Oversight hearing – The Holiday Rush: Is the Postal Service Ready? – November 16, 2022

On Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. ET, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, will hold a hybrid hearing to examine the United States Postal Service’s performance during past holiday seasons, preparations for the upcoming holiday season, and how changes to the Postal Service will affect its ability to deliver efficiently during future holiday seasons.

During the past four years, peak season from November through mid-January has coincided with lower on-time delivery rates for both first-class mail and packages.  Slower delivery affects holiday gifts and cards as well as medicine, unemployment benefits, and Social Security checks that are delivered by mail during the holiday season.

The Postal Service has prepared for this year’s peak season by converting 100,000 part-time employees to full-time employees, hiring 28,000 additional seasonal employees, leasing additional facilities, and other measures.  The Postal Service projects these efforts will increase its maximum processing capacity to almost 60 million packages a day, compared to 53 million last year.

Building on the Subcommittee’s previous hearings in Chicago, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, this hearing will examine whether the Postal Service is able to meet its staffing and delivery needs during the peak season.