Montana Postal Workers: What Popular Gifts Can You Give Them?

Tis the season for remembering others who are there for you all year long, like your postal delivery person.  What do you gift the person who brings you the mail?  According to the feds, not much.

What Kinds Of Gifts Can You Give Your Mail Carrier?

In Montana and everywhere else in America, postal workers are not allowed to accept a gift worth more than $20.

From Thought Co:

The Code of Federal Regulations Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, Part 2635, Subpart B states:  Federal employees cannot accept a gift as a result of their federal employment.

Basically, they can't accept a gift just because they work for the post office.  They can, however, accept a gift because you're acquaintances.

According to the Postal Service, federal regulations allow all postal employees—including carriers—to accept a gift worth $20 or less from a customer per occasion, such as a holiday or a birthday. However, cash and cash equivalents, such as checks or gift cards that can be exchanged for cash, may never be accepted in any amount. In addition, no USPS employee may accept more than $50 worth of gifts from one customer in a calendar year period.

Believe it or not, if you give a postal worker something worth more than $20, they're expected to reimburse you the difference.

Gifts Postal Workers CAN NOT Accept:

• Cash
• Checks
• Stocks
• Liquor
• Anything that can be exchanged for cash
• Anything valued more than $20

Gifts Postal Workers CAN Accept:

• Food and drinks like coffee, doughnuts, cookies, or soda
• Plaques, trophies, and other items intended for presentation
• Perishable items such as food, candy, fruit, or flowers, so long as they are to be shared with other postal workers
• Retail gifts cards with a value of less than $20 that cannot be converted to cash

All in all, it's totally ok to gift your postal worker. Just don't go overboard and get them in trouble or end up costing them money for something they didn't even ask for.