Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-18
THE DISTRICT QUOTA
Continued from Eighth Page.)


hours day. AS the average salary of the
clerks in Washington is 81 $50 a year this
would mean a saving to the government of
over $SO0OOO a year for clerk hire.
Mr.. Harlow, in response to inquiries,
said there were about 5000 employees in the
customs and internal revenue service and
other miscellaneous services outside of
Washington. who work only six and half
hours a day.
"From information that has been received
at the commission at various times there
is hardly any question that there is con-
siderable abuse of sick leave privileges in
the service said Mr.. Harlow. ITO what
extent this abuse is carried L am unable
to say. as the commission receives no re-
ports from the departments relative to
this matter The application of the civil
service rules to the departments has had
the effect of greatly reducing the amount
OF absence on account of alleged Sickness.
Some years ago. before the application of
the civil service rules. one department pre-
Pared some statistics on this subject, and
the results were surprising. 1t was shown
that there was an extraordinary amount
of sick leave granted each year Cases
were not infrequent where employees were
absent continuously for several years with
pay on account of sickness. These abuses
led to the insertion in the appropriation act
of March 3. 1883, of a provision that the
total amount of absence with pay on the
part of an employe for any calendar year
should not exceed three months, which
includes one month annual vacation and
two months for sick leave in exceptional
and meritorious cases. l am of the opinion
that 10 per cent of the abuse of sick leave
privileges has disappeared since the enact
ment of the civil service law, but there is
still great room for Improvement"
Have any attempts been made by the
con- mission to check this abuse, and, if so,
to what extent has it succeeded?" Mr.
Harlow was asked.
Yes; the commission has had the ques-
t!on under consideration some time 1t has
had prepared form of efficiency report,
whereby the actual efficiency of an en-
ploye is to be determined, not by giving
him credit for good office habits in the
matter of punctualty. conduct, industry,
ETC., which are elements entirely within
his own control: but to charge him with
GelinqueEcies in these respects. and to con-
slider the kind of work, the quality of work
and the quantity of work upon which he
may be engaged, as well as the number of
days lie may be on duty each year, in de-
teImlning mis- relative efficiency. These
regulations have been adopted in two Of
the departments, and the commission I'M
derstands that the amount of sick leave
has perceptibly fallen off. the employees
know that absence in excess of the time
allowed by law for annual leave reduces
their efficiency ratings. putting them out
of line for promotion and perhaps in line
for reduction or dismissal. The commiss-
ions plan of rating efficiency is based upon
the theory that when an employe is absent
in excess of the time allowed by law for
annual vacation, the government is de-
prived of service to which ii is entitled.
and, accordingly, no efficiency rating is
given
Checking an Abuse.
What would be the estimated saving
to the government If proper regulations
were in force to check this abuse?'
1T is difficult even to approximate the
saving that would be effected by reducing
. .;zlr TIT,
that is, to grant sick leave only in cases
of actual sickness, as contemplated by the
law"
What regulations would you suggest
to check this abuse?"
Il believe that regulations similar to the
regulations that have been adopted by the
Post Office and Navy departments, with
sUch notifications as experience may sug
gest, will be effective in preventing the
abuse of sick leave privileges. In addition
to those regulations, which were formu-
lated by the commission, l would further
suggest that the commission be given au-
thority to call upon the departments annu-
ally for information in regard to the alb
sence of employees. Such information, in
MY opinion, together with other details
relating to the personnel of the service
ought to be published annually by the
commission III it's reports for the Informal
ton of Congress. 1t is only by having the
Information il convenient statistical form
that it be studied with view of i'm
proving the service"
Mr.. Harlow also thought it would be wise
ratings of clerks responsible to the COM
mission for the fairness ard accuracy of
such ratings.
Rating the Clerks Efficiency.
1T is almost impossible" Mr. Harlow
said, ito secure absolutely equitable eff
o.ency ratings when those who are charged
with the responsibility of making such rat
irgs are subject to the displeasure of high
Ell officials. when perhaps some clerk who
has brought sufficient influence to bear
endeavors 10 secure a higher rating than
is given him. Such cases. 1 am informed,
are not infrequent, and the chiefs of di-
vision, as 1 say. do not like to incur the
ill-wiil of subor dinates with influence or
jeopardize their positions by antagoniZng
their superior officers i'll rating the eff
cheney OF clerks If there vas board of
c2 amlners in each department, under the
sole control of the commission, charged
with the duty of determining the efficiency
OF employees, after conference with those
i'll charge of the various bureaus and d-
visions, and after personal investigation,
believe that the greatest good would re-
suit.
Il do not think there is a single officer
OF the government who does not look upon
the question OF efficiency ratings and pro-
notions as an annoying one, a thankiess
job, SO TO speak, and one which could
properly be invested in an Independent tri-
bunal like the civil service commission.
which would not be affected by the per-
sonal equation or the political or other in
1T ence, which has always entered SO
largely into the matter of determining the
littest persons for promotion. i would
recommend that steps be taken to give the
commission authority in the premises. SO
that certilications may be made for pro-
otlCns, reductions and dismissals, on the
same plan as they are now made for orig
lt:al appointment to the service"
business Methods Needed.
by applying to the business of the gov
eminent the same rules as far as practi-
cable that apply to business houses and
corporations throughout the country what
should the cost of the executive civil SER
vice be as compared with it's present cost
In other words what would be saved annu-
ally TO the people who pay taxes?"
The salary allowance for government Of
hcials and employees is $1UU,OOO,0OO annually.
Besides, the officials and employees control
the expenditure OF several hundred millions
more in conducting the business of the
government. The need of having thorough
business methods in every department of
the government Is apparent, when such an
enormous expenditure is involved In the