USPS v. Natl Assoc Letter

5(&200(1'(' )25 )8//7(;7 38%/,&$7,21 3XUVXDQW WR 6L[WK &LUFXLW 5XOH   8QLWHG6WDWHV3RVWDO6HUYY 1R (/(&7521,& &,7$7,21  )(' $SS 3 WK &LU 1DWjO$VVjQRI/HWWHU&DUULHUV )LOH 1DPH DS 1HZ:@KHQDQDUELWUDWLRQDZDUGLVFKDOOHQJHG RQSXEOLFSROLF\JURXQGVWKHFRXUWPXVWGHWHUPLQHZKHWKHU 2QHUHTXLUHPHQWIRU$UWLFOH,,,VWDQGLQJLVWKDWDmSODLQWLII WKH DUELWUDWRUjV LQWHUSUHWDWLRQ RI WKH FRQWUDFW MHRSDUGL]HV D JHQHUDOO\PXVWDVVHUWKLVRZQOHJDOULJKWVDQGLQWHUHVWVDQG ZHOOGHILQHGDQGGRPLQDQWSXEOLFSROLF\WDNLQJWKHIDFWVDV FDQQRWUHVWKLVFODLPWRUHOLHIRQWKHOHJDOULJKWVRULQWHUHVWVRI IRXQGE\WKHDUELWUDWRUl%GRI&RXQW\&RPPjUVY/5REHUW WKLUGSDUWLHVl,QWjO8QLRQY'DQD&RUS)G .LPEDOO $VVRFV)G WK&LU 3XEOLF WK&LU  TXRWLQJ:DUWKY6HOGLQ86 SROLF\PXVWEHGHWHUPLQHGIURPODZVDQGOHJDOSUHFHGHQWV    1$/& DUJXHV WKDW LPSOHPHQWDWLRQ RI WKH DZDUG QRWJHQHUDOFRQVLGHUDWLRQVRISXEOLFLQWHUHVW($VVRFLDWHG ZRXOG EHQHILW QRW LQMXUH WKH 3RVWDO 6HUYLFH E\ GHWHUULQJ &RDO &RUS Y 80:$ 'LVW   86    XQDFFHSWDEOH EHKDYLRU E\ RWKHU HPSOR\HHV  2XU FRQFHUQ TXRWLQJ :5 *UDFH  &R Y /RFDO 8QLRQ 1R  ,QWjO KRZHYHU LV ZKHWKHU WKHUH LV D mFDVHl RU mFRQWURYHUV\l IRU 8QLRQRI8QLWHG5XEEHU:RUNHUV86   $UWLFOH,,,SXUSRVHV:HDUHVDWLVILHGWKDWWRWKHH[WHQWWKH 3RVWDO 6HUYLFH FODLPV WKH DZDUG ZLOO IRUFH LW WR YLRODWH D 7KH UHOHYDQW TXHVWLRQ LV QRW ZKHWKHU WKH XQGHUO\LQJ IHGHUDOVWDWXWHLWLVDVVHUWLQJLWVRZQULJKWVDQGKDV$UWLFOH,,, FRQGXFWKHUH%R\GjVDOOHJHGYLRODWLRQRIWKHs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jV FRQVWLWXWLRQDO GXH SURFHVV ULJKWV 6HH (QHUWHFK (OHF FRQWUROOHUZKRSDUWLFLSDWHGLQVWULNHFRXOGQRW EH HQIRUFHG ,QF Y 0DKRQLQJ &RXQW\ &RPPjUV  )G   WK &LU   1R 8QLWHG6WDWHV3RVWDO6HUYY   8QLWHG6WDWHV3RVWDO6HUYY 1R 1DWjO$VVjQRI/HWWHU&DUULHUV 1DWjO$VVjQRI/HWWHU&DUULHUV EHFDXVHIHGHUDOVWDWXWHSURKLELWHG HPSOR\PHQWRIRQHZKR &65$jVSURFHGXUDOUHTXLUHPHQWV2QWKHFRQWUDU\WKHDZDUG KDGSDUWLFLSDWHGLQDVWULNHDJDLQVWWKHJRYHUQPHQW  GRHV QRW VSHFLI\ WKH PDQQHU E\ ZKLFK WKH UHPHG\ LV WR EH LPSOHPHQWHG  :H ILQG WKDW WKH 3RVWDO 6HUYLFH UHPDLQV 