United States Government Accountability Office

Washington, DC 20548 

January 12, 2009 

The Honorable Danny K. Davis 

House of Representatives 

Subject: U.S. Postal Service: Age and Disability Diversity in the Executive Service 

Dear Mr. Davis: 

Equal opportunity in the federal workplace is intended to result in a diverse and 

highly qualified workforce. Such a workplace uses the talents of all employees—

without regard to factors such as employees’ race, ethnicity, gender, and disability 

status. Diversity within an agency’s senior executive ranks, including the U.S. Postal 

Service’s (Service) Postal Career Executive Service (PCES), is particularly important 

because it allows agencies to draw upon a wider variety of perspectives and 

approaches to address the wide array of challenges facing the federal government. 

The Service had 959 employees in the PCES during fiscal year 2000 and 867 PCES 

employees during fiscal year 2007.1

 

In April 2008, we reported on the demographic representation of employees in the 

Service’s PCES (which includes postal officers and executives) and certain levels of 

the Service’s Executive and Administrative Schedule (a pool of candidates for the 

Service’s managerial and executive leadership positions). We provided these data for 

the end of fiscal year 2007, as well as baseline data from fiscal year 1999, which we 

previously reported for those positions.2

 As requested, this report provides additional 

information on the demographic representation of employees who were in the PCES 

at any time during fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year 2007. Specifically, this report 

provides information on (1) the average age at which these employees entered the 

 1

Data on the universe of PCES employees in this report differ from data in the Service’s fiscal year 2000

and fiscal year 2007 comprehensive statements. According to these statements, there were 859 PCES 

employees as of the end of fiscal year 2000 and 748 PCES employees as of the end of fiscal year 2007. 

The number of PCES employees identified in this report are higher than those published previously 

principally because, for this report, we have included everyone in the PCES during fiscal years 2000

and 2007—not just those on board as of the end of each fiscal year. See U.S. Postal Service, 2000

Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations (Washington, D.C., 2001) and U.S. Postal Service, 2007

Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations (Washington, D.C., 2008). 

2

GAO, Human Capital: Diversity in the Federal SES and Senior Levels of the U.S. Postal Service and 

Processes for Selecting New Executives, GAO-08-609T (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 3, 2008); and U.S.

Postal Service: Diversity in the Postal Career Executive Service, GAO/GGD-00-76 (Washington, D.C.: 

Mar. 30, 2000). 

GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity 
PCES;3

 (2) the average age at which these PCES employees left (separated from) the 

Service, including the average age at which they retired; and (3) the number of PCES 

employees who reported having one of nine disabilities that the government, as a 

matter of policy, has identified for special affirmative action emphasis (“targeted” 

disabilities).4

 This report also provides information on, among other matters, the 

average length of tenure that employees had with the Service prior to entering the 

PCES as well as their average length of tenure in the PCES before separating from the 

Service. 

To address our reporting objectives, we obtained data from the Service on the 1,826 

employees in the PCES at any time during fiscal years 2000 and 2007.5

 We specifically 

analyzed data on, among other factors, the employees’ (1) race, ethnic group, and 

gender; (2) date of birth; (3) date of appointment to the PCES; (4) date hired by the 

Service; (5) date of separation from the Service and the reason for the employees’ 

separation, where applicable; and (6) disability status if reported by the PCES 

employee. We used these data, as applicable, to calculate fiscal year 2000 and fiscal 

year 2007 data for each of our reporting objectives. We also interviewed postal 

officials and performed electronic testing for obvious errors in accuracy and 

completeness to ensure the reliability of the Service’s data and determined that the 

data were sufficiently reliable for the purposes of this report. Because of the 

relatively small number of PCES employees affected by various employment actions 

such as appointments to, and separations from, the PCES in either fiscal year 2000 or 

fiscal year 2007, we generally reported data on each demographic group in aggregate 

form to protect the individuals’ privacy. For the same reason, we did not report data 

on employees in demographic groups of less than three employees or break-out data 

on employees in the Services’ officer ranks (PCES II). We conducted our work from 

August 2008 to January 2009. A more detailed description of our scope and 

methodology, including the exclusion of 239 employees (230 in fiscal year 2000 and 9 

in fiscal year 2007) because of incomplete data, is contained in enclosure I of this 

report. The Service provided technical comments on a draft of this report. We 

incorporated the comments as appropriate. 

