Home

USPSNEWS@WORK

National EXFC score hits 96 for first time

You did it - again. You gave it your best and you achieved a new record.

For quarter three, employees delivered the best overnight EXFC performance we've ever seen - an incredible 96%.

That's right - 96%! It takes a great team and a great team effort to accomplish something this extraordinary and USPS® couldn't have done it without you, PMG Jack Potter said.

"I am proud of every one of you. No matter what your job, no matter where you work, you played an important role in developing the best service team the Postal ServiceTM has ever had. And, as far as I'm concerned, you're the best service team in the business," said the PMG.

This remarkable achievement builds on 21 consecutive quarters of National EXFC scores above 93/94% and five consecutive quarters above 95%.

"We knew we would get to 96%," said Chief Operating Officer Pat Donahoe, "but we never thought we would get there this quickly. We did it by staying focused on the basics - collecting, processing, transporting and delivering the mail."

We're not only delivering mail for our customers, we're delivering dependability in our products, we're delivering confidence in our service - we're Delivering Results.

"On behalf of our customers I want to thank all of you for this incredible achievement," said Chief Marketing Officer Anita Bizzotto. "This is the kind of performance that gives customers a reason to stay in the mail. It will make a difference as we're out there building the business. Thanks for working hard for us, and for our customers."

First-Class Mail® delivery performance is measured by IBM's Business Consulting Services unit, using the External First-Class measurement system, or EXFC.

It provides an independent assessment of the time it takes a piece of First-Class Mail, once it's deposited into a collection box, to be delivered.

EXFC service performance scores are measured by testing 463 ZIP CodeTM areas selected on the basis of geography and volume density, from which 90% of First-Class Mail volume originates and 80% destinates. EXFC is not a systemwide measurement of all First-Class Mail performance.

Al Casey: USPS Governor and former PMG, who revised field reporting structure, dies at 84

Albert V. Casey, a governor of the Postal Service and the 67th postmaster general, died Saturday in Dallas at 84. Casey was appointed governor by President George W. Bush in August 2002.

As postmaster general in 1986, he was responsible for the restructuring that established the division structure. The 74 field divisions increased flexibility and accountability by pushing decision-making down within the organization. The division structure also put the customer in closer contact with management-level employees.

Casey is survived by his son, Peter, and his daughter, Judith. His wife, the former Eleanor Anne Welch, died in 1989.

Standard-Bearers: AFSM 100 is first USPS standardized operation

Automated Flat Sorting Machine (AFSM) 100 sites around the country are now standardized and certified - the first Postal Service operation to achieve the coveted status.

New York Metro Area has consistently led the nation in 2004 AFSM 100 operations with 2,109 pieces per hour through June 25.

All areas have shown significant improvement during the standardization effort. Over the past two years, performance has increased more than 29 percent in the New York Metro, Great Lakes, Southeast, Southwest and Pacific Areas. National performance increased almost 25 percent.

Performance and Field Operations Support, Processing Operations and area representatives worked together to make Louisville, KY, the first certified site in 2002. The last of the original 234 sites, Milwaukee, WI, was certified this month.

Our AFSM 100 sites are raising standards. Standardizing best practices is not only good business - it's a Transformation Plan strategy that's delivering results.

Performance plus: Service scores shine brightly in National Performance Assessment

Improving service! Indeed. It's part of the Delivering Results star and its point is shining even more brightly, according to the latest National Performance Assessment (NPA) scores. All service performance scores are doing better than targeted goals.

The NPA system rates nationwide performance in several categories. In the latest results, Express Mail and First-Class Mail overnight and three-day delivery each scored a 10, putting them in the high contributor category. Also in that category was the Occupational Safety and Health Administration illness and injury score. And Voice of the Employee scores keep getting better through the year as more employees get a chance to speak up about their workplace.

Overall, the nationwide NPA score was 8.90, reflecting revenue figures that more closely relate to original targets based on economic forecasts. When the nation's economy improved faster than expected, this gave a boost to previous NPA results. The latest scores reflect a settling economy, although the results are still above target.

Check out the current NPA scores on WebEIS.

And the Stevie goes to: USPS 2003 Annual Report wins American Business Award

You've heard of the Oscars, the Tonys and the Emmys - but if you're an American business, the award you want to win is the Stevie. And the Stevie Award winner for Best Annual Report was none other than - the Postal Service. The Stevie Awards were created to honor and generate public recognition of the efforts, accomplishments and positive contributions of companies and business people worldwide.

