The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-03-28
Standardization of Rules Gov
erning Civil Service Employees
Rv BILL PRICE.


II 10 fitting that the National Federation Federal
ployes should attempt to bring about Standardization
of rules and regulations affecting workers the service
of the United here and elsewhere Such
Standardization wisely and properly done would work for
the welfare and of civil service employees and
at the same time greatly benefit the Government itself in
making for satisfactory conditions and improved efficiency
Control of the personnel at present hodge
podge of the Those entering through the Civil
Service Commission remain longer under that body except
their eligibility to transfer and other technical que
tions involving civil service laws and regulations Lney pass
into the hands heads and subheads who them
personnel management and control by the
Bureau of Efficiency Then these may be added the Per
sonnet Classification Board which establishes the classes
employees belong and the salaries they shall get The
Redistribution Board again looms in the efficiency ratings
that determine whether they can remain their classes De
promoted denoted dismissed.
Here you get picture empoye passing
through series of supervisory urnses and coming ouhe
There utter lack of cooperation miles Of
tape confronted with all sorts
leave sick leave etc. enforced by executive chiefs.
Logically the organization which brings applicants into the
through examinations which knows something of
educational qualifications their character recommends
tions and their easshould also be
organization questions of efficiency class
cation etc. not lodged in the administrative and
executive heads There mighty little sense In three or four
different organizations falling other in controlling
Government personnel Between all such
of red that bureau chiefs and others in managerial capac
tiles hardly know what to do or how to do
all confusing conflicting and upsettng that there is
the discomfort existing Government
workers who find themselves hauled and pulled from one side
the other and hecored by organizations and petty
bosses who suddenly raised to positions OF import
change in the White House and Congress.
Next into the picture matters of working conditions
including annual leave and sick leave Some and
bureaus fairly liberal with employees In annual and sick
leave permitting them to have full thirty days of annual leave
and whatever sick leave to thirty days. the workers may
have found actually necessary to take
There is however woefu lack of unanimity these
things bureau officials restricting both annual and sick
them The law annual and sick leave does not make
these mandatory but gives the executive heads of the Gov
eminent the right to grant this privilege Unwritten custom
decreed employees entitled annual
leave and to much sick leave they deserve
There "hard-boied officials in Government bureaus
and departments who ought to be Oremen in sweat shops
There charge of the personnel of large bureau in
ten days SICK leave each year no matter now Ill they may
have been he knows everybody does that there have
been gross abuses of sick leave privileges by employees but
proceeds to that all workers dishonest The
suit that employees under him who may be stricken with
prolonged and serious illnesses refused the benefits the
law conempaes they shall have The law even
that in of this kind executive heads allow much
longer than thirty days sick leave with pay Where there are
lnhuman slave driving officials OF this kind, who consider
neither merit worthiness honesty there is discomfort
that does the Government good
AS to the actual working conditions Of Government employees
there be doubt of the wisdom of going to Congress
to bring about corrections The President has in his power
uniformity departments This uniformity could
be enforced through interdeparnenal commission com
posed of executive heads Congress is the body
correct abuses by passing comprehensive that clearly
defines what shall be done and naming supreme personnel
body settle disputed questions Once this question thrown
into Congress- however there will be the usual
of Government employees having cnches and Sinking
their duties An attempt would be made to reduce annual
and sick leave, and efficiency experts would tell
Congress just should be done and how the
Is losing money it is
Regarding the Civil Service Commission the Efficiency Blu
the Personnel Classification Board and all the other
agencies that get in each others and thereby cumber the
efficiency of the real workers of the Government Congress
should all place
ONE organization dealing with personnel from beginning to
end and which will eliminate thousand and red tape
rules that cloud the whole civil service atmosphere Diffusion
of is all right if it doesn't result in confusion.