PART 2-DOMESTIC MAIL SERVICE

§ 2.1

Domestic mail service.

Domestic mail means mail transmitted within, among and between the United States; its Territories and possessions; Army-Air Force (APO) and Navy (FPO) post offices; also mail for delivery to the United Nations, N.Y. The term "Territories and possessions" includes Baker Island, Canal Zone,1 Canton Island, Caroline Islands, Enderbury Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Island, Kingman Reef, Manua Island, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of, Saint Croix Island, Saint John Island, Saint Thomas Island, Samoa (American), Sand Island, Swain's Island, Swan Islands, Trust Territory of the Pacific, Virgin Islands (U.S.), and Wake Island.

(R.S. 161, as amended; 5 U.S.C. 22, 39 U.S.C. 501) [26 F.R. 11513, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 26 F.R. 12122, Dec. 19, 1961, 30 F.R. 13214, Oct. 16, 1965]

§ 3.1

PART 3-MAIL TREATED IN
CONFIDENCE

Mail treated in confidence Sealed first-class mail while in the custody of the Post Office Department is accorded absolute secrecy. No persons in the Postal Service, except those employed for that purpose in dead-mail offices, may break or permit the breaking of the seal of any matter mailed as first-class mail without a legal warrant, even though it may contain criminal or otherwise unmailable matter, or furnish evidence of the commission of a crime. (R.S. 161, as amended, sec. 1, 62 Stat. 782; 5 U.S.C. 22, 18 U.S.C. 1717, 39 U.S.C. 501) [26 F.R. 11513, Dec. 6, 1961]

Annual Report of the Postmaster General. $0.75. The Postmaster General presents the annual report to the President on the services of the Post Office Department for the fiscal year. The foreword points up results in continuing programs to improve service and reduce costs. The organization of the Post Office Department is shown followed by a brief financial summary. The report then gives details on matters covering operations and services; research and engineering; modern transportation; financial and related services; facilities and equipment; personnel management; public information; the inspection service; legal matters; judicial functions; and plans for better management. The appendix contains numerous statistical tables giving data on financial statements, auditor's opinion, and summary; mail and other services; employees and employment; post offices and collection and delivery services; facilities and related services; inspection service; administrative proceedings; mail transportation service; and history of the potsal service.

Commemorative Stamp Posters.

8 x 101⁄2 inch posters provide advance information on commemorative stamps. Contain enlarged illustration of stamp to be issued, date and place of issue, number of copies to be printed, size and color, and complete instructions for stamp collectors who wish to obtain first-day cancellations.

Equal Employment Opportunity in the U.S.
Post Office Department (April 1963)--

A supplemental report to the Postmaster General by the Post Office Department Advisory Board showing progress made by the POD in demonstrating the administration's commitment to equal employment opportunity.

Postal Bulletin__

Issued every Thursday, with special issues if required. Contains temporary instructions relating to operations of the Postal Service, including philatelic information of interest to stamp collectors; mail handling; transportation; finance; supplies; personnel; inspection; legislation; airmail; money orders; parcel post, etc. Postal installations will retain Postal Bulletins for 6 months only. Permanent instructions will be incorporated into the Postal Manual or some other permanent form of issuance.

See footnotes at end of table.

$1.50 a year. *$0.50.

$0.15.

$2.25 a year.

*$2.50.

Chs. 1 and 2 contain regulations and procedures for both public and internal use. They explain services available and conditions under which they may be obtained, and prescribe rates and fees. Chs. 3 through 8 contain internal operating instructions of the Department including finance, transportation, facilities, personnel, and organization and administration. Chs. 3 through 8 are usually needed by postal employees only.

Mailing Chute Rules, Regulations, and Specifications (excerpts from Ch. 1, Postal Manual) (June 1965). Apartment House Mail Receptacles, Regulations and Instructions (excerpts from Ch. 1, Postal Manual) (June 1965)...

County List of Post Offices (excerpts from Directory of Post Offices, POD26, July 1965.

Lists States, counties within these States, and their post offices all in alphabetical order. Each post office shows its class, geographical position in the State and other information such as location of county seat court house; offices having city delivery; offices having rural delivery and number of boxes served; star route boxes served; and post office boxes rented at offices not having city delivery.

