Misuse of government computers and phones

Your personal use of government property is still government use — and wrongful behavior is always wrongful.

Only very limited personal use of government property is acceptable. Certain activities are always prohibited on government computers, phones and other devices at any time, no matter where you are at the time. These include:

• Viewing, creating, sending or arranging to receive sexually explicit videos, photographs, jokes or other materials.
• Pyramid schemes, gambling, betting.
• Buying, selling or arranging to use illegal drugs.
• Working for an outside employer.
• Operating an outside business.

Do the right thing. It’s what our customers trust us to do.

Use government property only to achieve our mission.

And that’s smart business.

It’s Our Business

When you’re on the clock at the Postal Service, you can’t spend any time doing work for a second job or your own company. Not 30 minutes, not 30 seconds, no time at all. It’s prohibited under the USPS misuse of time provision.

You also can’t use postal equipment and resources to perform work for your outside employer or your outside company — regardless of whether you’re on the clock.

Our customers don’t want to pay you to work for someone else.

Postal time, equipment and resources can’t be used to serve another employer.

And that’s smart business.

Contact the Ethics Office (ethics.help@usps.gov) for guidance.