1. Answer the following about U.S. post offices:
a) How many individual post offices are there currently in the U.S.?
b) How many post offices were scheduled to close last year?
c) How many post offices will be closed this year?
d) How many are under review for possible closure in the future?

2. a) For what reasons can a post office be closed under current law?
b) Under current law, for what problem can't a small post office location be closed?

3. Who will be most affected by post office closures?

4. How much money did the U.S. Postal Service lose in 2010?

5. What other options will communities that lose post offices have for mail delivery?

6. For what reasons is the postal service unprofitable?

7. To get a job with the Postal Service, applicants must be 18 years old, or 16 years old with a high school diploma and have a basic competency in English. Postal employees (mail carriers, workers in the post office) earn an average salary of $20 to $24 per hour.
(per payscale.com/research/US/Employer=U.S._Postal_Service_%28USPS%29/Hourly_Rate)

In addition, some of the benefits postal employees receive, per the USPS (U.S. Postal Service) website include: (usps.com/employment/compbenefits.htm)

• 10 days off per year for holidays (Memorial Day, Christmas, ect.)
• 13 vacation days per year [20 vacation days (4 weeks) after working at the post office for three years; 26 (over 5 weeks) vacation days after fifteen years of employment]
• 13 sick days per year
• 33 days off total per year for the first three years; 40 days off total per year after that; 46 days off after fifteen years of employment)
• a Life Insurance policy paid for by the Postal Service
• health insurance with most of the cost paid by the Postal Service
• retirement benefits including a pension, health insurance and disability insurance

The postal service has attempted to reduce their losses by cutting services, raising postal rates, and reducing the number of employees (not by firing any, but by not hiring replacements as employees retire).
The union has negotiated the benefits for employees listed above.
a) What do you think is the best way for the Postal Service address financial problems:  close post offices in rural areas, reduce postal employees' benefits, or another way? Explain your answer.
b) Ask a parent the same question.