Accepting the award for the Postal Service was Corporate Financial Reporting Manager Jon Stratton. "Our goal was to make this report transparent and easy to understand. USPS sets the standard for financial reporting among federal agencies - winning the Stevie Award is a tribute to our organization."

Signing on for a safer tomorrow: USPS and APWU sign Voluntary Protection Programs agreement

"It's the responsibility of USPS management to provide safe working conditions in all present and future installations and to develop a safe working force, and of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) to cooperate and assist management to live up to this responsibility."

So begins the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) agreement between USPS and the APWU signed yesterday by USPS Chief Operating Officer Pat Donahoe and APWU President William Burrus. The two met in the Ben Franklin Room at USPS Headquarters for the signing.

Under the agreement, management, labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establish cooperative relationships at workplaces that have a comprehensive safety and health management system.

The Voluntary Protection Programs plan is designed to accomplish the following goals at participating worksites:

• Improve safety and health at the worksite so that USPS and APWU can work together to reduce accidents and injuries.

• Train USPS worksite managers, supervisors, APWU representatives and the local Joint Labor-Management Safety and Health Committee to make sure everyone understands the OSHA VPP process.

• Reduce the number and severity of job-related injuries and illnesses.

• Eliminate or reduce unsafe working conditions and practices.

According to OSHA, statistical evidence of the program's success is impressive. The average VPP worksite has a lost workday incidence rate 52 percent below the industry average. These sites typically do not start out with such low rates. Reductions in injuries and illnesses begin when the site commits to the VPP approach to safety and health management and the challenging VPP application process.

At present, USPS has 14 facilities in the VPP.

Main Street or Main Avenue: USPS patents Early Warning System

The Postal Service has been granted a patent for an Early Warning System (EWS) that gives mailers a heads-up about newly created streets and addresses.

Especially in high-growth areas, mailers face a time lag to get brand new addresses online - even if they're using an Address Information System (AIS) product. They get updates from USPS every 30 or 60 days, whichever they chose, but the continuous creation of new addresses means there are almost always updates pending.

That's where EWS comes in, by providing mailers weekly updates of all new streets.

EWS helps mailers not to enter wrong addresses by preventing an AIS product from trying to "correct" a valid new street name not in its database. The result: USPS avoids handling mail more than necessary or returning it to sender - ultimately, increasing customer satisfaction, improving service and reducing costs.

The EWS patent was awarded to the Postal Service Address Management team - the first one for Intelligent Mail and Address Quality.

Administrative Services

Directives and Forms Update

Effective immediately, Publication 223, Directives and Forms Catalog (June 1999), is revised. The tables below contain the document ID, edition date, title, PSN (Postal ServiceTM stock number), and the Postal Service and public supply source for all new, revised, and obsolete directives and forms. Use this article to keep Publication 223 current. Information on how to order directives and forms is available in chapter 1 of Publication 223.

Publication 223 is available electronically at www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub223.pdf.

New Directives

Management Instructions

Memorandums of Policy

New Forms

Revised Directives

Handbooks

Labels

Posters

Publications

Revised Forms

Obsolete Directives

Management Instructions

Publications

Obsolete Forms

- Policies and Procedures Information,
Public Affairs and Communications, 7-22-04

Customer Relations

Passport Services - Banner and Direct Mailpiece

Message Maker provides creative elements for field promotional materials that you can customize with local Post OfficeTM information. In your passport promotional campaign, you can use Message Maker to order the banner shown below. The banner, although not customizable, will let passersby know that your Post Office has passport service available. The direct mailpiece (shown on page 7) is customizable for local Post Office and passport information.

- Field Communications,
Public Affairs and Communications, 7-22-04

Domestic Mail

PUBLICATION 410 OBSOLETE

Combining Multiple Editions or Publications

Effective July 22, 2004, Publication 410, Combining More Than One Second-Class Publication, is obsolete. For current, comprehensive information about combining multiple editions or publications of Periodicals mail, see Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) M230, which we revised in its entirety in Postal Bulletin 22097 (3-6-03, pages 14-16).

For many mailers, combining publications or editions is an effective way to increase operational efficiencies while reducing production and postage costs. Mailers may prepare Periodicals publications as a combined mailing by merging copies either during production or after finished copies are produced in order to achieve the finest presort level possible or to reduce the per-piece charge.

- Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 7-22-04

DMM REVISION

General Mailability - Minimum and Maximum Size, Rectangular Shape

Effective August 5, 2004, Domestic Mail Manual (DMMTM) C010.1.0 is revised to clarify and reorganize the minimum size standards for general mailability, particularly those standards governing Customized MarketMailTM (CMM) pieces, keys, and identification devices.

