Postal Service Expects Only Five-day Cash Reserve in October

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) anticipates having only five days of operating cash on hand after making its annual workers’ compensation payment in October, leaving the agency with slim reserves in the event of an unforeseen downturn.

USPS spokesman David Partenheimer clarified Tuesday that the agency should be able to survive with a five-day reserve until the first quarter, when revenues for the agency typically begin to increase. “But no business should have to operate that way,” he added.

What happens if the Postal Service experiences an unexpected downturn?