Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-17
RY WILLIAM {. DEFINING,
President, United States Civil Service
Comm sSiOD

Filling 40 900 vacancies in the Fed.
eral Civil Service with qualified work
ers in a wide variety of occupations is
the annual task of the United States
Civil Service Commission. Approx
mately that number of appointments
are necessary each year to fill vacan-
cies caused mainly by death, resigna-
ton. removal or retirement.
Those who are appointed must not
only meet the mental and moral sta nd.
ards prescribed, but they must be in
proper physical condition as we'll
The appointment of persons with
communicable disease might prove a
menace to other workers. Certain de.
fects render applicants unfit to per.
form the duties of some occupations.
or they might be aggravated by work
or be likely to result in injury to the
employees having the defects or to
their fellow workers. Injury In line
of duty would result in claim against
the Government under the provisions
of employees compensation acts. The
importance of thoroughly investigat.
ing the physical condition of each APP
plicant for Federal employment is.
therefore, obvious.
Executive orders issued in 1923 and
health and efficiency in civil service
and Of minimizing claims under EN-.
ployes' compensation acts provide
for a general system of physical ex.
amlnations before assignment to duty.
These orders direct the United States
Public Health Service and other
branches which have medical staffs
to assist the Civil Service Commits.
sion by giving physical examinations
10 prospective Government workers.
From the beginning OF the competi.
tive examination system. applicants
Tor certain positions have been re.
CURED to undergo physical examina.
tlon. but before 1928 it was not prac.
ticahle To undertake such a cOmpre.
hehsiVe program as that contemplated
by the executive orders mentioned.
The new procedure makes IL posi-.
bic to guard against entrance to the
service of persons who are in any way
physically unfit by giving each apDli.
cant physical examination before as.
Segment to duty. This examination
Is IN addition to the medical certifica
tlOn required in some cases, and the
sworn statement regarding physical
condition ry1uired I'm all cases prior to
admission to examination. BY the
physical examination before employ.
ment the prospective employees ar,
protected against assignment to duties
not in keeping with their physical
limitations and have the benefit of
the disclosure of any existing physical
abnormalities or defects
The Government is given the bene.
Mt of record of physical condition al
the time of employment---a very i'm.
portant record in case n compensation
claim is filed later. Clearly this pro.
cedure is an advantage to the appli-
ant as well as the Government.
Persons who have physical handi-
caps are not necessarily excluded from
/ all civil service examinations. The
physical requirements for entrance to
examinations are governed In each
case by the nature of the work for
which the examination Is held. In
mechanical trades and similar 20.
sitiOnS. degree of robustness Is CON
sidered of such Importance that it
enters into the rating of competitors.
In clerical positions. on the other
hand. good health regardless Of muscu-
lar development or minor defects will
suffice
In Xaminations in which physical
! ability is given a definite rating or
where the work is arduous, applica nts
are required to furnish medical GER
tincate executed by "A duly qualified
! physician at the time of examination
Members of the medical profession
! are conscientious in assisting the com.
mission In its endeavor to enroll only
physically fit persons for Government
employment. One physician, after an
swering all questions in the medical
certificate with infinite care. wrote III"
| following under Remarks: Il have
! examined this man very thoroughly.
+ The only thing ! can find wrong with
! him Is that he Is bald.headed."
The President has authorized. on
! the recommendation of the Civil SerN.
{ Ice Commission. an amendment to the
| civil service rules which permits the
commission to exempt from the physi-
cal requirements established for any