For the following employees, the wearing of uniform headgear is at the option of the employee:
- Area maintenance technician/specialist.
- Letterbox mechanic.
- Letter carrier.
- Motor vehicle operator, tractor trailer operator, driving instructor.
- Ramp clerk and transfer clerk, AMF.
- Clerk/special delivery messenger.
Wearing of the cap is mandatory for (a) casual employees, (b) new employees who are not required to wear a uniform during the first 90 days of their employment, and (c) all other employees who are authorized only a cap as a means of identifying them with the Postal Service. No substitute headgear may be worn by these employees.
In extremely cold climates, uniformed employees who are regularly assigned to outdoor duties for more than one–half of the time may purchase a face mask as an optional reimbursable item. The face mask must be dark blue with no ornamentation, in a wool blend or synthetic fabric. The use of this item shall be authorized by the installation head. This section does not apply to face masks that are part of the “knit watch cap.”
Employees authorized to wear the neck/chest protector as part of the cold weather uniform are not required to wear a necktie when the neck/chest protector is being worn to protect them from cold weather. However, employees must replace the protector with a tie if they work inside a postal facility and are in view of the public.
A sweater may be worn as an outer garment. When so worn, the official emblem is permanently attached.
Only authorized outer garments are to be worn on the street during duty hours. Jacket liners may not be worn as outer garments, and only employees who choose or have chosen to purchase the related jacket may purchase them.
Walking shorts may be worn only with blue–gray or white with blue stripe crew socks or blue–gray, white with blue stripe, or black knee–length hose.
Where a convertible collar, short– or long–sleeve summer shirt is authorized, the tie is not necessarily required. The tie must be worn whenever a jacket or coat is worn. After consulting with representatives of affected employees at the Post Office, if the postmaster decides a tie is to be worn with the convertible collared summer shirt, the tie is worn by all affected employees at that Post Office. However, if the decision is that a tie need not be worn, individual employees who desire to wear the tie may do so even though the majority are without ties.
The head of an installation determines when seasonal changes of uniforms take place, with the exception of retail employees.
Employees not eligible for the retail service uniform allowance, but who have contact with the public and wish to identify themselves with the Postal Service, may purchase the retail uniform though reimbursement will not be provided. Uniform items obtained under these provisions may only be purchased at the option of the employees at no cost to the Postal Service, and may be worn only when performing retail duties.
Wearing postal uniforms is prohibited under the following circumstances:
- A person not connected with the letter carrier branch of the Postal Service who wears the uniform or badge worn by a city carrier is fined not more than $100, or imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both. When employees are separated from the Postal Service, all emblems, buttons, or other identifying insignia must be removed before the uniforms are discarded.
- The uniform is not worn during or in connection with the furtherance of private employment or commercial interests.
- The uniform is not worn under circumstances that would tend to bring discredit upon the Postal Service.
- The uniform is not worn, except when authorized by the postmaster or Headquarters, when an employee participates in activities such as public speeches, interviews, picket lines, marches, rallies, or any public demonstration that may imply service sanction of the cause for which the demonstration or activity is being conducted.