Research, Development and Mechanization in the U.S. Post Office Department (Feb. 1963)..

An interim report to the Postmaster General by the Post Office Department Advisory Board reporting on the preliminary phase of an independent Study of the Department's program on research, development, and mechanization and its impact on personnel policies and practices.

How To Pack and Wrap Parcels for Mailing (Excerpts from Chapter 1, Postal Manual) (Sept. 1964)-

Title

Postal Laws (looseleaf)

A compilation of laws affecting the Post Office Department and the Postal Service. Contains all of Title 39 of the United States Code, and pertinent parts of Titles 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 26, 28, 31, 38, 39, 40, 41, 45, 48, 49, and 50. Mailing Permits (Excerpts from Chapter 1, Postal Manual) (Sept. 1964). Mailing Chute Rules, Regulations, and Specifications (excerpts from Chapter 1, Postal Manual) (Dec. 1963).. Apartment House Mail Receptacles, Regulations and Instructions (excerpts from

Chapter 1, Postal Manual) (Sept. 1962)-County List of Post Offices (excerpts from Directory of Post Offices, POD-26, July 1964).

Lists States, counties within these States, and their post offices all in alphabetical order. Each post office shows its class, geographical position in the State and other information such as location of county seat court house; offices having city delivery; offices having rural delivery and number of boxes served; star route boxes served; and post office boxes rented at offices not having city delivery.

How to Prepare Second- and Third-Class
Mailings (excerpts from Chapter 1,
Postal Manual) (Sept. 1964).
Directory of Post Offices (July 1965)..

Used to identify post offices and to compute parcel post rates. Explains method of using parcel post zone keys. Lists regional offices; inspection service divisions; number of post offices, by classes, in each State and territory as of May 31, 1965; State list of post offices, branch post offices and stations (includes ZIP code); numerical list of post offices by ZIP code; alphabetical list of post offices, branches, and named stations; post offices by States and counties; post offices discontinued and names changed during the past 2 years; named stations and branches discontinued and names changed during the past year; army posts, camps, and stations and air force bases, fields, and installations.

Directory of International Mail (looseleaf): With binder..

Domestic Postage Rates and Fees (Excerpts

from Chapter 1, Postal Manual) (Sept. 1964).

Receipts and Classes of Post Offices (July 1963)..

Lists all post offices alphabetically by States; shows their class, salary level of postmaster, and receipts. Postage Stamps of the United States, 18471963.

Illustrates all stamps from the first stamps issued in 1847, through the Audubon Commemorative Stamp, issued Dec. 7, 1963. Gives detail on each stamp and miscellaneous historical information.

See footnotes at end of table.

Contains detailed information about postage rates, services available, prohibitions, import restrictions, and other conditions governing mail to other countries. Countries are listed alphabetically with the specific requirements applicable to mail addressed to each of them.

International Mail (Dec. 1963).

Title

National ZIP Code Directory-continued ing address in the Nation. It is for use by all large mailers, especially those maintaining large mailing lists. ZIP code listings are arranged alphabetically by State. Within each State a complete listing is given of all post offices, stations and branches, with the ZIP code for each delivery area. An appendix gives the ZIP code for each address in larger cities. Also includes a ZIP code area map; State abbreviations to be used with ZIP code; a numerical list of post offices by ZIP code; a list of sectional centers and ZIP code prefixes by States.

*Additional for foreign mailing.

Price

1 Available at post offices for distribution to patrons free of charge.

2 For 2 year subscription.

The following records, documents, and information are privileged matter, and may not be disclosed by subordinate officers or employees of the Department without authorization:

(a) Reports of postal inspection, except in discrimination cases arising under Executive Order 10925.

(b) Records of the Postal Inspection Service.

(c) Names of post office box holders. (d) Names and addresses of post office patrons and former patrons, except when correcting mailing lists or when furnishing changes of address to election boards or registration commissions as provided in § 13.5 of this chapter. Information on change of address orders may be revealed to the American Red Cross during times of natural disaster, pursuant to § 4.5, or to law enforcement officers under specified conditions.

