Delivery
How will the extended Priority Mail service commitments due to COVID-19 (per Industry Alert 4/17/20) affect Live Shipments?
The extended Priority Mail service commitments applies to any Live shipments destined to a 2 or 3 day delivery zone. Shippers may want to consider Priority Mail Express service for those delivery areas.
In some parts of the country does the USPS now have an every other day delivery policy?
No, it is still the USPS policy to maintain current delivery schedules nationwide. However, due to COVID-19 and employee availability, there may be temporary delays to some mail delivery.
Does language exist requiring the prioritization of delivering medical supplies? This would be in line with the announcement yesterday at White House briefing about FEMA Supply Chain Stabilization Task Force. Is this a USPS directive of some kind?
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, Public Law 116-136, March 27, 2020, Sec. 6001(c) provided the following language:
(c) PRIORITIZATION OF DELIVERY FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES DURING COVID-19 EMERGENCY—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during the COVID-19 emergency, the Postal Service—
(1) shall prioritize delivery of postal products for medical purposes; and
(2) may establish temporary delivery points, in such form and manner as the Postal Service determines necessary, to protect employees of the Postal Service and individuals receiving deliveries from the Postal Service.
The Postal Service is still evaluating the impact of this language. However, we continue to move mail and packages according to the service standards for those products.
Due to COVID-19, my facility has taken additional measures to protect the health and welfare of our employees and residents, including requiring individuals entering the facility to comply with screening requests. How is the USPS handling delivery of mail and handling these restrictions?
While we understand customers’ desire to screen individuals entering their facilities, we cannot require our letter carriers to comply with such requests. Our carriers have privacy protections under Federal laws – such as the Privacy Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended) – that may be violated if we require a carrier to be subjected to precautionary screenings by customers.
Although we cannot direct a carrier to submit to precautionary screenings, the Postal Service wants to do its best to ensure our business customers and their residents receive their mail. Please contact your local Post Office to discuss alternative options in lieu of requiring screening. Local management will work with you to ensure that the Postal Service can maintain continuity of delivery operations for your facility.
Will the USPS issue a national policy for Schools, colleges, and businesses that will be closed for an extended period of time? If so, how will this be handled?
The Postal Service has agreed to extend its normal 10-day hold to 30 days for closed businesses. Customers have the option to proactively request temporary holds of up to 30 days. Students should contact their college and university to clarify their processes because these schools independently manage their mail operations. Businesses also have the option to use Premium Forwarding Service Commercial™ to forward their mail to an alternate address.
Will the 30-day extension be true for consumer customers as well that are not picking up their mail at this time?
The 30-day extension is being afforded to consumer customers also. At the end of the 30-day period, the Postal Service will re-evaluate the situation.
How will the Premium Forward Service be supported by USPS if the end site location is impacted by a closure?
Each post office has contingency plans to offload mail to an alternate local to provide continued services to customers.
Will there be any modifications to Certified Mail or mail requiring signature deliveries with customers? If so, how will this be supported?
One significant measure being implemented is a temporary modification to mail handling procedures for mail that requires customer signatures. We recognize the close proximity and additional handling that occurs when employees must ask customers for a signature and government issued identification when required. To reduce health risks, we are temporarily modifying customer signature capture procedures. Effective immediately and until further notice, our employees will follow the temporary process below for signature service items. This process applies to all letter carriers:
Avoid ringing the doorbell when possible. Knock on the customer’s door. Avoid areas that may be frequently touched when knocking.
While maintaining a safe, appropriate distance, employees will request the customer’s first initial and last name.
For increased safety, employees will ask the customer to step back a safe distance or close the screen door/door so that they may leave the item in the mail receptacle or appropriate location by the customer door.
If there is no response, employees will follow the normal Notice Left process.
If there are delivery points on the route where social distancing recommendations are difficult to follow, alternative delivery methods can be explored. (Industry Alert – 3/20/20)
Can businesses provide a temporary alternate delivery address?
Customers may contact their local postmaster or station manager for temporary alternate delivery options. The Postal Service has extended is hold policy to 30 days for closed business.
How is USPS delivering mail under shelter-in-place declarations?
The Postal Service is classified as an essential government service operation, which allows us to continue operations.
How are items requiring a signature handled with social distancing regulations in place?
To reduce health risks, we are temporarily modifying customer signature capture procedures.
While maintaining a safe, appropriate distance, employees will request the customer’s first initial and last name so that the employee can enter the information on the electronic screen or hard copy items such as return receipts, PS Forms 3811 and 3829.
For increased safety, employees will ask the customer to step back a safe distance or close the screen door/door so that they may leave the item in the mail receptacle or appropriate location by the customer door.