Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-21
PERSONNEL BOARD
CITES VIEW ON PAY
Files Statement With Senate
ard House Civil Service
Committees.

In considering the pending legislation
t. correct inequalities in the WEIGH law
relating to Government salaries. Con-
lT71s s1ould clearly define the powers
Of the Personnel Classification Board to
allocate positions to the appropriate
grade and should also enable the board
TO bring about uniformity in those higher
grades in which some employees received
large increases as a result of the way
the WEIGH law was interpreted, the per-
sonnet beard contended in a long
r-@norandum Just filed with the civil
service committees of Senate and
House.
The memorandum reviews in detail
Chs differences of opinion which devel-
oped between the personnel board and
the Office of Controller General Nc
Carl when the Welch law was being put
into effect, and concluded by urging
passage of the bill sponsored By Repre-
sentative Lehlbach, chairman of the
House committee.
This bill contains the administrative
provisions which the Classification
Bo1rd deems necessary TO clarity its
authority over ALLEGATIONS and re-
Sllocations, and, as reported TO the
House, it also contains the additional
salary steps advocated by Senator Brook
hart for the purpose of correcting
inequalities among the lower grade
employees. 1t was stated today by an
official of the Personnel Board that
the Lehlbach bill with the Brookhart
amendments is satisfactory to the
hoard. After reciting the history OF
the Controller Generals rulings on the
Welch law and pointing Cut The diff
culties with which the Personnel Board
contends resulted from those rulings,
the board sums up its position in the
memorandum as follows
Board Gives Views.
How may this situation be remedied?
The board believes first that the prin-
ciple established by the classification
act in 1923 of vesting in one central
agency controlling authority over al
location to the compensation schedule
should be preserved by restoring to the
classification board power over alloca-
tons to the schedules as amended by
the WEIGH act. thus insuring the maxi
mum of uniformity in applying those
schedules. and, second. that position in
these upper grades, by virtue of the
Controller Generals decision, be made
by the board in such a manner as to
reduce the total annual rate of COM
pensation of the whole number of per-
sons in all of such grades by not less
than 100000. The board, Immediately
upon completion of the review of the
ALLEGATIONS herein directed to be made
shall certify their ALLEGATIONS to the
heads of the executive departments
and independent establishments. who.
within 10 DAYS after the receipt of
such certification. shall put such allo-
cations into effect"
It further provides that this proposed
legislation shall not operate to reduce
the rate of compensation any person
was receiving on June 80 last.
1t further directs that the heads of
the executive departments and indie
pendent establishments, who, pursuant
TO authority to adjust the pay of GER
tain civilian positions in the field sery-
ace to correspond as nearly as may be
practicable to the rates for similar
provisions under the classification act
OF 1928, as amended by the WEIGH
pay act, have made such adjustments
IN the field service, shall within 60 DAYS
after the enactment of this act readjtIst
The compensation of such of the field
positions as may be necessary to make
me compensation thereon in conformity
with the ALLEGATIONS herein directed for