6-1.2 What You Need to Know About Records

What you need to know about records is the following:

1. All records, including e-mails and instant messages, created or received by the Postal Service or its employees are the property of the Postal Service and shall be managed in accordance with this policy and related procedures.
2. Each Postal Service functional area will have a records control schedule that lists its official record categories and sets forth the applicable retention periods (see section 6-3). The Records Office coordinates the development and updates of all records control schedules. Final approval is required by the functional area, the Law Department, Inspection Service, and the Privacy Office. Records must be disposed of at the end of the retention period, unless there is a legal hold requiring preservation of the records.
3. Each Postal Service functional area is responsible for properly designating records, including identifying any vital records (see 6-2) and for safeguarding records in its possession.