Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-08
PRAISED THE CLERKS
Tribute to the Treasury De-
partment Employees.
SOME FIGURES SHOWN
INDICATE THAT SICK LEAVES
ARE NOT ABUSED.
Testimony of Appointment Clerk Ly-
man Before House Civil Service
Reform Committee.

At a hearing before the House committee
reform in the civil service this morning
Mr.. Charles Lyman. appointment clerk of
the Treasury Department, formerly head
of the civil service commission, paid high
tribute to the faithfulness and efficiency of
the government clerks of Washington MIR.
Lyman thinks that the general effect of the
civil service law is unquaifedly good, and
he declared that he could suggest no
amendment that would improve 1t. Mr.
Lyman favors a retirement system, but be-
ieves that the only pensions should come
from contributions of the civil employees.
He does not believe in the government pro-
viding the funds necessary for such a sys-
tenn.
Mr.. Lyman gave some very interesting
figures on the subject of leaves of absence
and sick leaves as computed among the
employees in the Treasury Department. He
stated that he often heard remarks made
that all government employees take the full
limit of sick leave each year, and that as
matter of fact the extent of sick leave each
year is as great as the annual leave allow
ed by law. Mr.. Lyman said there are some
cases of persons claiming to be i'll in order
to obtain leave, but they are few. The
treasury Department Is further guarding
itself against any fraud in this respect by
physician. These visits, he explained, were
not made in any offensive manner. but mere
~ Tor the purpose of obtaining facts. Last
year, after hearing the sta tements made in
regard to the manner in which sick leave is
taken advantage of, Mr.. Lyman decided to
get at the facts in the case and find out
Just to what extent employees have taken
the leave. The results of his figures are AS
follows:
Sick Leave Not Abused.
Among the male employees of the Treas
ury Department. the average leave of alb
sence taken was twenty-seven days Mr.
Lyman explained that the law really al
lows about thirty-four days of absence, be-
cause Sundays during the period of leave
are not counted. Each employee is entitled
to thirty working days leave. Among the
men the average absence on account of
sickness was As days per man. Pay was
lost for overtime sick leave on an average
of 0s of day per man. The total time
away from work afnongjthe men averaged
32.6 days, whereas5thesl legal allowance is
siXty-four days. H. n
Among the femaie employees the average
leave of absence was IS.5 days, while the
average On account of-sckness was eight
days per capita The loss of pay for ex-
cess absence among the women was 10
days. The total absence among female en-
ployes during the year was 3S.4 days per
capita. The average absence for both sexes
was 34.6 days per employee. Mr.. Lyman
stated that this absence is almost exactly
what the law allows for annual leave and
shows that the sick leave is not abused to
the extent generally imagined. He declared
that the officials of the treasury depart
ment think the record presented by these
figures is very good one.
Representative, Gillett, chairman of the
committee, asked Mr. Lyman if the en-
ployes who did not take the fun amount of
their annual leave were required to stay in
the city. Mr.. Lyman said no, that the leave
IN fhnir
part. Their work was in such condition
that they preferred to stay in town and
finish it rather than go away.
Mr.. Lyman said he thought ii would be
in the interests of the service If all the en-
ployes should be required to take thirty
days leave of absence each year Many
do not do SO. Speaking for himself Mr.
Lyman said he takes only about two weeks
each year.
Chairman Gillett asked if it was not a
fact that it was the heads of departments
not taking the full amount of their leave
that gave such good average in the state
ment presented by Mr.. Lyman Mr. LYMAN
SAID that the heads of departments had not
oeen included in the list at all, that 1t re-
1erred only to employees
Mr.. Lyman stated that the total pumbar
OF employees under the control of the Treas
ury Department, including subtreasuries
ana mlnts' etc. scattered throughout the
country, is 23.S
Retirement of Clerks.
He was asked If he thought a retirement
law would improve the service He replied
that it undoubtedly would, but he wanted
to say emphatically that more than one
half of the employees in the treasury fifty
years old and above are among the most
efficient men in the service They have
been there for years and are thoroughly
trained in their duties. Their efficiency is
in no way lessened by age but is rather
increased The time will come. however,
when they Will deteriorate, and then there
should be some way by which they could
be cared for.
AS the law now stands Mr.. LYMAN SAID.
there are only two ways of treating super
animated employees, and no way ito care
for them" One of these is to reduce the
compensation and give the clerk less ex
acting work. The other is to separate them
from the service when incapacitated fol-
further duties. Mr.. Lyman said he be-
lieved in a system of retirement on an
nuities provided by voluntary contributions
on the part of civil employees, these con-
trbutions to remain voluntary offerings
until such a time when Congress can pro-
vide some scheme requiring those appont-
ed hereafter to contribute regularly to suco
a fund. In this connection Mr. Lyman
stated to the committee that there Is orc
clerk in the Treasury Department ninety
years of age who is doing excellent work
and is as regular i'm attendance as the
youngest man in the service.
Voluntarily Remain Over Time.
Referring to the character of the clerks
in the department, In general Mr. Lyman
said there were many who looked upon the
government work as their own. Even since Q
the new 43O o'clock order has gone into
effect these men will remain at their desks
from a half hour to an hour overtime each
afternoon in order to get out work that is
their desks r.
When asked if these Jtnen were allowed
any special privileges he replied that they
were not but that when promotions are
made the disposition of these clerks to work
without regard tot departmental hours is
always taken into consideration.
Mr. Lyman remarked that there is an
other class of clerks, large number of
Them who do their work in a perfunctory
manner They come to the Office promptly
each morning, work diligently during the
day, but are ready 40 QUIT promptly at 30
o clock each afternoon. Mr.. Lyman
likened them to mechanics working under
the eight hour law. who lay down their
too,s +ba instant thd. WbtStl lie blows