Workplace issues

USPS Handbooks and Manuals

Cautions on the use of USPS publications

NALC contract enforcers know that portions of USPS handbooks, manuals and other regulations that directly relate to wages, hours or working conditions are effectively incorporated into the National Agreement through Article 19. NALC has obtained electronic versions of important USPS manuals and handbooks directly from Postal Service headquarters. In addition, USPS has made certain publications available online.

However:

Most materials are in PDF format, although some are compressed archives (commonly called “zip files”) containing multiple documents.

M-39, M-41, ELM, ASM, POM

Handbook M-41: City Delivery Carriers Duties and Responsibilities, June 2019 PDF

Handbook M-39, Management of Delivery Services, June 2019 PDF

Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM), Issue 54, September 2023 HTML | ZIP | PDF

Administrative Support Manual (ASM) Issue 13, July 1999, updated March 2022 PDF

Postal Operations Manual (POM), Issue 9, July 2002, updated April 2022 PDF

More USPS handbooks

AS 353, Guide to Privacy and the Freedom of Information Act, February 2019 PDF
AS 504, Space Requirements, July 1999 PDF (Table of Contents) | ZIP
AS 805, Information Security, June 2021 PDF
AS 805-C, Information Security for General Users, November 2021 PDF

DMM, Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual, April 2022 PDF

DM-103, Official Mail, February 1998 Updated with revisions through December 9, 2004 PDF
DM-901, Registered Mail, January 2016 PDF

EL-307, Reasonable Accommodation—An Interactive Process, August 2020 PDF
EL-312, Employment and Placement, June 2021 PDF
EL-350, Establishing Nonbargaining Requirements, November 1989 PDF
EL-505, Injury Compensation, February 2017 PDF
EL-801, Supervisor's Safety Handbook, July 2020 PDF
EL-802, Executive's and Manager's Safety Compliance Guide, June 2009 PDF
EL-804, Safe Driver Program, June 2013 PDF
EL-809, Guidelines for Area/Local Joint Labor-Management Safety and Health Committees, November 2013 PDF
EL-809T, Area/Local Joint Labor-Management Safety and Health Committee Training, April 2001 PDF
EL-812, Hazardous Materials and Spill Response, October 2017 PDF
EL-814, Postal Employee's Guide to Safety, July 2020 PDF
EL-921, Supervisor’s Guide to Handling Grievances, April 2015 PDF

F-1, Post Office Accounting Procedures, January 2015 PDF
F-15, Travel and Relocation, September 2015 PDF
F-15-C, Relocation Policy—Bargaining Employees, January 2016 PDF
F-18, Payroll Journal Guide, January 2014 PDF
F-21, Time and Attendance, February 2016 PDF
F-45, In-Office Cost System (IOCS) - August 2020 PDF
F-55, Carrier Cost System - February 2020 PDF
F-401, Supervisor's Guide to Scheduling and Premium Pay, August 2000 PDF

M-32, Management Operating Data System (MODS), September 2018 PDF

PO-610, Signature Capture and Electronic Record Management: Manager's Guide to Standard Operating Procedures, November 2014 PDF

PO-701, Fleet Management, March 1991. Updated with Postal Bulletin revisions through October 23, 2008 PDF

USPS Management Instructions

MI AS-310-2013-6, Management of Policy and Procedure Information, June 26, 2013 PDF
MI AS-350-2007-1, Computer Matching Programs, January 2007 PDF

MI EL-430-2017-6, Back Pay PDF
MI EL-510-2019-6, Annual Leave Sharing Program, September 2019 PDF
MI EL-520-91-2, FEHB: Temporary Continuation of Coverage, March 27, 1991 PDF
MI EL-520-2008-1, Health Benefits and Life Insurance Coverage During Military Service, January 1, 2008 PDF
MI EL-650-2014-2, Representation of Postal Service Employees in Administrative Proceedings, February 2014 PDF
MI EL-670-2021-4, Providing Communication Accommodations to Employees and Applicants Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing PDF
MI EL-810-2006-3, Response to Hazardous Materials Releases, March 2006 PDF
MI EL-810-2016-1, Hazard Communication Programs PDF MI EL-810-2021-5, Personal Protective Equipment and Respiratory Protection Programs, October 2021 PDF
MI EL-860-98-2, Employee Medical Records, May 15, 1998 PDF
MI EL-860-2022-8, Fitness for Duty Examinations, May 2022 PDF

MI FM-640-2014-4, Government-Issued, Individually Billed Travel Charge Cards, July 2014 PDF 

USPS memorandum of policy

COO-10-25-2001, Collection of Employee Data, October 25, 2001 PDF

USPS publications

PUB 32, Glossary of Postal Terms, July 2013 PDF
PUB 45, Achieving a Violence-Free Workplace Together, June 2009 PDF
PUB 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail, July 2022 Link
PUB 60, A Great Place to Work, February 1999 PDF
PUB 60-B, A Great Place to Work for City Carriers, October 1999 PDF
PUB 94, Redress—Conflict Resolution that Works, November 2018 PDF
PUB 100, The United States Postal Service: An American History PDF
PUB 100-K, A Kid's History of the United States Postal Service, 2023 PDF
PUB 107, Crisis Management for Violent Incidents, May 1997 PDF
PUB 108, Threat Assessment Team Guide, May 2015 PDF
PUB 133, What You Need to Know About EEO, November 2018 PDF
PUB 164, Compensation, Relocation Benefits, and Reinstatement Policies for Career Employees, June 2008 PDF
PUB 174, How to Avoid Dog Bites,September 2008 PDF
PUB 223 Directives and Forms Catalog PDF
PUB 308, Know Your Rights: A Guide for Victims and Witnesses of Crime, September 2016 PDF
PUB 316, Reasonable Accommodation in the USPS, April 2017 PDF
PUB 317, Manager's Guide to Reasonable Accommodation, April 2017 PDF
PUB 339, You Are Your Most Important Delivery, May 2014 PDF
PUB 518, EAP Supervisor's Guide, August 2011 PDF
PUB 519, Employee Assistance Program—Information and Services, August 2011 PDF
PUB 521, EAP Wallet Cards, April 2011 PDF
PUB 542, Understanding The Private Express Statutes, June 2014 PDF
PUB 550, For the Record: Employee Guide to The Freedom of Information Act and The Privacy Act, February 2019 PDF
PUB 552, Manager's Guide to Understanding Sexual Harassment, November 2018 PDF
PUB 553, Employee's Guide to Understanding Sexual Harassment, November 2018 PDF

USPS posters

POS 138, Keep the Mail Safe, August 2014 PDF

Postal Service policy on workplace harassment

Postal Service’s Policy on Workplace Harassment, July 2021 PDF

Links to other online resources—USPS and more

Family and Medical Leave Act:

  • FMLA at U.S. Department of Labor: The Department of Labor’s FMLA website has a wealth of useful information and links to advice, the latest regulations and more.

Labor law and arbitration: