PLEASE, MR. POSTMAN

Watchdog: USPS Violated Hatch Act by Letting Workers Campaign for Clinton

Office of Special Counsel cites 97 mail carriers participating in union’s political events.

The U.S. Postal Service violated the Hatch Act by allowing workers to take unpaid leave to participate in the union’s pro-Clinton campaigning efforts, according to a report by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. The investigation found that 97 letter carriers took time off to participate in the union’s Labor 2016 program, which sought to “elect Hillary Clinton and pro-worker candidates across the country.” Employees were reimbursed for the leave by the union's political action committee. Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, said postal employees are encouraged to support political action committees on their own time. “We reject the OSC’s conclusions that the granting of LWOP (leave without pay) represents either a ‘systematic violation of the Hatch Act’ or an ‘institutional bias in favor of NALC’s endorsed political candidates.’”