In Summary 

• Employees onboard during fiscal year 2000 were, on average, about 44 years 

old when they first entered the PCES, while those who were on board during 

fiscal year 2007 were, on average, about 1 year older at their original 

appointment to the PCES. In addition, the 87 employees, who entered the 

 3

An employee may enter the PCES as an outside hire or, if employed by the Service, be promoted 

(appointed) to the PCES. In this report, we use the terms “entered” and “appointed” to designate the

point at which an individual first became a PCES employee. 

4

The nine targeted disabilities are deafness, blindness, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete

paralysis convulsive disorders, mental retardation, mental illness, and the distortion of a limb and/or 

the spine. 

5

As previously noted, 959 of the 1,826 employees were in the PCES during fiscal year 2000 and the 

remaining 867 were in the PCES during fiscal year 2007. 

Page 2 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
PCES in fiscal year 2007 were, on average, about 2 years older at their 

appointment than the 97 employees who entered in fiscal year 2000. 

• The average age of the 47 PCES employees who separated from the Service in 

either fiscal year 2000 or fiscal year 2007, was about 54.5 years in fiscal year 

2000 (10 separations) and about 55.6 years in fiscal year 2007 (37 

separations)—an increase of about 1.1 years. Retirements accounted for 35 of 

the 47 separations. The average age, at retirement, for these 35 employees 

increased from about 55.9 years (6 employees) to about 56.6 years (29 

employees) between fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year 2007—an increase of 

about 0.7 years. 

• Two of the 959 PCES employees on board during fiscal year 2000 reported a 

condition that constituted a targeted disability, whereas none of the 867 PCES 

employees on board during fiscal year 2007 reported a targeted disability. An 

individual with a targeted disability has at least one of nine specific physical 

and mental conditions, including deafness, blindness, and mental illness. 

Another seven PCES employees reported having a disability in fiscal year 2000, 

while eight reported a disability in fiscal year 2007. However none of the 

conditions they reported constituted a targeted disability. Twenty PCES 

employees chose not to provide information on their disability status in fiscal 

year 2000, followed by 22 who chose not to disclose this information in fiscal 

year 2007. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 

employees governmentwide may not report these data due to concerns that 

such a disclosure will (1) preclude them from employment or advancement, 

(2) subject them to discrimination, or (3) not remain confidential. 

Background 

The Service’s senior executive rank, the PCES, has two levels. PCES II is composed 

of the Service’s most senior leadership—its officers—and includes the Postmaster 

General, the Deputy Postmaster General, and the Service’s vice presidents. PCES I 

includes all other executives in headquarters, area, and district locations. According 

to the Service and as we reported in April 2008,6

 there were a total of 748 employees 

in the PCES as of the end of fiscal year 2007. Thirty-nine of the 748 PCES employees 

were officers (PCES II), while the remaining 709 executives were PCES I. 

The Service, like federal agencies, requests its employees to self-report whether they 

have a physical or mental disability (reportable disability) that substantially limits 

one or more of the employees’ major life activities (e.g., caring for one’s self, 

performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, or learning). 

According to the Service’s form 2489 for reporting disabilities, the Service uses its 

employees’ information to measure its progress in hiring, placing, and advancing 

disabled employees. 

 6

GAO-08-609T.

Page 3 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
A portion of the reportable physical and mental disabling conditions listed on form 

2489 are considered “targeted disabilities”—conditions that the government, as a 

matter of policy, has identified for special affirmative action emphasis. There are 

nine targeted disabilities: deafness, blindness, missing extremities, partial paralysis, 

complete paralysis, convulsive disorders, mental retardation, mental illness, and the 

distortion of a limb and/or the spine. The Equal Employment Opportunity 

Commission, which collects and maintains statistics for targeted disabilities reported 

by employees, recognizes that other disabling conditions may be as severe, or even 

more severe, than some targeted disabilities. According to the Commission, the 

government focuses on targeted disabilities to encourage the hiring, placement, and 

advancement of individuals with disabilities in affirmative action planning.7

Average Age at which Employees during Fiscal Years 2000 and 2007 Entered 

the PCES

As shown in table 1, PCES employees during fiscal year 2000 were, on average, nearly 

