Affordable Care Act: It's a Tax Matter

The Postal Service is mailing employees an important tax document they may need when completing their 2015 federal income tax returns.
Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage, is a new IRS form created to fulfill the reporting requirements of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Beginning with tax year 2015, the ACA requires the Postal Service to provide an annual statement — Form 1095-C — to employees who are offered health insurance coverage during the year.
When employees receive Form 1095-C in the mail, they should keep it with their Form W-2 and other wage and tax information documents.
Employees who have questions should consult a qualified tax preparer or tax attorney.
Additional information is available on the IRS site, as well as the Frequently Asked Questions document available through the PostalEase application on LiteBlue and the Form 1095-C toolkit on the Accounting site.

Castro Reaches 25-Year Milestone

Supervisor, Customer Services Ine Diaz (right) recognizes Miami, FL, General Mail Facility Postal Store Sales Service and Distribution Associate Robert Castro with his 25-Year Service Award and pin. Photo: Mirtha Uriarte, Miami Customer Relations Coordinator

Program Seeks Future Postal Leaders

The Postal Service is now accepting applications for a program to help field employees develop their leadership skills.

The EAS Leadership Development (ELD) online application system opened Feb.1 and will close Feb. 22 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
The program helps prepare area and district employees to assume future managerial positions throughout the Postal Service.
Participants develop their leadership competencies and functional and technical skills through virtual learning, on-the-job development feedback and coaching.
Area and district employees who are Executive and Administrative Schedule (EAS) levels 16 and higher are encouraged to apply. ELD is not currently open to headquarters or headquarters-related employees.
Before applying, employees should talk with their managers to discuss the application process and how they will be evaluated. Once submitted, the manager will either support or decline the employee’s application.
Applications can be accessed by typing “ELD” in the address bar on Blue. The Blue Career Development page has more information.

Inspectors Deliver for PCC Members

Pictured from left: Miami, FL, Postmaster Enrique Suarez, Postal Inspector Ivan Ramirez, Fort  Lauderdale Officer In Charge (OIC) David Guiney, Postal Inspector Bladismir Rojo, and Opa-Locka, FL, Postmaster Manuel Ferrer pose for the camera following a Postal Customer Council (PCC) meeting.

As the federal law enforcement, crime prevention, and security arm of the U.S. Postal Service, the goal of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is to ensure confidence in the U.S. Mail.  Postal Inspectors work to assure that American businesses can safely dispatch funds, securities, and information through the U.S. Mail; that postal customers can entrust their correspondence to the mail; and that postal employees can work in a safe environment.

The Broward County Postal Customer Council (BCPCC) and Miami-Dade County Postal Customer Council (MDCPCC) joined together and invited Postal Inspectors Ivan Ramirez and Bladismir Rojo to present an educational seminar, “Who Protects Your Mail.”  

As one of our country’s oldest federal law enforcement agencies, founded by Benjamin Franklin, the first Postmaster General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service has a proud and successful history of fighting criminals who attack the nation’s postal system and misuse it to defraud, endanger, or otherwise threaten the American public. Postal Inspectors Ramirez and Rojo showed a video that educated business owners how to protect themselves from and how to react to mail threats. They engaged the membership in their presentation and answered their questions and concerns relative to protecting the mail and identifying fraud.

'Robin' Sings Oakland Park Praises

Oakland Park, FL, Branch Retail Associate Cindy Smith-Faine (left) shares a smile with NewLook Marketing Owner Marc Robin (right). Photo: Kelly Worthman, Fort Lauderdale Customer Relations Coordinator

Oakland Park, FL, Branch Retail Associate Cindy Smith-Faine and NewLook Marketing Owner Marc Robin are all smiles at the retail counter.  NewLook Marketing is a boutique firm that has specialized in printing and direct mailing services since 1983. Robin takes advantage of Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) service as a cost-effective method for his clients to reach potential customers near their  business.

“It is such a pleasure to work with Cindy and the other employees of the Oakland Park Post Office,” said Robin. “They are friendly and knowledgeable!”

Today is Groundhog Day

Will Punxsutawney Phil pop out of his burrow today?

Today is Groundhog Day, and each year on February 2, the town of Punxsutawney celebrates the legendary groundhog, "Punxsutawney Phil," with a festive atmosphere of music and food. 

During the ceremony, which begins well before the winter sunrise, Phil emerges from his temporary home on Gobbler's Knob, a rural area about two miles east of town. 

Groundhog Day has been celebrated since 1887. According to tradition, if Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, he has predicted six more weeks of winter-like like weather. If Phil does not see his shadow, he has predicted an "early spring." 

Does anyone know what this means for South Florida?!?!

It's African-American History Month

The U.S. Postal Service will dedicate a stamp February 2 honoring African-American religious leader Richard Allen. It will be the 39th stamp in the Black Heritage series, which also has honored leaders such as Robert Robinson Taylor, Thurgood Marshall and Martin Luther King Jr. 

African-American History Month, observed each February, is a time to celebrate the heritage of African-Americans and their contributions to the nation. 

The national observance of African-American History Month began in 1926 when Carter G. Woodson, founder of the organization now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, promoted Negro History Week. In 1976, the week was extended to a one-month commemoration. Today, it’s designated as African-American History Month or Black History Month.