Post Office Closed December 5 In Honor of President George H.W. Bush

Pictured above: U.S. Postmaster General Anthony Frank presents President George H.W. Bush with a letter carrier's mailbag at the 20th Universal Postal Congress inaugural ceremony in Washington. Botto de Barros, Director General of the UPU, applauds (far left).

President Donald J. Trump has proclaimed Wednesday, Dec. 5, as a national day of mourning and has called on the American people to pay homage to the memory of former President George H.W. Bush that day.

Out of respect for President Bush, the nation’s 41st commander in chief, and to honor his vast contributions to the United States during his lifetime, and consistent with the presidential proclamation, the Postal Service will observe the national day of mourning.

The Postal Service will suspend regular mail delivery and retail service Dec. 5. USPS will provide limited package delivery service that day to ensure that the postal network remains fluid and USPS does not experience any impacts to its package delivery operations that might negatively affect customers or business partners during the remainder of the busy holiday season.

The following are details for USPS business mailers and shippers on December 5:

Delivery – Regular mail delivery will be suspended, however there will be limited package delivery consistent with our Peak Season Sunday schedule.

Delivery Destination Units (DDU) – Will accept drop shipments.

Priority Mail Express Mail – Will be delivered.

Retail – All operations will be suspended. Post Offices will be closed.

Collections – Mail will be collected from boxes in front of Post Offices and high volume boxes that have a potential to overflow, while other collections will be suspended.

Package Pickup – We will conduct scheduled package pickup requests.

Plants – All plant operations , including Network Distribution Centers (NDC) and Sectional Center Facilities (SCF), will operate as scheduled except delivery point sequence (DPS) processing. FAST appointments will be accepted.

Transportation – Air and Surface transportation operate as scheduled, and scheduled dispatches to Post Offices will occur.

Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) – The BMEU/Detached Mail Unit (DMU) in plant locations will be open, while BMEU operations will be suspended at Post Office locations.
Call Center – In operation but may have reduced staffing.

Administrative Offices including Headquarters – These offices will be closed.

All Postal Service facilities — including headquarters in Washington, DC, and area and district administrative offices — are included in the national day of mourning. Local managers will advise employees on staffing levels to maintain operations and prepare for the resumption of regular activities Thursday, Dec. 6.

Pay and leave administration for the national day of observance for affected bargaining unit employees is governed by section 519.4 of the Employee and Labor Relations Manual and provisions of May 4, 2000, memorandums of agreement between the Postal Service and its unions.

Additionally, USPS facilities are required to fly the flag at half-staff through sunset Sunday, Dec. 30, to honor Bush, who died Nov. 30 at age 94.