Evening star., 1920-02-17
RECLASS|F|ERS TRY
TO STOP INJUSTICE
TO THEIR CLERKS

steps were taken today by the joint
congressional commission on reclassi-
fication of salaries in the District to
prevent the penaliZation of its STAN
workers who were detailed from the
various government departments and
independent establishments.
1t has developed that while these
more than 100 men and women have
been at work for the past eight
months on the reclassification of
their 10000 fellow government work
ers, the reclassifiers themselves have
dropped out of their own organiza-
lions.
While at work for the recla ssifca-
ton commission. to which they were
assigned as picked men and women,
thcy have suffered with their own or
SaniEa tion. in some cases acutely. In
one instance, it is declared, an em-
ploye OF one of the big bureaus has
lost chance for advancement in his
own bureau, which has expanded con.
siderably since he was detailed to the
commission.
Thus this eMploye not only has lost
chance for advancement, but upon his
return to his bureau found that en-
ployes who were admittedly his junior
have gotten the promotions, while he
must be content with his old job.
Appeal to OMcials.
,, Members of the reclassification COM
mission, cogniZant of this situation,
have addressed letters Of appeal to ad
! ministrative officials Of the various
departments and Independent estab-
lishments, calling their attention to
the situation.
Unless the administrators heed the
request of the commission members,
the situation will exist of selected
men and women who performed the
, reclassificatio being the greatest Suf-
ferers of the reclas3ification. which it
is hoped Congress will set up as the
result of their work
These 100 men and women have
done the heavy work" of reclasSif-
cation. in one sense they being the
individual claSsifiers who attended to
the work for each separate service of
employees, of whom the commission
has formed more than fifty services.
Not only is the general situation
resulting called to the attention of
dividual case where penalization has
seemed to be suffered as the result Of
detail to the commission the specific
! details are called to the attention Of
officials by the heads of the reclassi-
| fication commission.
Commissioners Concerned.
Commissioners keating and Hamlin
| expressed Keen COnccTH tOudy OFcr
the outcome of the matter. each stas-
ing plainly that every proper step
should be taken to prevent any Pc
nelization of the workers concerned.
1t is admitted at the reclassihcation
headquarters that much credit for the
success of the work attaches to the
work of those government employees.
men and women. who were selected
to work on the reclassifcation COM
missions detail staff.
Selected for tl:eir ability to handle
detail. and for their acquaintance
with government affairs. the members
! of the detailed staff have had a hard
time of it, but have performed their
work in fine style, it is declared.
| No publicity was given by the COM
mission for many months to these
workers, because 1t was feared that
| if their names were given wide pub
licHy the workers perhaps would be
i bothered by individual appeals from
| federal employees throughout the va
rious departments.
Report Due in Congress March IL.
Now that the work Of the commits
being due in Congress March IL. it is
seen that these detailed workers may
! suffer a lasting handicap from their
work on the pay body, and steps ac-
cordingly are being taken to avert
any such untoward happening. 1t is
that the matter is up to the admins
trative heads of the departments and
/ bureaus. who. it is believed, will solve
| the proposition.
| QUESTIONABLE cards Of the detailed
| workers have been classified-by
| themselves-in the same manner as
the questionnaires of their fellow en-
ployes throughout the government
Service have been classified.
| Their proper standing in classifica-
ton, however, will not undo any
penalization they may have suffered
as the result of having been detailed
| to the reclassification commission, 1t
! is pointed out, and 1t is the hope of
| the commission that all such cases of
suffering, when realized, may be
| righted.