As employees of the United States Postal Service®, we have a legal, moral, and fiduciary obligation to obey the tax laws of our country. As both citizens and public servants who are obligated to uphold the public trust, we are ethically mandated to complete and file all required tax forms for our federal, state, and where applicable, local taxes. We are required by appropriate taxation laws to pay our required taxes in a timely and accurate manner.
Employees are reminded that they are bound by the materials contained within the Code of Ethics, Principles of Ethical Conduct for Government Officers and Employees. This includes Principle 12, which states:
“Employees shall satisfy in good faith their obligations as citizens, including all just financial obligations, especially those — such as federal, state, and local taxes — that are imposed by law.”
Postal Service employees must adhere to the highest possible ethical standards concerning the payment of their taxes and other debts. You are personally responsible for ensuring correct federal, state, and local taxes are deducted from your pay. If you are subject to federal, state, or local taxes, and the correct deductions are not being withheld from your pay, you must take immediate action to ensure appropriate tax withholdings.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers several online resources to help taxpayers bring taxes withheld closer to what is owed. These resources are available anytime on irs.gov. They include:
n A tax withholding estimator, which helps determine the correct amount of federal tax to withhold: irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator.
n Complete information on withholding, estimated taxes, FAQs, and more: irs.gov/individuals/employees/tax-withholding.
n Complete the federal Form W-4, Withholding Allowance Certificate, and the state equivalent of the federal Form W-4 (e.g., to update Minnesota tax withholdings, complete Form W-4MN, Minnesota Withholding Allowance/Exemption Certificate). Complete the federal Form W-4 if your state does not have its own state equivalent of the federal Form W-4.
n Go to the LiteBlue home page at liteblue.usps.gov to access the PostalEASE App.
n Update your federal W-4 Payroll Module and/or your State Tax Payroll Module.
n If you do not have access to a computer or the Internet, you can call PostalEASE toll-free at 877-477-3273, option 1, and follow the instructions.
Note: It is to your advantage to complete the paper form before your PostalEASE update, as the paper form comes with helpful instructions for complex state withholding selections.
If you need assistance, contact the HR Shared Service Center at 877-477-3273, option 5. Employees with hearing disabilities can call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877–8339.
For more information about local taxes, see “Local Tax Code Information” in Postal Bulletin 22615 (1-12-23, pages 40–41).
The Postal Service is prohibited from providing any tax advice to employees. Any questions regarding your tax liability or responsibility must be directed to the IRS or a qualified tax preparer.
— Payroll,
Controller, 6-29-23
