YOUR local mail carrier could soon be swapping their classic USPS look under a nationwide shake-up tied to special stamps.
The US Postal Service has announced that workers will be allowed to wear special semipostal stamp shirts during promotional events.
The move is part of a push to raise awareness for special causes including Alzheimer’s, breast cancer research, endangered animals and PTSD recovery.
It means customers across America may start seeing postal workers in branded campaign tees instead of their usual uniforms on selected days throughout the year.
The Postal Service currently offers four semipostal stamps, which raise money for specific causes, and dedicates four months annually to promoting them.
September is reserved for the Alzheimer’s stamp, October for the Breast Cancer Research stamp, November for the Save Vanishing Species stamp and December for the Healing PTSD stamp.
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To help boost the campaigns, USPS employees can now order licensed semipostal T-shirts through apparel provider Tee Luv using the provided password.
Orders are open until August 5 and workers must pay for the shirts themselves.
Uniformed staff can wear the shirts during promotional activities with approval from the head of their facility on one business day each week.
Other USPS employees may also wear the shirts during work hours if managers allow it.
The shirt worn must match the semipostal stamp currently being promoted.
At the same time, USPS has reminded workers and managers of strict rules surrounding the campaigns.
Raffles and prize drawings are allowed, but only if everyone can enter for free without buying postal products.
Any prizes must either be donated voluntarily by employees or paid for using authorized postal funds.
Stamp images themselves are banned from decorations, including pictures of the semipostal stamps being promoted.
However, the phrases “Fund the fight. Find a cure,” “#PostalProud” and “Postal Proud” are allowed for Breast Cancer Research stamp activities, along with the USPS pink ribbon logo approved by the agency’s ethics team.
USPS also warned that employees can only use officially approved press releases, articles and marketing materials when speaking to the public or news media about the campaigns.
Workers are also banned from soliciting or accepting donations from customers.
Outside organizations are not allowed to distribute materials linked to the stamp causes or hold awareness events inside Post Office lobbies or on postal property.
Employees with questions about semipostal stamp promotions have been told to contact the USPS Ethics Office by email.
