Front Cover 2 Postal Bulletin 22352 (12-13-12)
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Front Cover 2 postal bulletin 22352 (12-13-12) Contents COVER STORY Inspection Service USPS Returns — After the Holidays and Anytime. 3 Updated Domestic Hazardous Materials Posters and Notices Available at MDC . 110 FIELD INFORMATION KIT: JANUARY 27, 2013, DOMESTIC Mailing and Shipping Services AND INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING Mail Alert . 111 SERVICES PRICE CHANGE . 4 Labeling List Changes . 112 Stamp Services FIELD INFORMATION KIT: Stamp Announcement 13-01: Emancipation JANUARY 27, 2013, DOMESTIC Proclamation . 128 AND INTERNATIONAL MAILING SERVICES PRICE CHANGE . 10 Correction: Pictorial Postmarks. 130 Pictorial Postmarks Announcement . 130 POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Digital FORMS UPDATES Color or Traditional Postmarks . 133 Manuals Sustainability DMM Revision: New Standards for Parcels Driving Tips for Fuel Conservation. 134 Containing Hazardous Materials. 14 DMM Revision: Domestic Competitive Products Pricing and Mailing Standards Changes. 21 PULL-OUT INFORMATION ELM Revision: Voluntary Use of Family and Fraud Medical Leave Act Forms by Employees . 43 Domestic Orders . 57 ELM Revision: Collection of Employee Debts by Salary and Administrative Offset . 46 Invalid Express Mail Corporate Account Numbers . 58 IMM Revision: Changes to Pricing and Mailing Missing, Lost, or Stolen U.S. Money Order Forms . 59 Standards for International Mailing Services . 52 Missing, Lost, or Stolen Canadian Money Order IMM Revision: Changes to Pricing and Mailing Forms . 65 Standards for International Shipping Services . 84 Verifying U.S. Postal Service Money Orders . 67 IMM Revision: Postal Qualified Wholesaler Counterfeit Canadian Money Order Forms . 67 Program. 96 Toll-Free Number Available to Verify Canadian IMM Revision: Sudan — Update to Export Money Orders . 67 License Requirements. 97 Other Information POM Revision: Dead Mail and Mail Recovery Overseas Military/Diplomatic Mail . 68 Center Updated Procedures . 98 Missing Children Posters. 73 Handbooks Thrift Savings Plan Fact Sheet. 79 Handbook F-101 Revision: Returned Checks . 101 Handbook F-101 Revision: Contract Access Retail System Refunds for Unused Postage Postal Bulletin Index Meter Labels . 102 Semi-Annual Index. PB 22341 (7-12-12) Publications Publication 52 Revision: Lithium Battery Update . 103 Pub 133 Revision: What You Need to Know About EEO. 106 USPS National Emergency Hotline Publication 431 Revision: Changes to Post Is your facility operating? Call 888-363-7462 Office Box Service and Caller Service Fee Groups . 107 ORGANIZATION INFORMATION Address Management On the Move . 109 Channel Access Triner January 2013 Rate Chips Are Now on eBUY . 109 Finance Submit PS Form 8231 For End-of-Year Close Out . 110 Also on the Web at about.usps.com/postal-bulletin Cover Story postal bulletin 22352 (12-13-12) 3 Cover Story USPS Returns — After the Holidays and Anytime After the holiday gift-giving is over, it’s time for the gift- by a self-service kiosk and get tracking at no additional returning. The U.S. Postal Service™ makes returns ship- charge when the package is identified as a return. ping easy and convenient by offering a lineup of options From retail locations to online postage payment and free that fit the needs of both consumers and merchants. package pickup, USPS™ makes returns shipping easy. ® ® USPS Returns include Priority Mail Return Service, On January 27, 2013, USPS will introduce Parcel Return First-Class Package Return Service, and Ground Return Service-Full Network for high-volume shippers. It will offer Service. These services include tracking on each package the benefits of free tracking, simplified payment, and flexi- and offer simplified payments for larger shippers. ble label printing options. If the merchant didn’t include a prepaid return label with For more information on returns, customers can visit the order, the Postal Service™ offers several convenient USPS.com® and explore the possibilities — for holiday ways to return those unwanted gifts. Consumers can go to returns — and anytime! Click-N-Ship® online at http://usps.com/clicknship to print a label — Delivery Confirmation™ is included at no addi- tional charge for Priority Mail — and schedule a free pack- — New Business Opportunities, age pickup. Or customers can visit a retail location or stop Domestic Products, 12-13-12 4 postal bulletin 22352 (12-13-12) January 27, 2013, Domestic and International Shipping Services Price Change FieldJanuaryInternationalChange 27,Information 2013, Shipping Domestic Services Kit:and Price January 27, 2013, Domestic and International Shipping Services Price Change Highlights of Changes — Domestic and Express Mail Commercial Base Prices International Shipping Services Commercial Base™ prices will increase on average 2.0 percent in January 2013. The Express Mail Flat Rate Enve- On October 11, 2012, the Postal Service™ announced lope, Legal Flat Rate Envelope, and Padded Flat Rate new prices and product features for domestic and interna- Envelope will be priced at $18.11. tional Shipping