44 years old when they first entered the PCES, while those who were on board during 

fiscal year 2007 were, on average, about 1 year older at their original appointment to 

PCES. The average age at appointment increased between fiscal year 2000 and fiscal 

year 2007 by a range of about 0.6 years (Hispanic/Latino males) to 2.3 years 

(Asian/Pacific Islander males) for five of the eight demographic groups for which we 

have reportable data. The average age at appointment for employees in the PCES 

during fiscal year 2007 decreased slightly for Hispanic/Latino females (0.2 years), 

while Black/African-American males and Asian/Pacific Islander females were about 1 

year younger than those PCES employees (in the same demographic groups) who 

were on board during fiscal year 2000. 

 7

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Improving the Participation Rate of People with 

Targeted Disabilities in the Federal Workforce (Washington, D.C., January 2008). The Commission 

reported that it first officially recognized the term “targeted disability” in its Management Directive 

703, which was adopted on Dec. 6, 1979.

Page 4 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
Table 1: Demographic Data on the Average Age at Original Appointment—All PCES 

Employees On Board during Fiscal Years 2000 and 2007 

Average age at appointment to the PCES 

FY 2000 FY 2007 

Demographic group Number Average Number Average

Change in 

age (FY 2000 

to FY 2007) 

Black/African-American males 72 46.2 77 45.2 -1.0 

Black/African-American females 43 44.2 51 45.8 1.6

American Indian/Alaska Native

males 1 a

1 aN/A 

American Indian/Alaska Native

females 3 40.6 0 0 N/A

Asian/Pacific Islander males 8 40.5 11 42.8 2.3 

Asian/Pacific Islander females 5 46.7 13 45.6 -1.1 

Hispanic/Latino males 37 44.8 43 45.4 0.6 

Hispanic/Latino females 5 44.0 16 43.8 -0.2 

White males 421 43.8 477 45.4 1.6 

White females 134 43.2 168 44.0 0.8 

Unspecified/other 0 0 1 aN/A 

Total PCES 729b43.9 858c45.1 1.2

Source: GAO analysis of U.S. Postal Service data. 

Note: “N/A” means that the change in age was not calculated to either protect individuals’ privacy or because 

such a calculation was not applicable for this demographic group. 

a

Data omitted to protect individuals’ privacy.

b

Excludes 230 employees due to incomplete data. Enc. I provides the reasons for these exclusions. 

c

Excludes 9 employees due to incomplete data. Enc. I provides the reason for these exclusions. 

As shown in table 2, the 87 employees who entered the PCES in fiscal year 2007 were, 

on average, about 2 years older at their appointment than the 97 employees appointed 

in fiscal year 2000. The data indicate wide variability between aggregated 

demographic groups, however, ranging from a high of about 3 years older at 

appointment (white males and all whites) to a low of more than 4 years younger 

(minority males)8

 than those PCES employees (from the same demographic groups) 

who were appointed in fiscal year 2000. 

 8

 The term “minority” refers to people in the following racial and ethnic groups: Black/AfricanAmerican, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic/Latino. These 

groupings are consistent with those used in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s most 

recent report on the federal work force. 

Page 5 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
Table 2: Aggregated Demographic Data on the Average Age of PCES Appointments—All 

Employees Appointed to the PCES in Either Fiscal Year 2000 or Fiscal Year 2007 

Average age at appointment to the PCES 

FY 2000 FY 2007 Aggregated 

demographic group Number Average Number Average

Change in 

age (FY 2000 

to FY 2007) 

All males 58 48.2 61 49.9 1.7

White males 46 47.4 52 50.4 3.0

Minority males 12 51.3 9 47.0 -4.3

All females 39 45.5 26 47.5 2.0

White females 30 45.7 18 48.1 2.4

Minority females 9 45.0 8 46.1 1.1

All whites 76 46.7 70 49.8 3.1

All minorities 21 48.6 17 46.6 -2.0

Total PCES 97 47.1 87 49.2 2.1

Source: GAO analysis of U.S. Postal Service data. 

