Evening star., 1924-06-27
Protects Lower Grades

This IL was believed certain
quarters today viii operate the
benefit of employees in allowing bu-
reau and other official heads of gov
ernment units to strike as many
averages as they have units or ap-
propriations under them, thus prob
ably making for higher average
salaries
In answering another question
concerning the average" restric-
tion, the controller said: 1t would
seem TO be evident that the intent
of Congress was to prevent the
general use of funds estimated and
appropriated for the lower Salaries
of a class or grade to employ persons
in the higher salaries of said class
or grade In other words, by enact
ing the average provision il was
sought to prevent using the entiT"
amount appropriated Tor given
class or grade by filling, only the
higher salaried positions therein and
leaving the lower salaried positions
vacant.
Higher Grades Also Protected.
1T is contemplated by the average
provision that the positions created
under any lump sum appropriation
will comply with the requirement
thereof. whether the positions may
later be filled or vacant, except in SO
far as the express exceptions have
been Droyided If vacancies oC-
cur in the lower rates. which would
cal1se the average of the salaries OF
the persons in the remaining rates III
a grade to exceed the average OF the
salaries fixed for that grade under
the classified ton act, | am conStrain-
LalI no he. la
uuire the reduction or eliminate OF
the persons in the higher rates of the
grade pending the filling OF the va
cancies in the lower rates.
This part of the decision viii he
hailed with delight by government
employees.
The same decision. however. goes
on to say that the amount OF salary
of such vacant position could not be
used for the establishment OF addi-
tioLal positions of the highe- rates
which would further exceed the average
for the grade. ANY new adjust
ments of salaries, after the establish
ment of initial salaries on July /. 1924.
Inder the provisions % the clasSif-
cation act, within the limitations "t
the available appropriations, must not
violate the average PROVISIONS.
Question Comedian" Unit.
One of the novel questions pro-
noInded
one employe of an appropriations unit
in any grade, does the restriction
quoted so apply that that employc
cannot be paid salary greater than
the average of the compensation rates
specified for his grade?'
In answering this, the controller
held that there could be no aver
age" where there was only one per
son in the grade. and such one Is en-
titled to any compensation admins
tratively fixed within the minimum
and maximum of the grade"
Nothing in the classification act
the controller ruled, in answer to an
other question, could be interpreted
as "prohibiting an increase in the
number of positions estimated for
The creation of such positions, ne
held must be within the limit of the
total available appropriation and with
the approval OF the personnel cIdSSi-
fication board
All Reductions Provided For.
The Civil Service Commission asked
how averages in grade and grade IL
of the clerical, administrative and fiscal
service should be arrived at, to which
the controller replied in part: Bear
ing in mind that the average of all
grades established by the classification
act does not coincide with one of the
rates fixed therein, the average must
mean the actual mathematical average
OF the salary rates, and not necessarily
a sum which may happen to coincide
with one of the rates fixed for a grade
in the classification act"
Concerning reductions" the con-
troller held that the only ones au-
thorized were provided for under rule
CONTINUED on Page 2. Column q