Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-16

the first decade Of this century, and
| the stability is greater in the depart
mental than in the field services"
U. s. Liberal in Leaves.
The experience of private concerns
with rating scales in selecting employees
for salary increases, the board found,
has not been encouraging, and several
concerns report that they have discon-
tinued them because of the difficulty
OF educating the supervisory force to
| use them properly.
Going further in the comparison of
Government and industrial salaries, the
| report said that the salaries paid by
| private concerns to their major ex-
ecutives exceed those paid by the Fed
eral Government to positions of similar
responsibility anywhere from 100 to
500 per cent.
The hours Of work in the Federal
service compare favorably with those in
general commercial practice, it was
found. except that the practice of not
working Saturday afternoons is more
prevalent in private industry. The
leave privileges in the Federal service
were said to be generally more liberal
! than those in private employment The
Civil Service requirements for employ
ment in the Federal service are more
exacting and thorough than entrance
| requirements generally for non-Gov-
eminent employment
The boards report summarizes and
recapttulates the results of the survey
OF salaries paid to employees in private
| industry which were first presented In
the preliminary report submitted in
February, 1929. It also deals with such
topics as conditions in the field service
the basic principles Of the classification
nf kHn nIa%T
classification Of positions and the fixing
Of salary schedules, the relationship OF
o classification Of positions to other per-
| sonnet and fiscal functions, the installa-
| ton and continued administration of
the recommended classification and
compensation plans, the factors enter
ing into wage determination the cost
of the proposed scales of pay, the prob
lens OF salary differentials, including
geographic and other differentials, and
the problems Of allowances for quarters
subsistence and other maintenance
| items.
Survey Recently Completed.
The new bill Is said by the board to
incorporate many of the administra-
tive features of the several acts deal
ing with classification" and is based to
q large extent on the findings Of the
board during its recently completed sur
vey of the field.
1T will bring about a uniform plan
for classifying positions" said the
boards summary, and paying employees
falling within its scope"
The board proposed that its recon-
mended salary schedules shall not apply
to positions the duties of which are to
perform or assist in apprentice, helper
or Journeyman work in q recognized
trade or craft, or to perform the work
OF skilled artisan or a skilled or I'M
skilled laborer, or to serve as an officer
or a member Of the crew of vessel
1t suggests that the rates OF pay for
these positions be fixed and adjusted
from time to time by the board so as
to conform. as nearly as is consistent
with the public interest, with the pre-
vailing rates for similar positions under
similar employment conditions in prl-
Vate establishments in the locality
where the work is performed, or. in the
case OF marine positions, where the en-
ployment Is made. The rates ere to be
determined by the board after appro-
pirate investigation Of prevailing rates
and provisions are made for making use
OF existing wage board organizations
and methods as far as practicable, for
consultation with the heads Of depart
mentS and COR the holding Of hearings
for the employees affected
The new bill would apply to both the
departmental and the field services.