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| - While the letter was authentic and sent to USPS employees, it didn't signal a new policy or a departure from normal practices. The letter is regularly reissued to postal workers, according to a spokesperson for the American Postal Workers Union.
In January 2026, social media posts circulated an image of a letter allegedly sent to U.S. Postal Service workers. The letter stated it could serve as proof that the postal worker was classified as an essential employee, exempting them from certain state or local government restrictions, such as curfews and some evacuation orders.
Some social media users who shared the letter said it could be "hinting at a possible crisis ahead" because it explained that postal workers were exempt from movement restrictions implemented in response to "large-scale emergencies," including epidemics, hurricanes and civil unrest.
Snopes readers searched our website and wrote in asking whether the letter was real. Statements from both the Postal Service and the American Postal Workers Union confirmed it was authentic.
In an email to Snopes, Postal Service spokesperson Jim McKean indicated the letter was real and had been sent to employees, calling it "a reissuance of our Essential Services letter." His response contradicted social media posts suggesting that the letter signaled a new policy or
The union directly confirmed the letter's authenticity and sent Snopes a copy, which is visible below. The language in the APWU's copy exactly matched what appeared in the social media posts.
The letter, dated Jan. 5, 2026, was signed by Doug A. Tulino, who serves as the Postal Service's deputy postmaster general, chief operating officer and chief human resources officer, according to the agency's website.
Federal law prohibits interference with mail delivery
Federal law requires the Postal Service to deliver the mail six days a week in most areas of the country and makes it illegal for anyone to obstruct the delivery of mail. This can create
During emergencies, local or state authorities may impose curfews, restrict access to certain areas or order evacuations. At the same time, federal law prohibits interference with mail delivery, potentially putting local law enforcement actions in conflict with postal workers' required duties.
The letter notes that while most relevant local and state restrictions provide an exemption for essential services such as mail delivery, some do not. It asks for postal workers to keep the letter and their Postal Service ID with them while at work, including during their commute, so they can show it to authorities if they encounter issues during an emergency.
It is important to note that the letter was dated Jan. 5, days before an ICE agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. In other words, the letter was not a response to Good's killing or protests that followed it.
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