Publication 60 - A Great Place to Work
United States Postal Service

EVERYONE
Taking care of business is serving everyone the way they want to be served. Our work force of over 765,000 career employees is focused on customer satisfaction. We have daily mail delivery and pick- up for over 130 million households and businesses.

EVERYWHERE
We are a service provider for the worldwide movement of messages, merchandise, and money. With nearly 300,000 delivery employees and 38,000 facilities nationwide, we are located where our customers live or have their businesses.

EVERYDAY
We deliver 41 percent of the world's mail, 630 million pieces, everyday. Automation of 5 billion hand- addressed letters saves millions of hours of manual effort. We are moving closer to our goal to be the world's first completely barcoded, fully automated mail stream operation.

We are fulfilling our historic trust to "bind the nation together."
A Great Place to Work

MAJOR ENTRY- LEVEL JOBS
The Postal Service recruits, tests, screens, selects, and hires qualified applicants for a number of major entry- level jobs, including city carrier, distribution clerk, mail processor, mail handler, etc. Most new employees are designated as "part- time flexible" (PTF). They are paid an hourly rate and work a flexible schedule as required by the workflow.

CITY CARRIER: Travels planned routes to deliver and collect mail. City carriers typically cover their route on foot or by vehicle. They must work outdoors in all kinds of weather, have a current valid state driver's license and a safe driving record.

DISTRIBUTION CLERK: Sorts incoming and outgoing mail in both plant or post office facilities. Sorts mail not handled by automated equipment.

MAIL PROCESSOR: Operates mail processing equipment, acts as a trouble shooter for the equipment, collates, bundles and transfers processed mail from one area to another. This position requires employees to be on their feet all day.

MAIL HANDLER: Loads and unloads containers of mail. Mail handlers transport mail and empty equipment throughout the building. They also open and empty sacks of mail. This position requires heavy lifting.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Most postal employees work in a plant environment. A variety of machinery, conveyer belts, and special equipment for moving heavy loads are part of most Postal Service work areas. The work often requires the lifting of heavy objects and can be dirty and physically demanding. Postal employees also work in local post offices, where they deliver the mail in all kinds of weather. Some other employees working at post offices sell stamps and merchandise to the public.

COMPENSATION/ BENEFITS PROGRAMS
COMPENSATION: In addition to highly competitive basic pay rates, most Postal Service employees also receive cost- of- living adjustments (COLA), overtime pay, night shift differential, and Sunday premium pay. COLAs help protect pay against inflation and are applied semi- annually to basic pay. Overtime is paid at one and one- half times the applicable hourly rate for work in excess of 8 hours per day, or 40 hours within a workweek. Night shift differential is paid at a specified dollar rate for all hours worked between 6pm and 6am. Sunday premium is paid at 25 percent for work scheduled on Sunday.

HEALTH INSURANCE: The Postal Service participates in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, which provides excellent coverage and flexibility with most of the cost paid by the Postal Service. There are many plans available, including both traditional insurance coverage and Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). Employee premium contributions are not subject to most taxes, making health insurance even more affordable.

RETIREMENT: The Postal Service participates in the federal retirement program, which provides a defined benefit annuity at normal retirement age as well as disability coverage.

THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN: After a waiting period, career postal employees may contribute to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), which is similar to 401(k) retirement savings plans offered by private sector employers. Employees contribute to TSP on a tax- deferred basis, and may receive automatic and matching contributions (up to 5 percent of pay) from the Postal Service.

SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE: Newly hired postal employees are covered under Social Security and Medicare.

LIFE INSURANCE: The Postal Service offers coverage through the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program. The cost of basic coverage is fully paid by the Postal Service, with the option to purchase additional coverage through payroll deduction.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS: Career employees may participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) Program after one year of service. Tax- free FSA contributions can be used to cover most out- of- pocket health care and dependent care (day care) expenses.

