When Hannah Kulishova joined the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in 2021, she thought she had found the perfect fit: steady work, miles of walking, and a chance to serve her community.

But last August, that sense of normalcy was shattered when she realized her employer had placed her, and countless other women, in harm’s way.

Background

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the U.S. Postal Service is obligated to provide its employees with a safe and healthy place to work. The Postal Service proactively meets this obligation by implementing policies, procedures, special teams, and reporting tools related to workplace violence at facilities. The established zero-tolerance policy for workplace violence outlines that no employee should have to work in an atmosphere of fear and intimidation and the organization will address every threat or act of inappropriate behavior with an immediate and firm response. These threats or acts can result in corrective action up to removal from the Postal Service.

What We Did

Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of the Postal Service’s Workplace Violence Prevention Program from fiscal year 2022 through 2024. We conducted virtual interviews in three districts; site visits at 24 judgmentally selected facilities; and interviewed district Threat Assessment Teams, facility managers, and employees to understand the prevention program. In addition, we interviewed personnel from the Workplace Environment Improvement department to understand the policies and compliance requirements surrounding the program.

What We Found

The Postal Service created the Workplace Violence Prevention Program to remain dedicated to violence prevention and provide a foundation for establishing a violence-free workplace. Overall, we determined the Workplace Violence Prevention Program to be sufficient in providing content and resources to the workforce. However, opportunities exist for the Postal Service to improve reporting and communication on workplace violence incidents. Specifically, we found instances of workplace violence not always reported or documented within the Threat Assessment Case Tracking system, and district Threat Assessment Teams did not always provide facility managers with supporting documentation and timely communication after incidents occurred.

Recommendations and Management’s Comments

We made four recommendations to address the Workplace Violence Prevention Program improvements identified in the report. Postal Service management agreed with two recommendations and disagreed with two. Management’s comments and our evaluation are at the end of each finding and recommendation. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General considers management’s comments responsive to recommendations two and three, and the corrective actions should resolve the issues identified in the report. We will pursue recommendations one and four through the formal audit resolution process.

U.S. Postal Service operations will not be interrupted in the event of a government shutdown, and all Post Offices will remain open for business as usual. Because we are an independent entity that is generally funded through the sale of our products and services, and not by tax dollars, our services will not be impacted by a government shutdown.

In the 250 years since its inception, the Postal Service has expanded from a handful of routes crisscrossing the Colonies into a 234,000-route network encompassing 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five major U.S. territories in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.

To help mark the organization’s anniversary this year, USPS has released a list of its longest routes in its four geographical areas — Atlantic, Central, Southern and WestPac:

• In WestPac Area, a 195-mile route out of Sidney, MT — the nation’s longest — delivers to 305 mailboxes;

• In Southern Area, a 183-mile route out of Mangum, OK, delivers to 277 mailboxes;

• In Central Area, a 146-mile route out of Pleasant Hill, IL, delivers to 385 mailboxes; and

• In Atlantic Area, a 120-mile route out of Addison, NY, delivers to 404 mailboxes.

Some delivery routes are served by traditional means — vehicles and walking — while others employ less conventional methods such as dog sleds, boats, donkeys and bicycles.

More offbeat information about the Postal Service can be found on the Postal Facts website.