As shown in table 3, the average years of tenure in the Service prior to appointment 

to the PCES increased by about 1.4 years, from about 16.4 years for employees in the 

PCES during fiscal year 2000 to about 17.8 years for employees in the PCES during 

fiscal year 2007. The average years of tenure prior to appointment increased between 

fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year 2007 by a range of 0.5 years (Hispanic/Latino males) to 

about 10.9 years (Hispanic/Latino females) for all but one of the eight demographic 

groups for which we have reportable data. The only exception relates to 

Black/African-American males appointed in fiscal year 2007. According to these data, 

employees in this demographic group had, on average, about 2 years less tenure at 

appointment to the PCES than Black/African-American males in the PCES during 

fiscal year 2000. 

Page 6 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
Table 3: Average Years of Tenure with the Service at Appointment to PCES, by Demographic 

Group—All PCES Employees On Board during Fiscal Years 2000 and 2007

Average years of tenure with the Service at 

appointment to the PCES 

FY 2000 FY 2007 

Demographic group Number Average Number Average

Change in 

tenure (FY 2000 

to FY 2007) 

Black/African-American males 72 20.9 77 18.9 -2.0 

Black/African-American 

females 43 18.4 51 20.2 1.8

American Indian/Alaska 

Native males 1 a

1 aN/A 

American Indian/Alaska 

Native females 3 14.3 0 0 N/A

Asian/Pacific Islander males 8 9.6 11 12.4 2.8 

Asian/Pacific Islander females 5 12.6 13 17.2 4.6 

Hispanic/Latino males 37 19.8 43 20.3 0.5 

Hispanic/Latino females 5 4.8 16 15.7 10.9 

White males 421 16.0 477 17.8 1.8 

White females 134 14.8 168 16.6 1.8 

Unspecified/other 0 0 1 aN/A 

Total PCES 729b16.4 858c17.8 1.4

Source: GAO analysis of U.S. Postal Service data. 

Note: “N/A” means that the change in tenure was not calculated to either protect individuals’ privacy or because 

such a calculation was not applicable for this demographic group. 

a

Data omitted to protect individuals’ privacy.

b

Excludes 230 employees due to incomplete data. Enc. I provides the reasons for these exclusions. 

c

Excludes 9 employees due to incomplete data. Enc. I provides the reason for these exclusions. 

As shown in table 4, the 87 employees who entered the PCES in fiscal year 2007 had, 

on average, about 20.1 years of tenure with the Service, while the 97 employees who 

were appointed in fiscal year 2000 had about 21.4 years of tenure—a decrease of 

about 1.3 years. 

Page 7 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
Table 4: Aggregated Demographic Data on the Average Years of Tenure with the Service Prior 

to PCES Appointment—All Employees Appointed to the PCES in Either Fiscal Year 2000 or 

Fiscal Year 2007 

Average years of tenure with the Service prior to

appointment to the PCES 

FY 2000 FY 2007 Aggregated 

demographic group Number Average Number Average

Change in 

tenure (FY 2000 

to FY 2007) 

All males 58 22.2 61 20.5 -1.7 

White males 46 20.9 52 20.6 -0.3 

Minority males 12 27.3 9 19.5 -7.8 

All females 39 20.2 26 19.2 -1.0 

White females 30 20.0 18 20.0 0.0 

Minority females 9 21.0 8 17.3 -3.7 

All whites 76 20.5 70 20.5 0.0 

All minorities 21 24.6 17 18.5 -6.1 

Total PCES 97 21.4 87 20.1 -1.3 

Source: GAO analysis of U.S. Postal Service data.

Average Age at which PCES Employees during Fiscal Years 2000 and 2007 

Separated from the Service 

As shown in tables 5 and 6, the average age of the 47 PCES employees who separated

from the Service in either fiscal year 2000 or fiscal year 2007, was about 54.5 years in 

fiscal year 2000 (10 separations) and about 55.6 years in fiscal year 2007 (37 

separations)—an increase of about 1.1 years. Retirement accounted for 35 of the 47 

separations.9

 The average age, at retirement, increased—from about 55.9 years (6 

employees) to about 56.6 years (29 employees) between fiscal years 2000 and 2007—

an increase of about 0.7 years. 

 9

The remaining 12 employees separated from the Service through, among other actions, resignations,

involuntary separations, and death. 

