Glossary of Terms
Hotline Terminology
The USPS OIG Hotline receives information from employees, customers and the general public, and is an important avenue for reporting fraud, waste, and misconduct. We review the information we receive to identify systemic and criminal issues and potential areas for postal-wide reviews.
We are primarily responsible for receiving and evaluating your concerns and complaints, and determining which USPS OIG area would best conduct any appropriate inquiry or investigation.
Allegations reviewed/tracked by the Office of Inspector General (OIG): including all internal crimes and employee misconduct
- Alcohol Use: Allegation that employee is using alcohol while on duty.
- Arrest for Off Duty Offense: Investigation of employee arrested while off duty.
- Assault/Homicide (includes physical or sexual assault): Allegation of assault or homicide by a Postal employee. Includes Zero Tolerance Policy complaints.
- Background Investigation: False information provided or failure to disclose information in connection with employee background investigation.
- Bribery: The offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of something of value for the purpose of influencing an action or the discharge of official duties.
- Conflict of Interest: A clash between USPS interests and the private interest of an official that may influence that official's performance of duty.
- Contract Non-Compliance: Contractor not meeting the terms of the contract with the USPS.
- Contraband on USPS Property: Keeping forbidden, stolen, or smuggled items on USPS property. This would include lockers and USPS parking lots.
- Contract Fraud: Fraud in connection with USPS contracts or committed by USPS contractor(s), such as making false statements or false claims or providing an inadequate product or service.
- Discrimination: Unfair treatment or denial of privileges to persons because of their race, color, age (40+), sex, nationality, religion, disability, marital or parental status, or sexual preference.
- Drivers License (Carriers Only): Driving with a suspended or revoked drivers license.
- EEO Processing (complaints involving the EEO process): Complaints that there are fundamental flaws involving the process in which the USPS handles EEO complaints.
- Embezzlement: The fraudulent appropriation of USPS property by one lawfully entrusted with its possession.
- Environmental: Any violations of environmental law.
- False Claims: Making a claim on or against the USPS or other Federal Agency, knowing the claim is false, fictitious, or fradulent, such as certifying delivery when no delivery has been made.
- False Statements: Making a statement, written or oral, to the USPS, or other Federal Agency, that is knowingly and materially false, or made recklessly without honest belief in its truth, and with purpose to mislead or deceive.
- Falsification of Performance/Productivity Records: To counterfeit, forge, alter, make additions to, or tamper with an official USPS Performance/Productivity Record.
- Falsifying Official Documents/Forgery: To counterfeit, forge, mutilate, alter, make additions to, or tamper with an official USPS form or document.
- Favoritism: Preference and selection based on friendship or factors other than merit.
- FMLA and Sick Leave Abuse: Violating the USPS’s FMLA or Sick Leave policy.
- Fraud: A false representation of a matter of fact, whether by words or by conduct, by false or misleading allegations, or by concealment of a fact which should have been disclosed, which deceives and is intended to deceive another so that they rely on it to their injury.
- Gambling: To play a game for money or other things of value.
- Harassment:* A course of conduct directed at a specific person that causes substantial emotional distress in that person and serves no legitimate purpose (including words, gestures, and actions that tend to annoy, alarm, or verbally abuse another person).
- Hatch Act Violations:* Any violations of the Hatch Act occurring on Postal property.
- Hazardous Materials:* The reporting of dangerous and/or hazardous materials (including chemical and biological agents and illegal explosives).
- Hostile Work Environment:* Offensive conduct that is sufficiently severe or pervasive as to alter the conditions of a individual's employment and create an abusive worker environment.
- Intimidation: To unlawfully coerce, extort, or put in fear of bodily harm.
- Internal Mail Theft: Theft of mail by an employee or contractor.
- Kickback/Gratuity: Payment back by seller of a portion of the purchase price to USPS official to induce purchase or to improperly influence future purchases or leases with that seller.
- Loss/Misuse of Property: Loss or misuse of Postal property including computers, tools, etc.
- Misconduct: Improper and/or illegal acts by a USPS employee which violate his/her duty to follow the law and act on behalf of the public good. Often such conduct is under the guise or "color" of official authority.
