Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-19
British
Offices.

British public service employees
0#o., of England are better
situated than those OF the
United States. The government ofnces
are comnodious and centrally located,
| and are well adapted to the uses to which
they are put. Though many of them are
old, they are kept in good repair. and
while in some instances lacking in mod
ern conveniences, such as express ele-
vators-"lifts' in British Parliamentary
are nevertheless good workshops. There
are no such rookeries in London as those
in which some of the government work
Is done in this city, nothing comparable
with many Of the rented buildings for
which Uncle Sam pays large sums an
nually for small measure of accom-
Owing to the comparatively small num-
Der of workers, there is little or no con-
gestion in these. offices. In many cases
the clerks are allotted Individual rooms.
It is rare to find more than half dozen
in one apartment. The rooms are Kept
well, with little or no cluttering up with
filing cases and document boxes. And
quiet pcrvades all the public service Of
fees in London. Neatness is a rule ;;
The British government clerk reports
for duty at from o to 10 o'clock accord
ing to his station, the greater. number
reaching their, desks at 10. He works
until or 3. more frequently the former
hour, though some stay at their desks
until after o'clock ~
There is no hard and fast rule for
coming and going" said an official or one
of the government bureaus in London
I'VE have our work to do and we do 1t
regardless of the clock We may finish
at o'clock and We may not finish until
Z. Some of us, of the higher grades,
work often at night. because we have
~;-1. OH hot
time rather than the day because we
can work better them
The average hours in London are short
er than those in vogue here. The form
..z- of rule requires all officials
Shorter to. attend for not less than
seven hours day, but they
~"oA0' are allowed half holiday
on each Saturday regardless of the season
of the year. provided the head of the de-
partment is satisfied that the progress of
the public business will not be thereby
prejudiced. Attendance books are kept
in every department to report the times
of arrival and departure of. the employees.
A standing regulation fol!bids any Off
Ger taking part in the nIanagen Mt. OF
any society or bus ness company requir-
ing his attendance at any time between!
10 am. and pm. The clerk has
lunch hour varying according to his Off
cial standing, and he is also given d
sufficient. time in the afternoon to take
tea, especially If his work keeps h IN at
bis desk after o clock. The national tea
habit is much in evidence in the govern
ment service in London. Every af err
noon at about o'clock there Is a notic e.
able slackening of official energy. Mes
sengers go scurrying about WITH trays
hearing teapots and hot water ewers and
plates of toast and cakes and bread and
butter. The tea Is sometimes served
from Kitchens maintained inside the office
buildings and again is sent in from out
side
An instance of the surrender to the tea
habit by the officials in action is display
cd to u visitor to 1.-The, London county
council. the members Of which retire at
the sacred hour In squads of two and
three TO little a coves back by the chair
mans forum. under the press gallery, and
there enjoy their third repast of. the day,
while Keeping one car open to the pro-
eeedinss and freauentlS Fastening forth
TO take part in the debate.
X
The annual leave of the government
clerk in England ranges from two to SIX
weeks, according to grade.
vacation Certain officials, drawing
p,.;,,;,, the higher salaries, are
Aii'i-cSoe' SVEN yearly vacations of
thirty-sx week days for the first ten
years of their service and forty-eight
week days afterward These leaves are
exclusive in all cases of Christmas day,
Good Friday. the kings birthday and
bank holidays. Thus the leave allow
ance for the clerks i'm the middle and
higher grades is more generous in Eng
land than in this country.
Any government clerk is entitled to sick
leave without loss of pay up to six
months After two days of continuous
absence certificate by physician is re-
CURED stating the cause of the absence.
II the number OF days absent without
such a medical certificate shall exceed
in the aggregate seven in one year. the
excess of days beyond seven Is deducted
from the amount of the ordinary annual
holidays, If medical certificate is given,
however, the sick leave does not affect
the ordinary leave. Continuous sick leave
on full pay is allowed for six months.
and at the expiration of the half year the
head of the department may at his dis
erection grant further leave on half pay
for another six months. Should "A clerk
be absent for twelve months on account
of sickness he receives no salary except
by the consent of the treasury, which
may. in special circumstances, allow pay
ment to All officer during any further
period of sick leave at u rate not eX-
for which the officer would have been
qualified at the expiration of twelve
months sick leave In other words, the
clerk may be absent on account of sick
ness for half a year on full pay and for
another half year on half pay, after
which he may be granted, as d special
privilege. his pension rate of pay for an
indefinite period. When the sick leave
granted to any clerk i'll the aggregate
amounts to twelve months In Il period of
four years or less. and it is desired to
grant him any further sick leave, the case
Is referred TO the treasury for special
consideration.
In point Of fact. i'll all matters relating
to pay and privileges the treasury makes
the deciding ruling. While
Treasury much that affects the
clerks status Is fixed by
Occluos. law-or rather by orders
in council which have the fleet of law
there remains a considerable range of
Jurisdiction for the treasury itself, whose
rulings are final. Yet this does not signify
that the clerk holds his position at the
will of any authority other than the one