LEAVE: The Postal Service offers a generous leave program to career employees that includes annual (vacation) leave and sick leave. For the first 3 years of service, full- time employees earn 13 days of annual leave per year, increasing to 20 days per year after 3 years of service, and to 26 days per year after 15 years of service. In addition, full- time employees earn 13 days of sick leave per year as insurance against loss of income due to illness or accident.

HOLIDAYS: The Postal Service observes 10 holidays each year.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS
EXAM ANNOUNCEMENTS - WHERE DO I LOOK?

* On public bulletin boards in post offices and in local, federal, and state municipal buildings

* State employment offices

* Local TV, newspaper, and radio advertisements

* Community organizations, including minority, women, and veterans' organizations

Note: Individuals with 10 point veterans' preference and veterans who apply within 120 days of discharge are eligible to reopen certain examinations.

EXAMINATIONS - WHAT IS REQUIRED?
* Applicants are required to bring admission card, picture ID, and two No. 2 pencils.

* Applicants are required to report for the exam on time. Latecomers will not be admitted.

* Applicants must have a passing score of 70 on the postal examination.

* Examinations are designed to assess the required skills for each position. On average they take a few hours to complete.

* Read all materials in the package which schedule applicants for the exam.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS
The Postal Service makes reasonable accommodation for the known disabilities of qualified job applicants when such assistance is requested. Such accommodations are typically provided on a case- by- case basis. We provide contact information in exam scheduling material of where to request an accommodation.

REGISTERS - HOW DO THEY WORK?
Entrance registers list applicants for external hiring consideration. They provide a framework of scores from 70 to 100, adding additional points to passing scores for veterans' preference. Names are arranged in descending score order and the final score consists of the basic examination rating plus any claimed veterans' preference points. By law, eligible disabled veterans are listed at the top of the register before other applicants. These individuals will be required to submit proof of disability.

AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYER
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is embodied in our nation's laws. It is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age (40 and above), physical or mental disabilities, or in reprisal for participating in protected EEO activity.

The Postal Service is unequivocal in its opposition to all forms of discrimination. We are committed to following EEO laws and their application to all employment matters including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, assignments, promotions, transfers, benefits, and discipline.

POSTAL SERVICE EMPLOYEES CAN EXPECT

* Drug Free Workplace

* Safe Working Environment

* Fairness In Personnel Related Matters

* Training

* Advancement Opportunities

* Diverse Workforce

* Harassment Free Workplace

This material is intended as a general reference to be used in conjunction with recruitment. It is not equivalent to an official handbook, manual, or policy statement and may contain representations that are subject to interpretation and potential change in the law.

THE EMPLOYMENT PROCESS
We are a large labor intensive organization that recognizes our employees as one of our most important assets. Our successes and failures are largely determined by the caliber and efforts of our employees. In addition to our entrance examinations, the following eligibility requirements are used to determine employment.

AGE REQUIREMENT: 18 years at the time of appointment or 16 years with a high school diploma.

CITIZENSHIP: Employees must be a U. S. citizen or permanent resident alien.

BASIC COMPETENCY IN ENGLISH

SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/ 31/ 59 must be registered with the Selective Service System.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY: Applicants must provide the names of their current employer and all previous employers for the 10- year period immediately preceding the date of application or to their 16th birthday, whichever is most recent.

MILITARY SERVICE: Military service is treated as prior employment. Veterans must indicate service and submit Copy 4 of the DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.

CRIMINAL CONVICTION HISTORY: A local criminal check is required prior to employment. A more extensive criminal history check is completed at employment.

DRUG SCREEN: A qualification for postal employment is to be drug free, and is determined through a urinalysis drug screen.

MEDICAL ASSESSMENT: A medical assessment is conducted to provide information about an applicant's ability to physically or mentally perform in a specific position.

SAFE DRIVING RECORD: A safe driving record is required for employees who drive at work (i. e., city carrier, motor vehicle operator, etc.).

Interested applicants should start to gather the documentation for these requirements in advance so that they will be available when needed. For example, notice of registration with Selective Service, appropriate military discharge records, employment eligibility documents, and any other records that are appropriate.

(c) 1999 U. S. Postal Service Publication 60, February 1999