Although CMM pieces are exempt from the general mailability standards that require a rectangular shape for pieces 1/4 inch thick or less, CMM pieces 1/4 inch thick or less are not exempt from the minimum height and length requirements of 3-1/2 inches high and 5 inches long.

This revision clarifies that the minimum height and length requirements apply to mailpieces 1/4 inch thick or less, except for keys and identification devices. The minimum thickness of 0.007 inch applies to all mailpieces, including CMM pieces, keys, and identification devices. Therefore, C010.1.5 is deleted and Exhibit 1.1 is revised to assert that all mailpieces are subject to the minimum thickness. C010.1.4 also is deleted, since restrictions referred to in 1.4 are mentioned previously.

C010.1.2 is clarified to state that the definition of "length" as the longest dimension pertains to parcels.

We will incorporate these revisions into the printed version of DMM 59 and into the monthly update of the online DMM available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.gov.

Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)

* * * * *

C Characteristics and Content

* * * * *

C000 General Information

C010 General Mailability Standards

1.0 MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS

1.1 Minimum

[Revise 1.1 by combining current 1.1a and 1.1b as new 1.1b and redesignating current 1.1c as new 1.1a to read as follows:]

For mailability, the following standards apply:

a. All mailpieces must be at least 0.007 inch thick.

b. All mailpieces (except keys and identification devices) that are 1/4 inch thick or less must be:

(1) At least 3-1/2 inches high and at least 5 inches long.

(2) Rectangular, with four square corners and parallel opposite sides (see Exhibit 1.1), unless prepared as Customized MarketMail under E660.

[Move Exhibit 1.1, which is currently at the bottom of the page, to come immediately after 1.1, and revise the parenthetical statement to read as follows:]

Exhibit 1.1 Minimum Dimensions, Pieces 1/4" Thick or Less

***(all mailpieces are subject to minimum thickness; keys and identification devices are not subject to minimum length and height)

1.2 Maximum

[Revise 1.2 by adding "For parcels" at the beginning of the third sentence and removing the reference to 1.3, so that 1.2 in its entirety reads as follows:]

No mailpiece may weigh more than 70 pounds. Except for Parcel Post, no mailpiece may measure more than 108 inches in length and girth combined. For parcels, length is the distance of the longest dimension and girth is the distance around the thickest part.

* * * * *

[Delete 1.4 and 1.5.]

* * * * *

- Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 7-22-04

DMM REVISION

Labeling List Changes

Effective July 22, 2004, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) L001, L004, L007, L601, L602, L603, L605, L606, L802, and L803 are revised to reflect changes in mail processing operations. Mailers are encouraged to label according to these revised lists immediately, but must comply with these changes no later than October 3, 2004.

We will incorporate these revisions into the printed version of DMM Issue 59 and into the monthly update of the online DMM available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.gov.

Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)

* * * * *

L Labeling Lists

L000 General Use

L001 5-Digit Scheme-Periodicals Flats and Irregular Parcels, Standard Mail Flats, and BPM Flats

* * * * *

* * * * *

L004 3-Digit ZIP Code Prefix Groups-ADC Sortation

* * * * *

* * * * *

L007 5-Digit Scheme-Periodicals, Standard Mail, and BPM Flats in Bundles

* * * * *

* * * * *

L600 Standard Mail and Package Services

L601 BMCs

* * * * *

[Revise footnote two (2) to read as follows:]

² Except for mail prepared for destination entry rates, if the origin entry post office is in ZIP Code areas 800-820, 822-831, 835, 838-884, 889-978, or 980-999 and the destination post office is in ZIP Code areas 850, 852, 853, 855, 859, 860, 863, or 864, then the mail containers are labeled to the Los Angeles BMC rather than the Denver BMC as follows:

BMC LOS ANGELS CA 90901

* * * * *

L602 ASFs

* * * * *

* * * * *

L603 ADCs-Irregular Standard Mail Parcels

* * * * *

[Revise footnote two (2) to read as follows:]

² Except for mail prepared for destination entry rates, if the origin entry post office is in ZIP Code areas 800-820, 822-831, 835, 838-884, 889-978, or 980-999 and the destination post office is in ZIP Code areas 850, 852, 853, 855, 859, 860, 863, or 864, then the mail containers are labeled to the Los Angeles BMC rather than the Denver BMC as follows:

