May from Lynne - wearing USPS uniforms

 

This envelope was not oversized. It seemed like a normal envelope. I don't know why it got the rubber stamp. Here it is on its own. This is the first of the May envelopes that arrived. More flowers that I would love to try. I think Lynne just liked the butterfly - and splurged on a non-machinable stamp even though the envelope is machinable. 

***

While putting away some winter clothes for the summer, I found an official USPS sweater - the kind that the postal clerks wear. I appropriated it from my son because it looked too small for him. When postal workers retire, they give their official clothes away to other postal workers. They know that they are only supposed to wear their USPS clothes at work. They are not supposed to stop at a bar and have a drink - the way Cliff Claven did in the TV show Cheers. It's OK to stop and fill your gas tank or do your grocery shopping. 

Now that I have it - I wondered - is it illegal for me to wear it?

Under U.S. federal law, it is illegal to wear official USPS uniforms or badges if you do not work for the Postal Service. The law is in place to prevent fraud, maintain security, and protect the public.

The Law (18 U.S. Code § 1730)

• The Rule: Anyone not connected to the letter-carrier branch of the Postal Service who wears a prescribed postal uniform or badge can be fined or imprisoned for up to six months, or both.
• The Consequences: Impersonating a postal worker (whether to commit a crime, access restricted areas, or just as a joke) is taken very seriously. Even wearing one as a Halloween costume is a violation.
• Exceptions: The only legal exception carved out in the statute is for actors or actresses in a theatrical, television, or motion-picture production.

Official Uniforms: Postal guidelines strictly regulate who can wear authorized work clothes and badge items, and mandate that retired or separated employees remove all official insignia.

Retail Swag: Many fashion brands (like Forever 21 or BAPE) have done official licensing collaborations with the USPS to produce branded streetwear. Wearing officially licensed USPS-themed shirts, hats, or hoodies available to the general public is perfectly legal, as they are not the actual carrier uniforms.

***

LINK to the USPS official manual

The bottom line - I will not be posting a photograph of me in my USPS sweater. The caffeinated portion of my brain is imagining me at the visitation for the departed me and I am wearing it.