Post
Office Jobs / 473 Postal Exam Study Guide / Postal Clerks / Government Jobs
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The U. S. Postal Service (USPS) employs over 690,000 workers in 300
job categories for positions at 37,000 post offices, branches, stations,
and community post offices throughout the United States. Thousands of postal workers are hired each year to backfill for retirements,
transfers, deaths and employees who choose to leave the Postal Service.
Vacancies are advertised internally by the USPS and not by the Office
of Personnel Management. In 1971, the Postal Service became independent.
Pay scales are determined by the Postal Pay Act and are not a part of
the General Pay Schedule.
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The Postal Service (PS) pay scale for bargaining unit employees and the
Executive and Administrative Schedule (EAS) pay scale for non-bargaining unit
employees are available online at
www.postalwork.net and in Chapter 1 of
"Post
Office Jobs" - 5th edition.
Special pay scales are also used for rural letter carriers, city carriers,
mail handlers and others. Full-time mail carriers earn between $41,167 and
$53,853 annually and transitional temporary carriers earn between $20.58 and
$21.49 per hour. Rural carriers are paid on an equivalent annual rate dependent
on hours worked each week. If they work a 12-hour work week they earn $11,808 to
$15,194 a year. Working a 48-hour work week increases earning to between $51,170
and $65,831 a year.
The Postal Service also pays extra compensation, overtime, and night shift
differential to workers. A Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is added to the base
salary of employees at the rate of one cent per hour for each .4 point increase
in the Consumer Price Index. Postal pay scales are posted on
www.postalwork.net and are updated as
changes occur.
Postal
employee benefits are similar to federal employees' benefits which are
featured on this site. There are a few differences. Postal workers do pay
considerably less for health care benefits than do general schedule federal
employees due to negotiated union contracts.
Postal workers can contribute to a 401K Thrift Savings Plan, purchase low cost
life insurance and they receive generous holiday, vacation and sick leave
allowances. Detailed information about benefits, retirement, qualifications
requirements, and pay is included in the paperback version of
"Post
Office Jobs" by Dennis V. Damp. This book is available at many libraries in
their reference section or you can purchase a copy by calling toll free at
1-800-782-7424 for $24.95 plus shipping. All major credit cards are accepted.
Initial appointments are either casual (temporary) or Part-Time Flexible
(Career). Hourly rates for Part-Time Flexible employees vary depending upon the
position's rate schedule. Some positions are filled full-time such as the
Maintenance (Custodial) classification.
Full-Time and Part-Time Flexible (career) employees comprise the Regular Work
Force. This category includes security guards. Part-Time Flexible employees are
scheduled to work fewer than 40 hours per week and they must be available for
flexible work hours as assigned. Part-Time Flexible employees are paid by the
hour. Hourly rates vary from $12.29 for PS Grade 1 Step BB to $27.26 for PS
Grade 11 step P.
A Supplemental Work Force is needed by the Postal Service for peak mail
periods and offers casual (temporary) employees two 89-day employment terms in a
calendar year. During Christmas an additional 21 days of employment can be
offered to Supplemental Work Force employees.
College students may be considered for casual (temporary) employment with the
Postal Service during the summer months. The rate of pay now exceeds $11.00 per
hour. Tests are not required and appointments can not lead to a career position.
Apply early for summer work. Contact Post Offices in your area by no later than
February for summer employment applications. Casual temporary positions are also
advertised on the Postal Services’ employment web site.
ORDER "Post Office
Jobs" Now
Various standards from age restrictions to physical requirements must be met
before you can take one of the Postal Service exams. The paperback version of "Post
Office Jobs" provides complete information on the postal Service including:
- Age Limit
- Entrance Exams, including the new 470 Battery test study guide
- Citizenship
- Physical Requirements
- State Drivers License
- Drug Testing (Substance Abuse)
- Visit http://postalwork.net/job_descriptions.htm for more specifics.
Don't be enticed by Postal Exam scams. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANYONE to
schedule or take a federal Postal Exam. To find out if exams are currently being
offered in your area go to our "Postal
Exams" page and follow the links to the Postal Services' exam site. You
apply online through the Postal Service to take a postal exam for your area. We
do offer a comprehensive study guide titled "Post
Office Jobs: Explore and Find Jobs, Prepare for the 473 Postal Exam, and
Locate ALL Job Opportunities" for $24.95 that you can purchase from us online
or at your local book store. If you can't afford our book it should be available
at your local library in their reference section. Just make sure they have the
new 5th edition that covers the new application process and 473 exams.\
Also, explore and apply for all job vacancies in the government and private
sectors to improve you chance of employment. You can post your resume online
at no cost to expand your job search.
FREE OFFER: Click on the following
banner to post your resume.
Post
Office Jobs / 473 Postal Exam Study Guide / Government Jobs
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