BMC LOS ANGELS CA 90901

* * * * *

L605 BMCs/ASFs-Nonmachinable Parcel Post BMC Presort and OBMC Presort

* * * * *

* * * * *

L606 5-Digit Scheme-Standard Mail and Package Services Parcels

* * * * *

* * * * *

L800 Automation Rate Mailings

* * * * *

L802 BMC/ASF Entry-Periodicals, Standard Mail, and Bound Printed Matter

* * * * *

* * * * *

L803 Non-BMC/ASF Entry-Periodicals, Standard Mail, and Bound Printed Matter

* * * * *

- Logistics,
Network Operations Management, 7-22-04

Employees

NOTICE

RIF Competitive Areas for the Postal Service

The Office of Personnel Management requires agencies covered by reduction-in-force (RIF) procedures to establish Competitive Areas and to publish them for their employees. Competitive Areas are organizational units under separate management authority within which preference-eligible employees compete during a RIF. Listed below are the Competitive Areas for the Postal ServiceTM as of July 22, 2004.

¹ The units located in the Washington, DC, commute area are part of the parent national Headquarters organization Competitive Area.

- Selection, Evaluation, and Recognition,
Employee Resource Management, 7-22-04

ELM REVISION

Collection of Postal Debts From Nonbargaining Unit Employees

Effective July 22, 2004, the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM), section 452.4, Collection of Amounts Due Under Federal Benefits Program, is revised to incorporate the statutory provision in section 31001(h) of the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, codified at 5 U.S.C. section 5514(a)(3), that excludes certain routine intra- agency adjustments of pay from the provisions of section 5514(a)(2).

We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed version of the ELM and also into the online version, which is available on the Postal ServiceTM PolicyNet Web site:

• Go to http://blue.usps.gov.

• Under "Essential Links" in the left-hand column, click on References.

• Under "References" in the right-hand column, click on PolicyNet.

• Click on Manuals.

(The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet Web site is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.)

Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM)

* * * * *

4 Pay Administration

* * * * *

450 Collection of Postal Debts From Nonbargaining Unit Employees

* * * * *

452 Procedures Governing Administrative Salary Offsets

* * * * *

[Revise the title and text of section 452.4 to read as
follows:]

452.4 Exceptions to Procedures Found in Sections 452.2 and 452.3

a. The procedures governing the collection of postal debts contained in sections 452.2 and 452.3 do not apply to:

(1) Amounts to be collected which arose from the employee's election of coverage or change of coverage under a federal benefits program requiring periodic deductions from pay, and were accumulated over four pay periods or less;

(2) Routine intra-agency adjustments of pay that are attributable to clerical or administrative errors or delays in processing pay documents that have occurred within the four pay periods preceding the pay period in which the first adjustment is made, provided the individual is given notice in accordance with section 452.4(b); or

(3) Any adjustment that amounts to $50 or less, provided the individual is given notice in accordance with section 452.4(b).

b. At the time the first adjustment is made pursuant to section 452.4(a)(2) or (3), or as soon thereafter as practical, the individual must be provided written notice of the nature and the amount of the debt and adjustments and a point of contact for contesting collection.

* * * * *

- Labor Relations, 7-22-04

ELM REVISION

Recognition and Awards

Effective July 22, 2004, Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM) 470, "Incentive Awards and Service Recognition," is retitled "Recognition and Awards" and revised to provide greater flexibility in granting cash and noncash awards. The revisions include the following:

• Clarifying the definitions of Service Award, Informal Award, Formal Award, and Special Award, and identifying the employee group eligible for each award.

• Clarifying the definitions of noncash award, cash equivalent award, and cash award.

• Clarifying the tax implications of awards.

• Revising the budget limit for all awards to one half of one percent (0.005%) of the total end of fiscal year salary budget and directing that administration of this budgeted amount be on a performance cluster level.

• Revising the procedures for requesting 50-year service pins.

• Updating sample letters of appreciation.

• Updating eAWARDS payment procedures.

• Combining award categories, expanding the pool of employees eligible, and increasing the maximum dollar value of cash and cash equivalent awards that may be issued each fiscal year, as follows:

- Expanding eligibility for Informal Awards (previously limited to employees) to contractors.

- Expanding eligibility for Spot Awards (previously limited to EAS and PCES career employees) to all career employees and increasing the fiscal year award limit to $3,000.

- Expanding the eligibility for Team, Vice President, and Postmaster General Awards (previously limited to EAS and PCES career employees) to all career employees and maintaining the fiscal year limits of $2,000, $5,000, and $10,000, respectively.

- Discontinuing the use of the Special Achievement Award, Meritorious Service Award, Distinguished Service Award, Exceptional Performance Award, and Bargaining Unit Non-Cash Tangible Award categories, previously subject to fiscal year limits of $500, $2,000, $3,500, $7,500, and $500, respectively.