(e) Records regarding mail matter.

(f) Records regarding postal savings accounts, except as provided in § 63.3 (c) of this chapter.

(g) Records regarding money orders. [26 F.R. 11514, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 27 F.R. 6975, July 24, 1962, 30 F.R. 10051, Aug. 12, 1965]

§ 4.4 Available records.

You

(a) Formal hearing records. may inspect formal records of proceedings in which a hearing has been held or offered if you have a proper interest in them.

(b) Conditions. You may inspect all other records of the Department or field service if permitted to do so by the head of a Bureau or Office in the Post Office Department. In making such determinations, the following items will be taken into consideration:

(1) The interest of the person requesting permission to make the inspection.

(2) Whether disclosure of the information contained in the records will violate the privacy of mail matter.

(3) Whether the release of the record will jeopardize future Government access to information.

(4) Whether the release of the record at the time is premature and will improperly affect a pending action.

(5) Whether the disclosure of the record will have the effect of hindering free administrative decisions in the same or similar matters in the future.

(6) Whether the purpose for which the record is sought is prejudicial to the public interest.

(7) Whether the record is already otherwise made public, such as reports of public hearings and conferences, recorded maps, plats and documents, records published for the information of the public, and material of a similar public nature.

(c) Transfer of records. All records of the Post Office Department and its field service are the property of the Department. Postmasters and other employees are not authorized to turn over such records to other persons without authorization from the head of a Bureau or Office of the Post Office Department.

(d) Compliance with subpenas duces tecum (1) Conditions for compliance. (i) Time, leave and payroll records of postal employees are subject to production when a subpena duces tecum has been served. Authority is hereby delegated to Regional Directors, Postal Data Center Directors, and in those regions

which have regional counsels, to the regional counsels to authorize the production of time, leave and payroll records in response to a properly served subpena duces tecum.

(ii) If the subpena calls for employee records involving a job-connected injury, the records are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Bureau of Employees' Compensation, Department of Labor. Such records may not be produced without the prior consent of that Department. Requests for authorization for the production of these records shall be addressed to: Bureau of Employees' Compensation, U.S. Department Labor, Washington, D.C., 20210.

of

(iii) If the subpena calls for employee medical records, they may not be released except as stated herein. These records are primarily under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service Commission has delegated authority to this Department and to the Commission's Regional Directors to release medical information, in response to proper requests and upon competent medical advice, in accordance with the following criteria which have been prescribed to adequately safeguard the interests of the Government and the employee:

(a) Except in response to a subpena, no medical information about an employee will be released to any non-Federal entity or individual without authorization from the employee.

(b) With authorization from the employee, this Department's Regional Directors, Postal Data Center Directors, or regional counsels will respond as follows to a request from a non-Federal source for medical information:

(1) If in the opinion of a Federal Medical Officer the medical information indicates the existence of a malignancy, a mental condition, or other condition about which a prudent physician would hesitate to inform a person suffering from such a condition as to its exact nature and probable outcome, the Regional Director, Postal Data Center Director, or regional counsel will not release the Medical information to the employee or to any individual designated by him, except to a physician designated by the employee in writing. The Regional Director, Postal Data Center Director, or regional counsel will release such medical information, with a caution against divulgence, in response to a subpena.

(2) If in the opinion of a Federal

Medical Officer the medical information does not indicate the presence of any condition which would cause a prudent physician to hesitate to inform a person suffering from such a condition as to its exact nature and probable outcome, the Regional Director, Postal Data Center Director, or regional counsel will release it in response to a subpena or to the employee or to any person, firm, or organization he authorizes in writing to have it.

(3) If a Federal Medical Officer is not available, the Regional Director, Postal Data Center Director, or regional counsel should refer the request to the Civil Service Commission regional office with the medical certificates or other medical reports concerned.

(iv) In no event will any records containing information as to the employee's security and loyalty be released.

