Postal Service Employees Compensation and Benefits

The United States Post Service was established to provide residents with reliable and secure mailing services in the US. It is an affordable means of communication in terms of mails. It was established in 1775 and expanded since then to ensure there is a USPS near me and you.

USPS provides employment opportunities to thousands of people across the US. Securing a position at the service guarantees you these compensations and benefits:

Compensation

Employees at the service enjoy a handsome salary package, with a regular pay rise. They are also entitled to other compensation packages such as overtime pay, night shift allowance, and weekend allowance. All these are subject to the type of job and position held by the employee.

Career Development and Training

Employees at the postal service enjoy a good learning environment, with the service offering training programs. The programs aim to ensure success in the performance of the service and improve the employee’s necessary skills. Such programs also equip employees with leadership skills.

The executives also enjoy access to programs that help sharpen their skills upon meeting specific performance criteria.

Leave

The postal service is very considerate about its employee’s rest and well-being. It offers annual leaves as well as sick leave to its employees. The service only observes ten annual holidays, separate from the leave. Employees enjoy 13 days annual leave for the first three years of service, 20 days annual leave after three years, and 26 days annual leave after 15 years of service.

Full-time employees also get to enjoy 4 hours’ pay, like insurance, if they lose income due to an accident or illness. For part-time employees, annual and sick leave are awarded according to the number of paid hours.

Life Insurance

The service provides life coverage through the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance program. The cover is fully paid for by the postal service. It also provides an option to its employees to pay for extra coverage, deductible from their payroll.

Health Insurance

The USPS is a member of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, which provides health coverage to their employees. There are also other plans such as Fee-For-Service, Health Maintenance Organizations, among others.

The service pays most of the cover’s premiums, making health care affordable to its employees. The employee premium contributions are also not subject to most taxes, enhancing affordability.

Dental and Optical Insurance

The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program allow employees of the postal service to join. Though the employees fully pay the premium contributions, they enjoy quality services across the state at affordable premium rates. It is because the premiums to the cover are not tax-deductible.

Social Security and Medicare

Every newly recruited employee of a USPS gets covered under Social Security and Medicare.

Long- Term Care Insurance

The postal service employees have an option to enroll in the Federal Long- Term Care Insurance Program. The cover ensures their clients have access to long-term care such as home nursing or extended care, not covered by health insurance or Medicare.

Commuter Package

Every employee enjoys a tax-free purchase of public service transportation and parking. The package helps reduce such costs that would be incurred in transportation for its members.

Flexible Spending Accounts

This package is available to career employees. They have an option to participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts Program after their first year of service. The tax-free contributions could come in handy to cater for uncovered health care cases or even daycare expenses.

Thrift Savings Plan

This package is only available to career postal service employees. They have an option to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan. The plan is very similar to the 401K offered by the private sector employers. The contributions to the program are tax-free. Postal service employees can also enjoy automatic contributions from up to five percent of their pay to the plan.

Retirement Plans

Every USPS employee is entitled to a retirement package after service. The postal service contributes to the federal retirement program, which gives pension and disability cover to its employees. The service employees can access that money depending on their age and years of creditable service.

To qualify as an employee of the service, one needs to meet to following requirements.

  • They must be citizens of the US, permanent residents, or citizens of other US territory.
  • They should be above 18 years or 16 years with a high school diploma. They should also pass a criminal background check, as well as a drug screening.
  • They should also have updated employment history and a good driving record.
  • They should be registered with Selective Service where applicable.

Final Word

Postal workers get about the same compensations and benefits as other federal employees. Their salaries and benefits are negotiated between the USPS and the respective postal labor union that represents the right of various postal employees.