7KH3RVWDO6HUYLFHDUJXHVWKDWLWFDQQRWFRPSO\ZLWKWKH FDSDEOHRIVWULFWO\FRPSO\LQJZLWKWKHVWDWXWHjVUHTXLUHPHQWV DUELWUDWLRQ DZDUG ZLWKRXW YLRODWLQJ SURYLVLRQV RI WKH &LYLO EHJLQQLQJZLWKZULWWHQQRWLFHRIWKHSURSRVHGDGYHUVHDFWLRQ 6HUYLFH5HIRUP$FWRI &65$ 86&† WKDWVSHFLILFDOO\VWDWHVWKHDUELWUDWLRQDZDUGDVWKHEDVLVIRU 8QGHU WKH 3RVWDO 5HRUJDQL]DWLRQ $FW FHUWDLQ SUHIHUHQFH WKHSURSRVHGDFWLRQ HOLJLEOHSRVWDOHPSOR\HHVLQFOXGLQJVXSHUYLVRU\HPSOR\HHV ZLWKRYHURQH\HDURIFRQWLQXRXVVHUYLFHDUHFRYHUHGE\WKH 1H[WDOOEXWFRQFHGLQJWKDWLWFRXOGVWULFWO\FRPSO\ZLWK &65$jVSURYLVLRQIRUDGPLQLVWUDWLYHDQGMXGLFLDOUHYLHZRI WKH VWDWXWHWKH3RVWDO6HUYLFHDUJXHVWKDWFRPSOLDQFHZLWK DGYHUVHSHUVRQQHODFWLRQV86&† D  $GYHUVH WKRVHSURFHGXUDOSURWHFWLRQVZRXOGEHDmVKDPlDQGWKHUHIRUH SHUVRQQHO DFWLRQV DUH GHILQHG DV UHPRYDO IURP IHGHUDO DYLRODWLRQRIWKH&65$EHFDXVHLWZRXOGQRWSURYLGH%R\G HPSOR\PHQWVXVSHQVLRQIRUPRUHWKDQGD\VDUHGXFWLRQ ZLWKmPHDQLQJIXOlSUHGHSULYDWLRQSURFHVV,QSDUWLFXODUWKH LQJUDGHDUHGXFWLRQLQSD\DQGDIXUORXJKRIGD\VRUOHVV 3RVWDO6HUYLFHUHOLHVRQWKHIUDPHZRUNVHWRXWE\WKH063% 86&†7KHSURFHGXUDOSURWHFWLRQVDUHVHWIRUWKLQ IRU UHYLHZLQJ WKH UHDVRQDEOHQHVV RI DQ DJHQF\LPSRVHG 86&† E ZKLFKVWDWHVWKDWDQ HPSOR\HHDJDLQVW SHQDOW\ LQ OLJKW RI D QRQH[FOXVLYH OLVW RI UHOHYDQW IDFWRUV ZKRPDQDFWLRQLVSURSRVHGLVHQWLWOHGWR  DWOHDVWGD\Vj 'RXJODV Y 9HWHUDQV $GPLQ  0635     DGYDQFH ZULWWHQ QRWLFH VWDWLQJ WKH VSHFLILF UHDVRQV IRU WKH 1HLWKHUWKRVHIDFWRUVQRUWKHIUDPHZRUNVHWRXWLQ'RXJODV SURSRVHGDFWLRQ  DUHDVRQDEOHWLPHWRDQVZHUDQGSURYLGH IRUZHLJKLQJWKHPUHSUHVHQWDVWDWXWRU\PDQGDWHXQGHUWKH DIILGDYLWVRURWKHUHYLGHQFHLQVXSSRUWRIWKDWDQVZHU  WR &65$)XUWKHUWKHDUELWUDWLRQDZDUGGRHVQRWGHSULYH%R\G EHUHSUHVHQWHGE\DQDWWRUQH\DQG  mDZULWWHQGHFLVLRQDQG RIKLVULJKWVXQGHUWKH&65$WRDSSHDOKLVGHPRWLRQWRWKH WKHVSHFLILFUHDVRQVWKHUHIRUDWWKHHDUOLHVWSUDFWLFDEOHGDWHl 063% ,GDW† E  7KHDJHQF\PD\SURYLGHDKHDULQJLQOLHX RI RU LQ DGGLWLRQ WR WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WR DQVZHU  ,G DW ,QDQDSSHDOWRWKH063%%R\GZRXOGKDYHWKHULJKWWRD † F )LQDOO\WKHVWDWXWHSURYLGHVWKDWDQHPSOR\HHLV IXOO HYLGHQWLDU\ KHDULQJ DQG WKH ULJKW WR EH UHSUHVHQWHG E\ DOVR HQWLWOHG WR DSSHDO WKH DFWLRQ WR WKH 0HULW 6\VWHPV FRXQVHO   86& †  D   DQG    7KH 063% KDV 3URWHFWLRQ %RDUG 063%  XQGHU  86& †   ,G DW DXWKRULW\ WR UHYHUVH WKH DJHQF\ DFWLRQ LI %R\G FDQ VKRZ  G  SURFHGXUDOHUURUZRXOGOLNHO\KDYHDKDUPIXO HIIHFWRQWKH RXWFRPH RI KLV FDVH EHIRUH WKH DJHQF\   86& $OOLQGLFDWLRQVWRGDWHLQFOXGLQJUHSUHVHQWDWLRQVPDGHE\ † F  $ VHHDOVR6WHSKHQY'HSjWRI$LU)RUFH FRXQVHODWRUDODUJXPHQWDUHWKDWWKH3RVWDO6HUYLFHKDV\HWWR 0635  7KH063%DOVRKDVWKHDXWKRULW\ WDNHDGYHUVHDFWLRQDJDLQVW%R\GDVUHTXLUHGE\WKHDUELWUDWLRQ WR GHWHUPLQH ZKDW HIIHFW LI DQ\ WKH DUELWUDWLRQ GHFLVLRQ DZDUG7KH3RVWDO6HUYLFHDUJXHVILUVWWKDWWKHDZDUGGLUHFWHG VKRXOG EH JLYHQ LI %R\G ZHUH WR GHFLGH WR DSSHDO KLV LW WR GHPRWH %R\G VXPPDULO\ DQG ZLWKRXW UHJDUG IRU WKH GHPRWLRQ  6HH $XOLN Y 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 3RVWDO 6HUYLFH  0635  :HVWEURRNY'HSjWRI$LU)RUFH 0635  $VWKH1$/&FRQFHGHVDQ\UHOLHI  JUDQWHGWR%R\GE\WKH063%ZRXOGWDNHSUHFHGHQFHRYHUWKH 6XEVWDQWLDOO\ VLPLODU SURFHGXUDO SURWHFWLRQV DUH IRXQG LQ WKH 3RVWDO 6HUYLFHjV(PSOR\HH /DERU 5HODWLRQV 0DQXDO (/0  ZKLFK LV DOVR DUELWUDWLRQDZDUG7KXVZHILQGWKDWLPSOHPHQWDWLRQRIWKH DGRSWHG DV DQ DJHQF\ UHJXODWLRQ 6HH  &)5 †  D  DQG KWWSZZZSRVWDOZRUNHUVRQOLQHFRPHOPKWP 1R 8QLWHG6WDWHV3RVWDO6HUYY  1DWjO$VVjQRI/HWWHU&DUULHUV DUELWUDWLRQDZDUGZRXOGQRWIRUFHWKH3RVWDO6HUYLFHWRYLRODWH WKH&65$DQGWKHUHIRUHLVQRWFRQWUDU\WRSXEOLFSROLF\ $)),50('  $OWKRXJK QRW WKH EDVLV RI RXU GHFLVLRQ WKHUH DSSHDUV WR EH PHULW WR WKH DUJXPHQW WKDW WKH 3RVWDO 6HUYLFH ZDLYHG LWV SXEOLF SROLF\ FKDOOHQJH WR WKH DUELWUDWLRQ DZDUG E\ IDLOLQJ WR UDLVH LW GXULQJ DUELWUDWLRQ 6HH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 3RVWDO 6HUY Y 1DWjO $VVjQ RI /HWWHU &DUULHUV 1R   :/  WK &LU 1RY   XQSXEOLVKHG GLVSRVLWLRQ  sXVW DV WKH )RXUWK &LUFXLW QRWHG KRZHYHU WKDW ZDLYHU ZRXOG QRW SUHYHQW %R\G IURP UDLVLQJ LW LQ DQ DSSHDO WR WKH 063% ,G DW  Q