The purpose of these standards is to provide a guide for mediators when mediating Postal Service disputes. These standards are intended to be instructional and to provide assistance when mediators are handling cases in the REDRESS Program.
The Postal Service acknowledges the following works as sources for developing these standards:
American Arbitration Association, American Bar Association, Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution, Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators, (1994), at www.adr.org.
Bush, R.A.B. (1992). The dilemmas of mediation practice: A study of ethical dilemmas and policy implications. Washington, DC: National Institute for Dispute Resolution.
Mediation is a process in which an impartial third party, with no decision-making authority or power to impose a resolution, helps the disputing parties explore and, if possible, reach a mutually acceptable resolution of some or all of the issues in dispute.
The mediator’s role is (1) to encourage and assist the parties in deciding whether and how to resolve their dispute; and (2) to promote the parties’ mutual understanding of each other’s positions, interests, and perspectives, despite their conflict.
