The Postal Service wants to remind employees to perform their duties with integrity, including following the rules on impartiality.
This means employees should avoid working on matters that would be beneficial to their own interests or that of their relatives and friends.
For example, employees should not work on contracts, agreements, initiatives or projects that would likely affect the financial interests of a member of the employee’s household, a close relative or others — including friends, a business partner or a future employer.
Before working on a matter, an employee should ask themselves: Would a member of the public, with knowledge of the relevant facts, question the employee’s ability to remain impartial?
If so, the employee should not work on the matter and notify their supervisor immediately. The employee may have to recuse themselves from working on that matter and have that matter reassigned to another employee.
Employees who violate the federal ethics laws may face criminal prosecution as well as disciplinary action by the Postal Service, up to and including termination of employment.
For guidance on following the impartiality rules or other information, employees can email the Postal Service’s ethics helpline or call 202-268-6346.
Employees can also refer to the Ethics Blue page and download the ethics app, which is available through the USPS app store.