Saturday is National Postal Worker Day, a good time to recognize the tens of thousands of employees of the U.S. Postal Service, many of whom work behind the scenes.
Now that the pandemic is in the rearview mirror, postal workers continue to face challenges from inside and outside their organization.
Mark Dimondstein, president of the 200,000-plus-member American Postal Workers Union, one of three unions serving postal workers, said the pandemic was a good reminder to the public just how vital the Postal Service is.
"When so many people were locked down - the ability to get packages and to shop through the internet, to vote by mail, to take care of all our businesses - postal workers were out there on the front line," he said. "Many of us were sickened; far too many died."
Changing consumer practices, as well as staffing turnover and shortages, are among the current problems facing postal workers. Dimondstein said the staffing issues were exacerbated by hiring model changes made a decade ago, changing from career-status positions to add some non-career-status jobs. He said he believes this increased turnover has compromised service. He said the postal unions are working to strengthen pathways to career-status positions.
Dimondsen acknowledged that changes in consumer habits pose challenges to the Postal Service, but he said they also open up new opportunities.
"For instance, many banks are closing, neighborhood banks - there's no reason in the long run the post office couldn't get back to postal banking, which they did for 60 years," he said. "And short of postal banking, financial services - maybe paycheck cashing, etc., etc., or electronic bill paying."
Dimonstein also mentioned the possibilities of selling hunting and fishing licenses or providing electric-vehicle charging stations.
"We're going to have to have a nationwide grid," he said. "Wouldn't it be great if tens of thousands of post offices had charging stations right in front of the post office?"
Postal employees will meet the challenges, he said, by finding new ways to serve the people.
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Tax season is here and North Carolinians should find the relevant financial documents to ensure filing their returns is as smooth as possible.
Important documents include W2s from employers or 1099s for independent contractors. People should track deductions like property taxes, charitable donations and mortgage interest as well.
Joe Mecca, vice president of communication for Coastal Credit Union, said it is important to remember other, smaller sources of income.
"One of the things that people need to remember to get is a 1099 from your financial institution," Mecca emphasized. "You may have interest or dividend income from different types of accounts that you might have. Similarly, if you've got a brokerage account, you may receive a 1099 form from them."
Mecca noted the form is typically available online. Other important documents include those involving the sale of a home, education expenses, and state and local tax refunds. People can find resources for doing their taxes online at the IRS website. Credit union members have access to discounts for tax services from TurboTax and H-and-R Block.
Mecca recommended while people have the documents out, they can also prepare their financial future.
"This is a great time of year for people to take a look at their overall financial picture," Mecca advised. "Start planning ahead for some of the expenses that they may have in the coming year or some things that they might want to save for in terms of retirement or education."
Mecca added people might also consider working with a financial adviser. Taxes are due April 15.
Disclosure: Coastal Credit Union contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy and Priorities, Civic Engagement, Community Issues and Volunteering, and Consumer Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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Seven members of Oregon's congressional delegation have signed a letter demanding protection for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to enable the federal agency to continue its work.
The Department of Government Efficiency closed the bureau earlier this month.
Jagjit Nagra, executive director of the group Oregon Consumer Justice, said the bureau plays a key role in protecting Oregonians from deception and overcharges by banks and other financial institutions. He argued the oversight is especially important to prevent predatory lending for large purchases like mortgages and student loans.
"When you take away that enforcement mechanism, you're basically giving Wall Street the chance to say, 'Oh, OK, now we can do more of whatever we want,'" Nagra contended.
The bureau was created in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and since then, Nagra adds, the agency has returned $21 billion to consumers. Nagra stressed without the bureau, Oregonians will have less protection against hidden fees and financial scams, among other things.
Critics of the bureau said it has lacked accountability and its regulations stifle financial innovation. Nagra countered the Great Recession, along with other banking, savings and lending scandals, showed the nation needs oversight and strong enforcement of consumer financial protection laws.
"The CFPB never gets in the way of those businesses doing the right thing," Nagra pointed out. "The CFPB goes after businesses and other organizations that are defrauding consumers, that are cheating consumers."
The letter, signed by Oregon Democrats, charged big financial institutions, which the bureau was created to regulate, have prioritized dismantling it. Nagra added consumer protection should not be a partisan issue because everyone is a consumer. He emphasized the need for a united consumer voice.
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Scams are on the rise in the wake of the Los Angeles fires, according to a warning on social media from the Pasadena Police Department - so experts have some tips on how to avoid becoming a victim.
There have been reports of people pretending to be fire victims, approaching shoppers in store checkout lines and asking if they'll purchase items for them.
Kathy Stokes is director of fraud prevention programs with the AARP Fraud Watch Network.
"People will tell you that they're in need, and could you buy them baby formula?" said Stokes. "They'll take the baby formula to the next store, let's say it's a Target - then they'll go to a different Target and return it."
Lots of Go Fund Me pages have popped up after the fires - but experts say the safest way to help is to go through a trusted, established charity.
Several websites will help you verify whether a charity is legitimate - including Charity Watch, Charity Navigator, or Give.org, which is run by the Better Business Bureau.
There are also reports of people pretending to be from FEMA, or from insurance companies.
Some may offer to help speed up your claim - but then use your personal information to file a false claim or steal your identity.
Stokes said fake contractors may show up on your street with a truck and materials, and offer to help you rebuild on the cheap.
"If you're in a desperate situation, and you may not think to check credentials, or to try to get other companies to bid on the project, you may end up paying for something up front," said Stokes, "and then they go away, or they do a shoddy job."
Stokes said homeowners also need to be wary of people offering pennies on the dollar for real estate in the wake of the blazes.
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