As cases of COVID-19 continue to be confirmed across the country, we are keeping the safety and well-being of our employees as our highest priority.
We are continuing to follow recommended guidance and strategies from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health departments and are implementing additional measures to help maintain social distancing.
One significant measure being implemented is a temporary modification of mail handling procedures for mail requiring customer signatures. We recognize the close proximity and additional handling that occurs when employees must ask for a customer signature. To reduce health risks, we are temporarily modifying how the MDD on-glass signature feature and the customer signing of Form 3811 (Domestic Return Receipt), Form 3849 (We ReDeliver for You), and any hard-copy receipt items are completed.
Until further notice, the following temporary process is to be used by all letter carriers, rural carriers, city carrier assistants and rural carrier assistants:
- Avoid ringing the doorbell when possible. Knock on the customer’s door. Avoid areas that may be frequently touched when knocking.
- If the customer responds to the door knock/doorbell ringing, then perform the following steps in the customer’s presence while wearing a face covering and maintaining 6 feet of distance:
- Request the customer’s first initial and last name.
- Using the MDD, scan the mail piece barcode, select Delivered and answer the prompted questions. Enter the customer’s first initial and last name when prompted.
- When prompted for the customer to sign the MDD’s screen, employees should print their own initials (not a signature), route number and notate C19 in lieu of the customer’s signature.
- For Return Receipts and other hard copy items, enter the customer’s first initial and last name in the Signature box of the form.
- For Forms 3811 and 3849, employees should print their own initials (not a signature), route number and notate C19 in the “Received by” or “Printed Name” section, depending on the form. With Form 3849, scan the completed form following the normal process to finalize the delivery.
- For increased safety, politely ask the customer to step back a safe distance or close the screen door/door so you may leave the item in the mail receptacle or appropriate location by the customer door.
- If there is no response, follow the normal Notice Left process.
- If there are delivery points on your route where social distancing recommendations are difficult to follow, please advise your supervisor so alternative delivery methods can be explored.
It’s also important to remember that the best defense against sickness is good personal hygiene. Practice good respiratory etiquette. Wash your hands regularly and cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing, using your elbow or a tissue. Then discard the tissue if you use one.
When unable to wash hands with soap and water, it is recommended that hand sanitizer be used to help reduce the spread of germs.
Thank you for your attention.
Click here to view/download this Mandatory Stand-Up Talk as a PDF.