US Postal Service FERS suspension
Definition
The temporary halt of payments or contributions by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), a retirement plan for federal employees, enacted during cash shortages to preserve liquidity.
A recurring financial strategy employed by USPS, as seen in 2011 and announced again on April 9, 2026, suspending bi-weekly transfers to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for FERS annuities, saving millions amid operational deficits.
Examples
The US Postal Service FERS suspension has postal carriers joking that their retirement plans are now on indefinite backorder.
Hailed as a visionary cash-saving tactic, the US Postal Service FERS suspension brilliantly shifts retirement worries from the mailbox to the mailroom.
Under the US Postal Service FERS suspension, employees muse that FERS might soon stand for 'Forever Extending Retirement Service'.
The US Postal Service FERS suspension proves once again that in government finance, suspending payments is the true special delivery.