Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-28

Continued from First Page)
to new grades CAF-l2 and P-5, leaving
the new grades CALI and PA vacant.
Further, the descriptions of grades CAT
10 and P-3 have not been changed and
consequently, according to your ruling.
positions now properly all0cated to
those grades would remain there. ANY
new positions created after July must
be allocated in accordance with the
amended schedules. Some of these, say
positions x and Y, will be more i'm
portant and difficult than those in
grades CAF-i0 and p-3, but less i'm
portant and difficult than those in
grades CAF-12 and P-5. Certainly in
making ALLEGATIONS of x and Y the
board must give effect to the grade de-
Scriptions in the intermediate grades
CAF-ll and IL and Pa and S. make
distinctions between them, and allocate
x and Y to either CAF-l1 or Pa. But
heretofore positions falling within the
same range of difficulty and Importance,
that is, between CFA-10 and P-3 on the
one hand and CAF-12 and P-5 on the
other, we're aliocated to CAF-11 and
Pa, and, by virtue of your decision, they
viii have moved up into CAF-l2 and
P-5 on July next. The board will
thereafter be under the necessity of
either allocating x and Y to CALL or
PA in the face of the fact that similar
positions are found in the higher grades
CAF-l2 or P-5. thus violating cardinal
principle of the classification act that
there should be equal pay for equal
work. or Of allocating x and Y TO CAT
IL and P-5, thus leaving CALI and
PA permanently vacant, and giving no
off fn laa CT RI
Scription of those grades
%. The determination of the proper
ALLEGATION of a position is discretion
airy function Of the board. The power
OF the board to review its decision in
any case, and IL 1t found as a result of
such review that 1t had erred in judg-
ment or that 1t had acted without all
the facts, to change the ALLEGATION either
upward or downward, has not been
questioned. If department heads are TO
have discretion to determine the grade
for the higher positions, may the board
thereafter review the departments de-
cision in the same manner as 1t now re-
Views its own decisions and change the
ALLEGATIONS either upward or downward?
If not, may the department thereafter
change the grade OF any such positions
at will? May the incumbents of the
positions appeal to the board and secure
modification of the departments de-
cision?
So What is the duty of the depart
ment after July l with respect to re-
porting the facts as to duties and grade
changes to the board?
THE questions thus presented will
be considered in the order stated and
are answered as follows:
a. The effect Of the Welch act, Is
unquestionably to leave the new grades
PA and CAF-ii, created by the amend
ed statute, vacant temporarily, as said
grades have entirely new descriptions
Of basic qualifications not found under
any existing grades under the original
act. But this situation is limited to
these two grades by force only Of the
| statutory requirements for these grades,
| whereas 1t would appear your board
contemplated IN Its recently issued cir
| cular that all grades above Pa and
| CARLO should remain stationary-~that
! u.s. as they were under the classification
act Of 1923-until your board could
| receive submissions and make alloca-
| lions under the new act Of May %,
! 1928 An entirely contrary intent APP