Title 39—Postal Service--Volume 1
PART 222—DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY
§ 222.1   Authority to administer postal affairs.
(a) The Postmaster General. The postmaster general has been authorized by the Board of Governors to exercise the powers of the Postal Service to the full extent that such exercise is lawful. The postmaster general is empowered to authorize any employee or agent of the Service to exercise any function vested in the Postal Service, in the postmaster general, or in any other Postal Service employee.
(b) Corporate officers. Corporate officers are authorized to exercise the powers and functions of the Postal Service under the Postal Reorganization Act with respect to matters within their areas of responsibility, except as limited by law or by the specific terms of their assignment.
(c) General counsel. The general counsel is authorized to settle federal tort claims under section 2672 of title 28, United States Code, up to $100,000.
§ 222.2   Authority to administer oaths or function as notaries public.
(a) Authority to approve personnel actions and administer oaths of office for employment. The postmaster general, corporate officers, and their delegatees are authorized to effect appointments, administer oaths of office for employment, and take other personnel actions.
(b) Authority to administer oaths other than for employment. The following are authorized to administer oaths concerning matters other than employment:
(1) Postal inspectors, with regard to any matter coming before them in the performance of their official duties;
(2) Any member of a board who is assigned to conduct hearings or investigations in which sworn testimony, affidavits, or depositions are required, and each officer or employee assigned to conduct such hearings or investigations;
(3) Postmasters, where required in the performance of their official duties.
(c) Authority to function as notaries public. (1) Postmasters in Alaska have the authority to administer oaths and affirmations, take acknowledgments and make and execute certificates thereof, and perform all other functions of a notary public within Alaska when a certification is necessary to meet any Act of Congress or the Legislature of Alaska. No fees may be charged for notarial services.
(2) An officer or employee who is a notary public shall not charge or receive compensation for notarial services for another officer or employee regarding Government business; nor for notarial services for any person during the hours of the notary's services to the Government, including the lunch period.
§ 222.3   Other delegation.
(a) Documentation. All delegations of authority must be officially documented.
(b) Position title. Delegations of authority must ordinarily be made by position title rather than by name of the individual involved. An officer or executive acting for a principal has the principal's full authority.
(c) Level. When authority is delegated to an officer, the officers above that officer shall have the same authority. Delegated authority does not extend to aides unless an aide is acting for the supervisor ( see paragraph (b) of this section) or is specifically authorized by the superior to exercise such authority.
(d) Agreement with law. A delegation must agree with the law and regulations under which it is made and contain such specific limiting conditions as may be appropriate.
(e) Further delegation. Authority may be further delegated unless prohibited by law, a regulation that expressly prohibits further delegation, or terms of the delegation.