Page 8 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
Table 5: Aggregated Demographic Data on the Average Age at Separation—All PCES 

Employees Who Left the Service in Either Fiscal Year 2000 or Fiscal Year 2007 

Average age at separation—all separations

FY 2000 FY 2007 Aggregated 

demographic group Number Average Number Average

Change in age 

(FY 2000 to

FY 2007) 

All males 8 54.3 27 55.7 1.4 

White males 6 54.0 20 56.0 2.0 

Minority males 2 a7 55.0 N/A

All females 2 a10 55.2 N/A

White females 1 a9 54.3 N/A

Minority females 1 a1 aN/A 

All whites 7 54.0 29 55.4 1.4 

All minorities 3 55.7 8 56.0 0.3 

Total PCES 10 54.5 37 55.6 1.1 

Source: GAO analysis of U.S. Postal Service data. 

Note: “N/A” means that the change in age was not calculated to either protect individuals’ privacy or because 

such a calculation was not applicable for this aggregated demographic group. 

a

Data omitted to protect individuals’ privacy.

Table 6: Aggregated Demographic Data on the Average Age at Retirement—All PCES 

Employees Who Retired from the Service in Either Fiscal Year 2000 or Fiscal Year 2007 

Average age at separation—retirement only 

FY 2000 FY 2007 Aggregated 

demographic group Number Average Number Average

Change in age 

(FY 2000 to

FY 2007) 

All males 6 55.9 21 56.8 0.9 

White males 5 55.6 15 57.0 1.4 

Minority males 1 a6 56.5 N/A

All females 0 0 8 56.0 N/A

White females 0 0 7 55.0 N/A

Minority females 0 0 1 aN/A 

All whites 5 55.6 22 56.4 0.8 

All minorities 1 a7 57.4 N/A

Total PCES 6 55.9 29 56.6 0.7 

Source: GAO analysis of U.S. Postal Service data. 

Note: “N/A” means that the change in age was not calculated to either protect individuals’ privacy or because 

such a calculation was not applicable for this aggregated demographic group. 

a

Data omitted to protect individuals’ privacy.

As shown in tables 7 and 8, the average tenure in the PCES for the 47 employees who 

separated in either fiscal year 2000 or fiscal year 2007 was about 8.2 years in fiscal 

year 2000 (10 employees) and about 6.4 years in fiscal year 2007 (37 employees)—a 

decrease in tenure of about 1.8 years. Thirty-five of the 47 separations occurred 

Page 9 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
because of retirements.10 The average years of tenure in the PCES, at retirement, for

the 35 employees who retired decreased—from about 8.1 years (6 employees) to 

about 6.4 years (29 employees) between fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year 2007—a 

decrease of about 1.7 years. 

Table 7: Aggregated Demographic Data on the Average Tenure in PCES—All PCES 

Separations in Either Fiscal Year 2000 or Fiscal Year 2007 

Average years of PCES tenure at separation—all 

separations

FY 2000 FY 2007 Aggregated

demographic group Number Average Number Average

Change in 

tenure (FY 2000 

to FY 2007) 

All males 8 7.8 27 6.1 -1.7

White males 6 7.7 20 5.7 -2.0

Minority males 2 a7 7.3 N/A

All females 2 a10 7.0 N/A

White females 1 a9 7.1 N/A

Minority females 1 a 1 a N/A 

All whites 7 8.0 29 6.1 -1.9

All minorities 3 8.7 8 7.2 -1.5

Total PCES 10 8.2 37 6.4 -1.8

Source: GAO analysis of U.S. Postal Service data. 

Note: “N/A” means that the change in tenure was not calculated to either protect individuals’ privacy or because 

such a calculation was not applicable for this aggregated demographic group. 

a

Data omitted to protect individuals’ privacy.

 10As noted previously, the remaining 12 employees separated from the Service through, among other actions, 

resignations, involuntary separations, and death.

