USPS Retirement Wave May Leave Managers Vulnerable

Retirement Rising

In a recent report, The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) found that nearly 20% of all USPS frontline employees were eligible to retire as of November 2023. Another 5% will reach retirement eligibility in 2024, and an additional 13% will reach retirement age within the next five years. Within the next decade, nearly 53% of frontline employees will be eligible for retirement.

While not every USPS employee will retire as soon as they are eligible, the agency is at risk of experiencing workforce staffing challenges if it does not ramp up hiring. According to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy,  USPS may need to hire around 300,000 employees over the next 10 years to keep up with staffing needs.

Mail Management

From 2019 to 2023, USPS has seen drastic changes in mail volumes. Packages, rather than traditional letters and flat volumes, are taking up a greater share of the agency’s total volume, increasing the demand for mail handlers. Additionally, USPS is updating their equipment and operating procedures, which will rely more heavily on mail handlers than processing clerks.

If USPS is unable to adequately replace retiring employees in the coming years, there may be a significant impact to agency operations. Understaffing may lead to burnout, making USPS employees more vulnerable to mistakes and inefficiency. When mistakes are made, blame may be placed on USPS managers.

Allegations & Accountability

Agency managers will be responsible for implementing new procedures, while also working to fill the gaps left by the potential retirement wave. Missteps in mail handling can impact the public, leading to calls for accountability that may lead to allegations and investigations.

Allegations and investigations can lead to suspensions, terminations, or even personal capacity lawsuits. If an allegation is made against you, it is a necessity, not luxury, to have knowledgeable and effective counsel advocating on your behalf.

Postal Protections

As the professional liability insurance (PLI) provider endorsed by the leading federal employee associations, FEDS Protection offers federal employee PLI policies with $1 million, $2 million, or $3 million in civil liability protection for attorney’s fees and indemnity costs in the event you are sued in your civil capacity.  The FEDS policy also includes $200,000 of legal representation coverage per incident for administrative actions and $100,000 of coverage for criminal defense costs. 

Annual premiums for FEDS Protection PLI start at $290.  Additionally, federal managers, supervisors, and law enforcement officers are eligible for a reimbursement of up to 50% the cost of their PLI policy through their agency. To learn more about how a FEDS PLI policy can protect you and your career, visit www.fedsprotection.com or call (866) 955-FEDS, M-F 8:30am-6pm to speak directly to a representative.

*This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.