Effective December 1, 2011, the Postal Operations Manual (POM) is revised to clarify that certain duties assigned to postmasters may be performed by subordinate personnel under a postmaster’s supervision. In addition, sections 439.1.d and 439.45 are revised to reflect recent revisions to Handbook PO-101, Postal Service-Operated Retail Facilities Discontinuance Guide.
Postal Operations Manual (POM)
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1 Retail Management
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13 Retail Services at Counters
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139 Nonmailable Matter — Articles and Substances: Special Mailing Rules
139.1 Special Provisions
139.11 Rules and Procedures
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139.116 Authorized Mailability Decisions
[Revise text of 139.116 as follows:]
Postmasters or other designated personnel under a postmaster’s supervision may decide whether articles and substances other than written, printed, or graphic matter are nonmailable and must, where appropriate, refuse to accept for mailing such matter determined to be nonmailable. Where necessary, the Pricing & Classification Service Center (PCSC) should be consulted in determining mailability. If the mailer wants to review the initial decision, the postmaster or designated subordinate personnel must, with the mailer’s consent, refer a sample and send a complete statement of the facts to the PCSC manager. After the manager’s decision is made, further appeal may be made by the mailer under 39 CFR 953, Rules of Practice in Proceedings Relative to Mailability. Postmasters and designated subordinate personnel are authorized to take any steps reasonable and necessary to protect Postal Service employees and equipment from the effects of potentially dangerous, injurious materials or substances found in the mail (see ASM 223.4).
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15 Easy Stamp Services
151 Stamps by Mail
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151.2 Responsibilities
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[Revise the title and first paragraph of 151.22 as follows:]
151.22 Postmasters of City/Rural Delivery Offices
Postmasters are responsible for ensuring supervision of SBM operations to achieve service standards and to deal effectively with variances. Postmasters are also responsible for ensuring that rural carriers maintain a supply of stamp stock and PS Form 3227-R order forms sufficient to meet the needs of the customers on the route.
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4 Mail Processing Procedures
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43 ZIP Codes and the ZIP+4® System
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439 ZIP Code Authorization and Assignment
439.1 Definitions
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d. Post Office Discontinuances:
[Revise (1) and (2) as follows:]
(1) Close. An action in which operations at a Postal Service–operated retail facility are permanently discontinued without providing a replacement facility in the community. Replacement services are provided by a neighboring Postal Service–operated retail facility, contract delivery service, rural delivery service, city delivery service, or alternate access channels.
(2) Consolidate. An action that replaces a Postal Service–operated retail facility with a contractor-operated retail facility. A resulting contractor-operated retail facility reports to a Postal Service–operated retail facility.
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439.4 Required Documentation
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439.45 Postal Facility Status Change
[Revise 439.45 as follows:]
The AMS manager must report all ZIP Code status changes (including those resulting from Headquarters-approved retail facility closings or consolidations, a change of branch name, etc.) on PS Form 1362 (see Exhibit 439.323) and send it to the Office of Address Management. The effective date for postal facility changes is 30 days after the announcement is published in the Postal Bulletin.
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6 Delivery Services
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66 Highway Contract Service
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665 Postmaster Duties
[Revise text as follows:]
Postmasters are required to ensure the following:
a. Distribution of Registered Mail, Insured Mail, Certified Mail, and COD Mail to the carrier, only if the contract requires that the carriers deliver such mail.
b. Mail is not provided to the carrier outside of the regular lock pouch before it has reached the Post Office to which it is addressed.
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed version of the POM and also into the online update, available on the Postal Service™ PolicyNet website:
n Go to http://blue.usps.gov.
n In the left-hand column under “Essential Links”, click PolicyNet.
n Click Manuals.
(The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet website is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.)
— Customer Service Operations,
Delivery and Post Office Operations, 12-1-11