Services, effective January 27, 2013. We will also implement new mailing standards consisting of Express Mail Commercial Plus Prices classification changes to support the price changes, as Commercial Plus™ prices will increase on average 1.0 well as other initiatives found in this edition of the Postal percent. The Express Mail Flat Rate Envelope, Legal Flat Bulletin. Rate Envelope, and Padded Flat Rate Envelope will be The following domestic and international Shipping Ser- priced at $12.85. vices prices will change for 2013: Priority Mail ® Express Mail . On average, Priority Mail prices increase by 6.3 percent. ® Priority Mail . At retail, all Flat Rate Envelopes measuring 12-½" x 9-½" or ® Parcel Select . smaller, including the Priority Mail Gift Card Flat Rate Enve- Parcel Return Service. lope, Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Envelope, and Priority Mail Window Flat Rate Envelope will be priced at $5.60, First-Class Package Service™. while the Priority Mail Legal Flat Rate Envelope will be Standard Post™. priced at $5.75 and the Priority Mail Padded Flat Rate Domestic extra services. Envelope will be priced at $5.95. ® ® Global Express Guaranteed (GXG ). Priority Mail Retail Prices ® ® Express Mail International (EMI ). Retail prices increase an average of 9.0 percent. Other ® ® Priority Mail International (PMI ). than Flat Rate priced items, Priority Mail retail prices, start- First-Class Package International Service™. ing at $5.60, continue to be priced based on distance Airmail M-Bags. (zone) and weight. We continue to offer the Priority Mail ® Large Flat Rate Box to APO/FPO/DPO destination International Priority Airmail™ (IPA ). addresses at $2 less than the retail price. ® International Surface Air Lift™ (ISAL ). Priority Mail Commercial Base Prices International extra services. Commercial Base prices are on average 11.3 percent lower than retail prices. All Flat Rate Envelopes measuring Summary of Domestic Changes 12-½" x 9-½" or smaller, including the Priority Mail Gift Card Flat Rate Envelope, Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Enve- Express Mail lope, and Priority Mail Window Flat Rate Envelope, are On average, Express Mail prices increase by 5.8 per- priced at $5.05, while the Priority Mail Legal Flat Rate Enve- cent. Express Mail Flat Rate pricing is one flat rate regard- lope is priced at $5.25 and the Priority Mail Padded Flat less of the actual weight (up to 70 pounds) for domestic Rate Envelope is priced at $5.70. Flat Rate Box prices start destinations. The Sunday/holiday premium remains at at $5.15. $12.50 for the fourth year in a row. No other fuel sur- Priority Mail Commercial Plus Prices charges, Saturday delivery, or residential delivery charges apply. Express Mail Flat Rate Boxes were introduced last Commercial Plus prices on average are 16.2 percent year and, to encourage use, the price for all customers, lower than retail prices and prices start at $4.58. New for $39.95, is unchanged for January 2013. January 2013, customers shipping Critical Mail letters and flats will have the option of receiving a signature upon Express Mail Retail Prices delivery as part of the service offering. Retail prices increase on average 6.5 percent. Express Mail retail prices begin at $14.10. Express Mail Flat Rate Envelope retail prices increase to $19.95. January 27, 2013, Domestic and International Shipping Services Price Change postal bulletin 22352 (12-13-12) 5 Domestic Flat Rate Products Retail Commercial Base Commercial Plus Express Mail Envelope $19.95 $18.11 $12.85 Legal envelope $19.95 $18.11 $12.85 Padded envelope $19.95 $18.11 $12.85 Box $39.95 $39.95 $39.95 Priority Mail Envelope1 $5.60 $5.05 $4.95 Legal envelope2 $5.75 $5.25 $4.99 Padded envelope2 $5.95 $5.70 $5.35 Small box $5.80 $5.15 $5.10 Medium box $12.35 $11.30 $10.65 Large box $16.85 $15.30 $14.80 Large box (APO/FPO/DPO) $14.85 $13.30 $12.80 1. Includes all Flat Rate Envelopes 12 ½" x 9 ½" or smaller, including Priority Mail Gift Card Flat Rate Envelope, Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Envelope, and Priority Mail Window Flat Rate Envelope. 2 Packaging for USPS-produced Priority Mail Padded Flat Rate Envelope and Legal Flat Rate Envelope is not available at retail but may be ordered online at usps.com/shop. Priority Mail Commercial Plus Cubic Pricing Product Average Price Change Priority Mail Commercial Plus cubic pricing starts at Destination Network Distribution 4.8% Center (DNDC) $4.58 and customers must use approved payment meth- Regional Ground discontinued ods. Cubic mailers will continue to be able to use soft pack- Parcel Select Nonpresort 4.2% aging as well as traditional boxes. Entered at Origin Network 5.7% Distribution Center (ONDC) Regional Rate Box Network Distribution Center (NDC) 4.3% Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes are available for Prior- Presort Parcel Select Lightweight 9.8% ity Mail commercial packages and Merchandise Return Service (MRS) packages returned at Priority Mail prices. Parcel Select Regional Ground, a product added in April Mailers must use USPS-produced Regional Rate Boxes to 2011, is now being discontinued.