USPS Office of Inspector General

Do you know you can’t spell “essential services” without “Postal Service?” Okay, actually you can, but we are kicking off this blog series by looking at the important role the Postal Service has played providing essential services to our nation.

For many rural residents, mail is a lifeline, providing connections with government, commerce, and each other. The local post office offers a community a sense of identity as well as a retail hub that serves a central role, even as rural populations continue to decline. It’s not just an American thing: post offices function similarly in rural communities around the globe.

For many international posts, rural networks may lose money. How they’ve dealt with that can provide lessons for the U.S. Postal Service.

The health and safety of U.S. Postal Service employees and customers is a priority. Over the past few years, our office has done a series of audits to determine if USPS management is adhering to building safety, maintenance, and security standards at its facilities.