this the largest campaign in the feature’s history.

“Informed Delivery enhances the mail experience for our customers, and that includes the millions of households who will receive their census questionnaire in the mail,” said Chris Karpenko, the Postal Service’s brand marketing executive director. “Using Informed Delivery to complete the survey will be easy and convenient, helping the Census Bureau obtain critical data that is needed in communities across the nation.”

The Postal Service and the Census Bureau tested Informed Delivery’s ability to raise awareness of the census in 2018.

In March, USPS began delivering 590 million census mailpieces — one of the largest mailings in postal history.

Employees can register for Informed Delivery at informeddelivery.usps.com. Sign-up is voluntary and must be done off the clock.

Source: Link

South Miami SSA Attains Gold Star

South Miami Branch Retail Associate Raymond Loor earned a perfect score on a recent Retail Customer Experience (RCE) transaction.

Photo: Miami Customer Relations Coordinator Mirtha Uriarte

'What Security Means to Me!'

'I Was Caught Working Safely ...'

Happy St. Patrick's Day

'What Security Means to Me!'

South Miami SSA Earns Perfect Score

Sales and Services Associate Michelle Palmer earned a Gold Star Award for a perfect score on a Retail Customer Experience (RCE) transaction at the South Miami Branch.

Photo: Miami Customer Relations Coordinator Mirtha Uriarte

'I Was Caught Working Safely ...'

Celebrating Maine Statehood

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the 200th anniversary of Maine statehood with a new Forever stamp today. The stamp dedication event is part of the Maine Statehood Day Ceremony activities. 

Maine celebrates its bicentennial in 2020, but its history of human habitation dates back some 12,000 years to the earliest Native Americans, who are now part of the Wabanaki Confederacy.

During the Colonial period, Maine territory was disputed between Massachusetts Bay Colony and French Acadia, who sought allies among and warred against Native Americans. Following the Revolutionary War and ratification of the U.S. Constitution, the District of Maine remained part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Maine became an independent state on March 15, 1820. Portland, the state’s largest city then and now, served as the capital until 1827 when the seat of government moved to Augusta, a more geographically central location.

The picturesque rocky coastline of Maine has long inspired the imagination of writers and artists. American painter Edward Hopper (1882-1967) was among the many prominent artists who sought the tranquility of the state’s coastal towns during the summer. His painting “Sea at Ogunquit” (1914) captures the rugged beauty so characteristic of Maine and is being represented on the stamp, which art director Derry Noyes designed.

'What Safety Means to Me!'

Poll Says USPS is Most Trusted Brand

The Postal Service is the most trusted brand in the nation, a new survey has found.

The poll — conducted by Morning Consult, a market research firm — focused on almost 2,000 brands. For each brand, an average of 16,700 consumers were interviewed.

The results show USPS is the top-rated brand overall, with more than 42 percent of respondents expressing significant trust in the organization.

Other brands that ranked highly include Amazon, Google, PayPal and the Weather Channel.

This is the latest survey that reflects the public’s appreciation for USPS.

Last year, a Gallup poll ranked the Postal Service first among 13 government agencies in delivering excellent or good customer service, while a Pew Research Center study found more Americans have a favorable opinion of USPS than any other agency.

Little River Station SSA Attains Gold

Miami Little River Station Sales and Services Associate Audrey Horne-Beaufort earned a Gold Star Award for a perfect Retail Customer Experience (RCE) transaction. 

Photo: Miami Customer Relations Coordinator Mirtha Uriarte

23 Million Choose Informed Delivery

Informed Delivery information is available at informeddelivery.usps.com or usps.com/informeddelivery-faqs.htm. 

Informed Delivery is an innovative free and optional feature available to eligible residential consumers and Post Office Box users nationwide. Consumers who sign up can digitally preview their mail and manage packages scheduled to arrive soon via email notification, online dashboard, or mobile app. Users also have the ability to interact with digital content provided by business mailers (i.e. special offers, related links) directly from Informed Delivery.

The feature is free to customers and has over 23 million subscribers nationwide. More information, including how to sign up for Informed Delivery, is at informeddelivery.usps.com or usps.com/informeddelivery-faqs.htm.

Fast Facts

• Informed Delivery is part of the USPS’s strategy --- broadening the definition of “the mail moment” by bridging the digital and the physical.
• Informed Delivery allows registered users to digitally preview and interact with their mail and packages from anywhere --- on their computer, tablet, or mobile device, via email notification of the Informed Delivery mobile app or online dashboard.
• Informed Delivery is strengthening the omni-channel future of mail and providing marketers an opportunity to engage users though integrated and digital marketing from a single piece of mail.

Businesses can add interactive content to Informed Delivery emails, helping USPS add value to the mail.

• The feature is free to customers and has over 23 million subscribers nationwide. Nearly 160,000 users are added each week.
• USPS uses existing processes to gather digital images of the exterior of mailpieces as they are processed through automation equipment.
• Exterior images are only provided for letter-size mailpieces that are processed through USPS’s automated equipment. Color images from participating mailers also are included. Package tracking information on Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and other trackable parcels also is included.

Informed Delivery allows users to digitally preview their incoming mail and manage their packages from a computer, tablet or mobile device.

• Informed Delivery is safe and secure. The Postal Service takes the privacy of mail very seriously and industry best practices are followed to ensure all personal information is protected.
• To safeguard customers’ information, Informed Delivery uses the latest in industry best practices. The Postal Service continually tests supplemental verification options to provide stronger layers of security.
• The Postal Service adheres to the Privacy Act requirements of the federal government, which controls how and when the Postal Service shares personal information and limits the conditions in which that information can be disclosed externally to outside parties.
• The mail is protected by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, whose sole mandate is to safeguard the entire Postal Service system, including the employees who deliver and process the mail and millions of customers who use it.

A Career Milestone in Tamarac

Tamarac Branch Manager, Customer Services Nelson Cortes (left) presents Letter Carrier Paul Chanlatte (right) with his 35-year Service Award and pin. Fort Lauderdale Postmaster David Guiney (not pictured) thanked Chanlatte for his loyalty and dedication to the Postal Service over the years.

Photo: Fort Lauderdale Customer Relations Coordinator Edwin Vivas

'What Safety Means to Me!'

Milam Dairy SSA Earns First Gold Star

Miami Milam Dairy Branch Sales and Services Associate Adriene Boyd poses with her Gold Star Award, recognizing her first perfect score on a Retail Customer Experience (RCE) transaction.

Photo: Miami Customer Relations Coordinator Mirtha Uriarte