Page 10 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
Table 8: Aggregated Demographic Data on the Average Tenure in the PCES—All PCES 

Retirements in Either Fiscal Year 2000 or Fiscal Year 2007 

Average years of PCES tenure at separation—

retirement only 

FY 2000 FY 2007 Aggregated

demographic group Number Average Number Average

Change in 

tenure (FY 2000 

to FY 2007) 

All males 6 8.1 21 6.2 -1.9

White males 5 8.2 15 5.6 -2.6

Minority males 1 a6 7.6 N/A

All females 0 0 8 7.1 N/A

White females 0 0 7 7.2 N/A

Minority females 0 0 1 aN/A 

All whites 5 8.2 22 6.1 -2.1

All minorities 1 a7 7.4 N/A

Total PCES 6 8.1 29 6.4 -1.7

Source: GAO analysis of U.S. Postal Service data. 

Note: “N/A” means that the change in tenure was not calculated to either protect individuals’ privacy or because 

such a calculation was not applicable for this aggregated demographic group. 

a

Data omitted to protect individuals’ privacy.

PCES Employees Who Reported a Targeted Disability in Either Fiscal Year 

2000 or Fiscal Year 2007 

Two of the 959 PCES employees on board during fiscal year 2000 reported a 

condition that constituted a targeted disability, whereas none of the 867 PCES 

employees on board during fiscal year 2007 reported such a disability. As discussed 

previously, the list of targeted disabilities are a subset of reportable disabilities and 

include disabling conditions such as deafness, blindness, and mental illness. As 

shown in table 9, another 7 PCES employees reported having a disability in fiscal year 

2000, while 8 reported a disability in fiscal year 2007. However, none of the 

conditions they reported constituted a targeted disability. Twenty PCES employees 

chose not to provide information on their disability status in fiscal year 2000, 

followed by 22 employees who chose not to disclose this information in fiscal year 

2007. As we have reported in the past,11 an employee’s reluctance to self-report his or 

her disability status creates the potential for the underreporting of disability data. 

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, for example, 

employees governmentwide may not report this data due to concerns that such a 

disclosure will (1) preclude them from employment or advancement, (2) subject them 

to discrimination, and/or (3) not remain confidential.12

 11GAO, Human Capital: Diversity in the Federal SES and Processes for Selecting New Executives, 

GAO-09-110 (Washington, D.C.: Nov. 26, 2008).

12Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Improving the Participation Rate of People with 

Targeted Disabilities in the Federal Workforce (Washington, D.C., January 2008). 

Page 11 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
Table 9: Disability Status—All PCES Employees On Board during Fiscal Years 2000 and 2007 

Disability Status FY 2000 FY 2007 

 Employee reported that he/she had no disability 925 836

 Employee reported that he/she did not wish to provide information on 

 his/her disability status 20 22

 Employee reported that he/she had a disability (but the condition reported

 did not constitute a targeted disability) 7 8

 Employee reported that he/she had a disability (and the condition reported

 was a targeted disability) 2 0

 No information available 5 1

 Total employees 959 867

Source: GAO analysis of U.S. Postal Service data.

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation 

We provided the Postmaster General with a draft of this report for the Service’s 

review and comment. The Service provided technical comments which we 

incorporated as appropriate. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

We are sending copies of this report to the Postmaster General and other interested 

congressional parties. The report also is available at no charge on the GAO Web site 

at http://www.gao.gov. 

If you or your staff have questions about this report, please contact me at (202) 512-

2834 or herrp@gao.gov. Contact points for our Office of Congressional Relations and 

Public Affairs may be found on the last page of this report. Key contributors to this 

report are listed in enclosure II. 

Sincerely yours, 

Phillip Herr

Director, Physical Infrastructure 

Enclosures 

Page 12 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
Enclosure I: Scope and Methodology 

To address our reporting objectives, we obtained data from the U.S. Postal Service 

(Service) on the 1,826 employees in the Postal Career Executive Service (PCES) at 

any time during fiscal year 2000 (959 employees) and fiscal year 2007 (867 

employees).13 We specifically analyzed data on, among other factors, the employees’ 

(1) race, ethnic group, and gender; (2) date of birth; (3) date of appointment to the 

PCES; (4) date hired by the Service; (5) date of separation from the Service and the 

reason for the employees’ separation, where applicable; and (6) the disability status if 

reported by the PCES employee. We used these data to determine, among other 

matters, the average age at appointment to, and separation from, the PCES for each 

employee in the PCES during fiscal years 2000 and 2007 as well as whether these 

employees had reported a condition that constituted a targeted disability. 

