Employees are expected to be loyal to the United States government and uphold the policies and regulations of the Postal Service.
Employees are expected to serve on juries and to act as witnesses when summoned by official sources.
Employees are expected to discharge their assigned duties conscientiously and effectively.
Allegations of violations of postal laws by postal employees, including mail theft, must be reported immediately to the Office of Inspector General.
Employees must obey the instructions of their supervisors. If an employee has reason to question the propriety of a supervisor’s order, the individual must nevertheless carry out the order and may immediately file a protest in writing to the official in charge of the installation or may appeal through official channels.
Employees are expected to conduct themselves during and outside of working hours in a manner that reflects favorably upon the Postal Service. Although it is not the policy of the Postal Service to interfere with the private lives of employees, it does require that postal employees be honest, reliable, trustworthy, courteous, and of good character and reputation. The Federal Standards of Ethical Conduct referenced in 662.1 also contain regulations governing the off–duty behavior of postal employees. Employees must not engage in criminal, dishonest, notoriously disgraceful, immoral, or other conduct prejudicial to the Postal Service. Conviction for a violation of any criminal statute may be grounds for disciplinary action against an employee, including removal of the employee, in addition to any other penalty imposed pursuant to statute.
An employee who is required by the law of any jurisdiction to register as a sex offender must report in writing that he or she is subject to this requirement, as follows:
- Any employee who is not an Area or Headquarters employee must make their report to the District Manager of Human Resources; Area employees must make their report to their Area Manager of Human Resources; and Headquarters employees must make their report to the Headquarters Manager, Corporate Personnel.
- An employee who first registers as a sex offender on or after May 24, 2007, must make this report to management within 10 calendar days after the employee first registers as a sex offender.
- An employee who registered as a sex offender at any time before May 24, 2007, must make this report to management no later than June 4, 2007.
- If, after making his or her first report to management, the employee is required to register as a sex offender in a different jurisdiction, or to register anywhere because the employee has committed an additional offense, the employee must inform management within 10 calendar days after so registering.
It is a criminal act for anyone who has taken charge of any mail to quit voluntarily or desert the mail before making proper disposition of the mail according to 18 U.S.C. 1700.
Employees must not recommend or suggest the employment of any person offering services as a consultant, agent, attorney, expediter, or the like, for the purpose of assisting in any negotiation, transaction, or other business with the Postal Service unless required to do so as part of their official duties.
Employees acting in an official capacity must not directly or indirectly authorize, permit, or participate in any action, event, or course of conduct that subjects any person to discrimination, or results in any person being discriminated against on the basis of:
- Race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity, including transgender status), national origin, religion, age (40 or over), genetic information, disability, or retaliation for engaging in EEO-protected activity as provided by law; or
- Other non-meritorious factors, such as political affiliation; marital status; status as a parent, and past, present, or future military service.
The Postal Service is committed to the principle that all employees have a basic right to a safe and humane working environment. In order to ensure this right, it is the unequivocal policy of the Postal Service that there must be no tolerance of violence or threats of violence by anyone at any level of the Postal Service. Similarly, there must be no tolerance of harassment, intimidation, threats, or bullying by anyone at any level. Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action, including removal from the Postal Service.
The Postal Service will not tolerate the sale, possession, or use of illegal drugs, or the abuse of legal drugs while on duty or on postal premises. Employees found to be engaged in these activities are subject to discipline, including removal and/or criminal prosecution where appropriate.
Except as provided below, employees must not drink beer, wine, or other intoxicating beverages while on duty; begin work or return to duty intoxicated; or drink intoxicating beverages in a public place while in uniform. Employees found to be violating this policy may be subject to disciplinary action.
A non-bargaining employee may consume beer or wine at an Officer Approved Event. “Officer Approved Event” means: (a) a meeting of Postal Service employees convened by management, such as a working meal, an employee recognition event, or an employee appreciation event; or (b) an event whose primary purpose is to interact with external individuals or entities, such as an industry conference, a sales meeting, or a supplier meeting; that in all cases is either attended by an Officer of the Postal Service who personally decides that the consumption of beer and wine by employees is appropriate, or with respect to which an Officer of the Postal Service has granted specific, written, and advance approval for the consumption of beer and wine by employees.
A non-bargaining employee may consume beer, wine, or other intoxicating beverages at a Postmaster General Approved Event. “Postmaster General Approved Event” means any Postal Service-related event with respect to which the Postmaster General personally approves the consumption of beer, wine, or other intoxicating beverages.
No employee may become intoxicated while at an Officer Approved Event or a Postmaster General Approved Event. Except in connection with an Officer Approved Event or a Postmaster General Approved Event occurring at a Postal Service facility or premises, no employee shall have or bring any container of beer or wine into any Postal Service facility or premises, whether the container has been opened or not. Intoxicating beverages other than beer and wine may never be brought into any Postal Service facility or premises under any circumstances.
Employees must not participate in any gambling activity while on duty or while on property owned or leased by the Postal Service or the United States. This prohibition includes the operation of any gambling device, conducting a game for money or property, or selling or purchasing a numbers slip or ticket.
Note: This section does not prohibit participation in activities specified here if participation is necessitated by an employee’s law enforcement duties, or if participation is in accordance with Executive Order No. 10927, relating to agency–approved solicitations, or in accordance with the Randolph–Sheppard Act, when approved by postal management.
Employees must cooperate in any postal investigation, including Office of Inspector General investigations.
Employees are required to be regular in attendance. Failure to be regular in attendance may result in disciplinary action, including removal from the Postal Service.
Employees who fail to report for duty on scheduled days, including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, are considered absent without leave except in cases where actual emergencies prevent them from obtaining permission in advance. In emergencies, the supervisor or proper official must be notified of the inability to report as soon as possible. Satisfactory evidence of the emergency must be furnished later. An employee who is absent without permission or who fails to provide satisfactory evidence that an actual emergency existed will be placed in a nonpay status for the period of such absence. The absence may be the basis for disciplinary action. However, once the employee provides management with notice of the need for leave in accordance with Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)–required time frames, and the absence is determined to be FMLA protected, the employer must change the AWOL to approved FMLA–LWOP, and delete the AWOL status from the record.
Any employee failing to report at his or her scheduled time in installations where time recorders are not used is considered tardy. Tardiness in installations equipped with time recorders is defined as any deviation from schedule.
Recording the time for another employee constitutes falsification of a report. Any employee knowingly involved in such a procedure is subject to removal or other discipline. Failure of a supervisor to report known late arrivals is regarded as condoning falsification. These practices may also result in criminal prosecution.
Employees must keep the installation head informed of their current mailing addresses. Any change in mailing addresses must be reported to the installation head on PS Form 1216, Employee’s Current Mailing Address, through “Self Service” on the Postal Service Blue Page, or through USPS approved methods including PostalEase.
Postal officials may take appropriate disciplinary measures to correct violations of the regulations referred to in 665.
