The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) faces chronic financial instability, with over $100 billion in net losses from 2007 to 2024, driven by declining First-Class Mail volume, rising labor costs, and high operational expenses. As a self-funded entity, it struggles with unsustainable debt, massive unfunded retirement liabilities, and a, demanding six-day delivery mandate for over 168 million addresses.
As a result, USPS has lost money almost every fiscal year since 2007. Net losses have totaled approximately $109 billion from fiscal years 2007 through 2024. For such reasons, USPS's financial viability has been on our High Risk List since 2009.
At its core, the Post Office is sinking. The $18.8 billion it earned in revenue during the third quarter was no higher than its earnings in the previous year. Meanwhile, its expenses were $22 billion or 2.9 percent higher than the same period last year due to rising employee compensation costs.
No, the President cannot directly fire the U.S. Postmaster General; only the independent U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors has that authority, though the President appoints the Board members (with Senate confirmation), giving them indirect influence to shape the Board that oversees the PMG. The Postmaster General serves at the pleasure of this Board, not the President.
Yes, Louis DeJoy was a significant donor to Donald Trump and Republican causes, contributing over $1.2 million to Trump's election efforts and millions more to the RNC and other GOP groups, with reports also detailing allegations that he reimbursed employees for their donations to him, leading to an investigation. He was a major Republican fundraiser and hosted events for Trump, even donating to the inaugural committee, and was later investigated by the DOJ for alleged illegal campaign contribution schemes from his former company.
The Postmaster General's salary varies significantly, with recent reports showing Louis DeJoy earning a base salary around $305,000 plus bonuses (totaling over $480,000 in 2021) and other reports indicating total compensation over $560,000 for 2024, making the role one of the highest-paid federal positions. For average postmasters, salaries are much lower, around $88,000-$96,000, depending on location and experience, with the highest-paid earning much more.
"Canada Post is effectively insolvent," said the Crown corporation's chief financial officer, Rindala El-Hage. She announced that Canada Post's operating loss so far for 2025 totals more than $1 billion, and that its latest quarterly loss — $541 million before tax — was unprecedented.
Under FERS, a postal worker with a high-3 average of around $60,000 and 20 years of service earns $1,007 a month without any deductions. That equals about $12,000 annually. A worker with the same salary and 40 years of service earns $2,013 monthly, or about $24,000 annually.
The short answer to Where Did All The Money Go is that it was either disappearing out of branches due to customer fraud or staff theft or repeated mistakes benefiting a customer OR it was disappearing out of ancillary (IT and non IT) Post Office (and non-Post Office) systems due to fraud, mistakes outside the branch ...
Impacts on businesses & delivery: The 2025 national strike and earlier overtime bans and rotating actions caused nationwide delivery delays, backlogs in parcels and direct mail, and forced many businesses and e‑commerce shippers to divert volume to alternate carriers or adjust fulfillment expectations.
OTTAWA -- Canada Post has submitted its plan to the federal government to transform its struggling business model into a financially sustainable postal service.
The UK Post Office scandal represents the biggest single series of wrongful convictions in British legal history. There were 900 prosecutions for theft, fraud, and false accounting.
Role of the Board
Canada Post is a Crown corporation owned by the federal government. The Board follows explicit rules and regulations as defined by the Canada Post Act, our charter, our Code of Conduct and other standards.
A privatized postal service would cut routes, raise prices, and reduce access—especially in rural and remote areas. Canada Post is a public institution that guarantees universal service at affordable rates, regardless of geography. Once privatized, that guarantee disappears.
However, USPS's financial condition remains poor. While USPS has increased revenue, its total expenses continue to outpace total revenue leading to further losses (see fig.). In addition, USPS's unfunded liabilities and debt have steadily increased since fiscal year 2022.
The governors appoint, or may remove, the postmaster general by a majority vote of the governors in office. The deputy postmaster general is appointed, or may be removed, by a majority vote of the postmaster general and the governors in office. Currently, there are five Senate-confirmed governors.
Stress can be thought of as a feeling of being overwhelmed, and postal work is often overwhelming. The American Postal Workers Union recognizes that workplace stress is a major job hazard.