- Misuse/Diversion of USPS Property (including computer equipment and vehicles): To improperly use USPS property or computer equipment or to use such items without proper authorization.
- Misuse of funds/credit cards: To inappropriately distribute USPS funds or credit cards or to use those items without proper authorization.
- Misuse of position/Misuse of Authority: Making excessive or improper decisions, choices, or appointments because one’s position/authority allows them to do so.
- Narcotics: Possession, use, or sale of narcotics while on duty.
- Nepotism: The inappropriate appointing, hiring, or promotion of others to positions based upon blood or marital relationship.
- Other: Any other allegation not covered by this list (be sure to provide specifics in summary).
- OWCP Fraud (employee): Fraud committed by an USPS employee in connection with an OWCP claim.
- OWCP Fraud (medical provider): Fraud committed by a medical provider (including physicians, durable medical equipment vendors, pharmacies, hospitals, laboratories) involving an OWCP claim (billing the USPS for unnecessary medical services or medical services that were never rendered).
- Postal Executives: Any allegation involving an executive of the USPS.
- Prohibited Mailings: The mailing of prohibited material (including child pornography).
- Reprisal/Retaliation: Taking, failing to take, or threatening to take a personnel action against any employee or applicant for making a complaint or disclosing information which the employee or applicant reasonably believes evidences a violation of any law, rule or regulation; gross mismanagement; a gross waste of funds; an abuse of authority; or a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety. For example, after an employee reported fraud to the OIG, the employee's supervisor issued the employee a Letter of Warning.
- Sabotage of Operations: Willfully hindering one or more Postal operations.
- Sexual Harassment: Sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature in the course of employment.
- Tense, Stressful, and Intimidating Work Environment:* A work environment charged with discord, disagreement, and even inflammatory arguing. Work environment that is perceived as unfair, oppressive, discriminatory and not conducive to resolving conflict. Work environment that allows inappropriate, offensive, even unlawful behavior in general. Characteristics often include: high volume of grievances, EEO complaints, absenteeism, and compensation claims.
- Theft or Destruction of Property: The act of stealing or taking USPS property without consent or authorization (can include computer equipment, IMPAC Card, supplies); the act of destroying the same.
- Theft of Identity: Use of USPS computer or Postal records to commit identity theft.
- Time and Attendance Fraud: Complaints involving timekeeping and payroll issues (including complaints that clock rings were inappropriately changed).
- Travel Claims Fraud: Allegation that the USPS paid inappropriate or fraudulent travel claims submitted by a USPS employee.
- Violation of Policy/Inappropriate Conduct: Conduct by a USPS employee or official that does not adhere to or is inconsistent with professional standards.
- Willful Delay of Mail: Intentionally causing Letter or Parcel Mail to be delayed; can be by changing color codes, failure to deliver, or other means.
- Whistleblower Reprisal: Taking, failing to take, or threatening to take a personnel action against any employee or applicant for making a complaint or disclosing information which the employee or applicant reasonably believes evidences a violation of any law, rule or regulation; gross mismanagement; a gross waste of funds; an abuse of authority; or a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety. For example, after an employee reported fraud to the OIG, the employee's supervisor issued the employee a Letter of Warning.
- Workplace Safety Issues:* Complaints involving problems with workplace safety, unsafe work environments, or health hazards at USPS worksites.
* Tracked only, unless particularly egregious in nature.
Navigation
What the USPS OIG Hotline can assist you with
- Alleged violations of law, rules or regulations
- Computer misuse or crimes
- Significant misconduct
- Significant mismanagement and waste of funds
- Abuse of authority
- Endangerment of public health and safety
- Conflict of interest
- Bribes, kickbacks or bid rigging
- Whistleblower reprisal
- Fraudulent travel claims
- Contract or procurement fraud
- Theft, misuse, and/or abuse of government property
- Health care fraud
- Workers' compensation fraud
What the USPS OIG Hotline can not assist you with
- Day-to-day management decisions
- EEO Complaints
- Issues that are handled by the grievance process
- Issues handled by other government agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor, Justice Department, Office of Personnel Management
- Employee benefits and compensation
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