Can Post Offices close the front desk for lunch?

If they have only one person, then keeping it open would be an illegal practice, because they are required to allow employees to take a break for lunch (and shorter breaks to go to the bathroom, etc.) every day.

If they have more than one person working there, then it would be better for them to go to lunch at different times, so that the desk doesn't have to close completely.

No post office has a staffed front desk 24-7. However, some have an Automated Postal Center, which is essentially a glorified postage vending machine that allows you to send boxes at any time, even if no one is working there.

It's probably more illegal, if it's a small place, to not allow the workers a lunch break. Here in the UK, it used to be perfectly normal for small shops to close for lunch, and early closing one day a week was normal! Longer hours and not closing for lunch is something new in my lifetime, and I'm only ten years older than you :)

IF it is a one person "station", then it will be closed for lunch. It is illegal for an employee to work a full shift without a lunch break. It is NOT illegal to close while the person is on lunch.

Since you now know that they close for lunch, arrange another way or time to send your package.

Some do close, if they only have a small staff. But usually the hours are mentioned on the door and are the same every day.

Yes they can close for lunch.

around here they are closed even when they are open. that is probably why they are losing millions every month.

Short answer.... yes.