We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed version of the ELM and also into the online version, available on the Postal ServiceTM PolicyNet Web site:

• Go to http://blue.usps.gov.

• Under "Essential Links" in the left-hand column, click on References.

• Under "References" in the right-hand column, click on PolicyNet.

• Click on Manuals.

(The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.)

It is also available on the Postal Service Internet:

• Go to www.usps.com.

• Click on About USPS & News, then Forms & Publications, then Postal Periodicals and Publications, and then Manuals.

Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM)

* * * * *

4 Pay Administration

* * * * *

[Revise the title and text of 470 to read as follows:]

470 Recognition and Awards

471 Overview

471.1 Policy

The Recognition and Awards Program is intended to recognize employees who have achieved outstanding performance, have superior competence, or have performed some other significant accomplishment. The program is not intended to provide incentives to employees to meet predetermined goals. The program has been broadly designed to ensure that the recognition and award needs of all organizations and functional areas are met and provides awards ranging from a letter of appreciation to $10,000 in cash.

Recognition falls into five broad categories: (a) Certificates of Appreciation; (b) Service Awards, for which noncash recognition items, such as Service Award Pins, Service Award Certificates, and the Benjamin Franklin Award plaque are awarded; (c) Informal Awards, for which noncash gift items valued at less than $50 are awarded; (d) Formal Awards, for which cash and cash-equivalent items valued at up to $3,000 are awarded; and (e) Special Awards, including Team Awards, Vice President Awards, and Postmaster General Awards, for which cash and cash equivalent items up to $10,000 are awarded.

A summary description of service recognition and incentive awards is contained in exhibit 471.1.

Exhibit 471.1
Service Recognition and Incentive Awards

471.2 Management Control

Postal managers must use appropriate review and control procedures to identify individual performance, programs, or operational areas of superior work. Managers must ensure that related actions, such as performance evaluations, are fully considered to maintain compatibility between awards and other relevant factors. It is the responsibility of all levels of management to ensure that all employees are treated fairly and equitably and to provide a workplace environment characterized by recognition and celebration of business success. Vice presidents, district managers, senior and lead plant managers, and the Headquarters vice president of Employee Resource Management periodically audit the awards process.

471.3 Awards

471.31 Noncash

Noncash awards include the following:

a. Recognition items, such as pins, certificates, and plaques.

b. Gift items, such as mugs, clothing, event tickets, and gift certificates redeemable only for merchandise.

The market value of noncash awards should be less than $50.

471.32 Cash and Cash Equivalent

Cash awards are issued in the form of checks by the Eagan Accounting Service Center (ASC). Cash equivalent awards are issued in the form of a "gift check" or similar item that can be immediately converted to cash.

All cash awards and cash equivalent awards, regardless of value, are considered ordinary income and are subject to income tax withholding and involuntary deductions.

471.4 Budgeting Considerations

The award budget for an organization to cover informal noncash and formal cash and cash equivalent awards should be equal to at least 1/2 percent of aggregate salaries paid and should not exceed 1 percent of the aggregate salaries paid at the beginning of the fiscal year.

471.5 Privacy Act Considerations

Award records contain personal information; therefore, such records must be handled and disclosed only as stipulated in the Privacy Act and implementing instructions (see Handbook AS-353, Guide to Privacy and the Freedom of Information Act). Records of cash awards received by employees are maintained in the privacy system USPS 120.070, Personnel Records - General Personnel Folder (Official Personnel Folders and Records Related Thereto). Records of achievement awards are maintained in USPS 120.100, Personnel Records - Performance Awards System Records.

471.6 Presentation Ceremonies

Whenever possible, installation heads should (a) coordinate publicity with public information personnel and (b) provide an appropriate ceremony for each award in the presence of the employee's managers and co-workers.

471.7 Documenting Awards

Awards are documented by a permanent record filed in the recipient's official personnel folder.

472 Certificate of Appreciation

472.1 Overview

Characteristics of this award are as follows:

472.2 Purpose

The Certificate of Appreciation provides postmasters and other installation heads a way to recognize and commend customers, contract employees, and noncareer and career employees for their contributions to the improvement of the Postal Service.

472.3 Description

The Certificate of Appreciation, a noncash recognition award, is a printed certificate that has a Postal Service corporate signature and has "Certificate of Appreciation" printed at the top. A commendatory letter may accompany the Certificate of Appreciation at the discretion of the approving official.

The certificate and, if included, letter of commendation are presented in a blue leatherette folder.

472.4 Eligibility

Customers, contract employees, and noncareer and career employees are eligible to receive the Certificate of Appreciation. </