(2) Special requirements. Subpenas calling for the production of records other than records described in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph may be honored only after consulting with and getting approval from the General Counsel of the Post Office Department, Washington, D.C., 20260. Inquiries should be addressed to the Assistant General Counsel, Opinions Division. When employees are authorized to comply with a subpena duces tecum, they will not leave the records themselves with the court, but will leave copies prepared for that purpose. Comply with section 721.643 of the Postal Manual in those cases in which the United States is not a party.

(e) Compliance with summons. (1) A postmaster or other postal employee will comply with a summons requiring his appearance in court. He will not testify as to names and addresses of post office patrons, mail matter, postal savings accounts, or money orders unless he is specifically directed to do so by the court after first calling attention of the court to this regulation.

(2) Postal inspectors and other employees having possession of inspectors' reports or Inspection Service records are prohibited from presenting such reports, records, or information in a State court or for the use of parties to a suit or habeas corpus proceedings in a Federal court, if the United States is not a party in interest. They will inform the parties interested that the regulations of the Post Office Department prohibit them from furnishing official reports, records, or information direct unless authorized

by the Department. Should an attorney for a private litigant attempt to compel an employee to disclose sources of official information or similar privileged matter, the employee will decline to produce the information or matter and state that it is privileged and can not be disclosed without specific approval from the Department.

(3) When appearing as a witness for the United States in Federal grand jury proceedings, criminal prosecutions of violations of postal laws, suits brought by the United States, or other actions in which the United States is a party in interest, postal inspectors and other officers and employees will testify as to their knowledge of the facts in the matter involved. With respect to privileged matters, each case must be given individual consideration as it arises. Department will offer every possible assistance to the courts, but the question of disclosing privileged information is a matter entirely in the discretion of the head of the Department.

The

(f) Releasing of postal information by postmasters and field postal officials. Postmasters and other field officials of the postal service are to refrain from giving information or actively engaging in sponsoring applications for additional service to be rendered by the Post Office Department. This prohibition against release of postal data relates particularly to proceedings before regulatory bodies. All requests for information in such cases should be submitted to the Department for consideration to assure that complete and accurate information is furnished. Where there are justifiable reasons for recommending changes in transportation services, a complete report should be furnished to the proper official of the Post Office Department. Thereafter, specific instructions must be awaited before any postmaster or other field official engages in any local activity or hearing relative to such changes.

(g) Costs. The head of any Bureau or Office of the Post Office Department may authorize copies of records which are open to public inspection to be furnished to members of the public at the cost of the person requesting them.

[26 F.R. 11514, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 30 F.R. 6436, May 8, 1965, 30 F.R. 10051, Aug. 12, 1965]

asters such as those caused by floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, explosions, etc., and not to those caused by enemy action.

(b) Objective of instructions. Both the Post Office Department and the Red Cross realize the importance to the individual and the community of maintaining communication during times of disaster. These procedures will help maintain this essential communication. (c) Action by the Red Cross. (1) The American National Red Cross is including Forms 3575, "Change of Address Order", as a standard item in its disaster supplies. The Red Cross has arranged to distribute these forms to disaster-displaced persons in all Red Cross field facilities concerned at times of natural disaster. The Red Cross chapter involved will deliver the completed forms to the proper post office for estabilshment of a postal locator file.

(2) The Red Cross has also included in its disaster supplies their Form 5263, "Safety Notification Card", which will be used by disaster-displaced persons to notify relatives and friends of the whereabouts and safety of the senders.

(3) The Red Cross has advised its 3,700 chapters of the instructions in this section and has urged them to include postmasters in their disaster preparedness planning. The Red Cross is responsible for disseminating necessary information on the procedures to disaster-stricken areas.

(d) Action by the Post Office Department. (1) The post offices receiving completed Forms 3575 following a disaster will maintain them as a central locator file to provide directory service whereby mail may be promptly forwarded to individuals and families displaced by the disaster. Postmasters may make this information available to Red Cross disaster workers for use in locating individuals and families, but solely to answer inquiries from relatives and friends concerning the whereabouts, safety, and welfare of residents of the disaster community.

(2) Regional Directors and Postal Inspectors in Charge are responsible for seeing that the post offices concerned implement these cooperative arrangements in disaster situations. Postmasters are encouraged to participate in community and Red Cross disaster preparedness planning.