Although we obtained data on the 1,826 employees in the PCES during fiscal years 

2000 and 2007, due to incomplete data, we excluded 239 of these employees from our 

analyses for two of our three objectives—the average age of PCES employees during 

fiscal years 2000 and 2007 when they (1) were appointed to PCES and (2) separated 

from the PCES. We excluded a portion of these data, as applicable, from our 

analyses to enhance the consistency of our reporting. The majority of these 

exclusions (230 of 239) involve the Service’s data for fiscal year 2000. The vast 

majority of these employees (218 of 230) were appointed to the PCES before 1990 but 

had separated from the Service at the time we requested the data. According to postal 

officials, the Service no longer has data on these employees’ date of appointment to 

the PCES because of a change in the agency’s data systems. We also excluded the 

remaining 12 PCES employees on board during fiscal year 2000 because, due to 

incomplete data, we could not calculate their entire tenure with the Service prior to 

their appointment to the PCES. According to postal officials, these employees 

experienced a break in postal employment and the Service’s existing data system 

does not provide complete data on the employees’ previous period of postal 

employment. Finally, we excluded 9 of the 867 employees in the PCES during fiscal 

year 2007. We excluded these employees because of incomplete data which also 

resulted from a break in their employment with the Service prior to their appointment 

to the PCES.

To determine the number of PCES employees on board at any time during fiscal years 

2000 and 2007 who reported a condition that constituted a targeted disability, we 

obtained and reviewed reporting codes used by the Service and the Equal 

Employment Opportunity Commission for the self-reporting of all employee 

disabilities and compared the codes to isolate those that constituted a targeted 

disability. We also reviewed available information on, among other matters, the 

difference between reportable and targeted disabilities; the purpose of reporting data 

 13Data in this report include 48 PCES employees in the Postal Inspection Service during both fiscal 

years 2000 and 2008, but excludes executives in the Office of the Inspector General and the Postal

Regulatory Commission. The data also exclude (1) employees who were paid at PCES wage levels, 

but are no longer employed in that capacity and (2) employees in acting PCES positions. 

Page 13 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
on employee disabilities; and past reports by GAO, the Service, and the Equal 

Employment Opportunity Commission on the representation of PCES employees, by 

demographic group. To report on PCES employees with targeted disabilities, we 

included data on the 1,826 employees in the PCES during fiscal years 2000 and 2007. 

Finally, we interviewed postal officials and performed electronic testing for obvious 

errors in accuracy and completeness to ensure the reliability of the Service’s data and 

determined that the data were sufficiently reliable for the purposes of this report. 

Because of the relatively small number of PCES employees affected by employment 

actions such as appointments to, and separations from, the PCES in either fiscal year 

2000 or fiscal year 2007, we generally reported employee data on each demographic 

group in aggregate form to protect the individuals’ privacy. For the same reason, we 

did (1) not report data on employees in demographic groups of less than three 

employees or (2) break-out data on employees in the Services’ officer ranks (PCES 

II). We conducted our work from August 2008 to January 2009. 

Two cautions apply when using data contained in this report. First, because we did 

not analyze the factors contributing to changes in the demographic representation of 

PCES employees, care must be taken when comparing changes in the demographic 

data. In addition, as noted in this report, data on the universe of PCES employees in 

this report differ from data in the Service’s fiscal year 2000 and fiscal year 2007 

comprehensive statements. According to these statements, there were 859 PCES 

employees as of the end of fiscal year 2000 and 748 PCES employees as of the end of 

fiscal year 2007.14 The number of PCES employees identified in this report are higher 

than those published previously principally because, for this report, we have included 

everyone in the PCES during fiscal years 2000 and 2007—not just those on board as 

of the end of each fiscal year. 

 14U.S. Postal Service, 2000 Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations (Washington, D.C., 2001) and U.S. 

Postal Service, 2007 Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations (Washington, D.C., 2008).

Page 14 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
Enclosure II: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments

GAO Contact 

Phillip R. Herr, (202) 512-2834 or herrp@gao.gov. 

Staff Acknowledgments 

In addition to the contact above, Kathleen Turner, Assistant Director; Heather 

Frevert; Amanda Miller; Minette Richardson; and Vasiliki Theodoropoulos made key 

contributions to this report. 

(546007) 

Page 15 GAO-09-255R USPS Diversity
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