Evening star., 1933-06-16
New Deals for Federal Workers.

New Deals for Federal Workers.
The appropriations for the veterans
carried in the Independent offices ap-
preparation bill placed in temporary
eclipse other important provisions OF
that measure affecting the welfare OF
Federal employees. It may be interest
ing at this time to review some of them
as finally agreed to in the amended
bill, the enactment of which last night
made possible the adjournment Of the
extra session.
Foremost in interest to the govern
ment worker Is the new experiment in
"rotative" furloughs, the expedient
adopted to permit departments and
agencies to keep within their appropria-
tions without outright dismissal OF en-
ployes. The new law says, In effect,
that for the next fiscal year only, and
when there are more employees than
necessary for the amount Of work to
be done, the heads of departments and
Of the Municipal Government are au-
thorized to furlough officers and en-
ployes for such periods as may be nee
essary and to distribute "as far as prac-
ticable employment on available work
in such service among the officers and
employees in such service in rotation" 4"
In the old law the heads of depart
ments could give administrative fur
loughs"-as distinct from the now
abandoned Legislative" furlough-to
employees in the avoidance of outright
dismissals, but were advised that those
with the higher salary ratings should
be furloughed first. There is no such
advice given in the new law, but the
furloughs are supposed to be distributed
among all employees, without regard to
Civil Service regulations, up to period
OF ninety days. When furloughs ex-
ceed ninety days there must be COM
pliance with the regulations. But these,
in the end, do not amount to much
more than requiring written notice OF
separation from the Civil Service Com
mission.
The new law permits the President to
retire employees Of thirty years or more
service, regardless of whether they have
reached statutory retirement age. Those
retired will draw retirement pay, minus
the three and a half per cent which
must be collected annually until retire
ment age is reached. This Is better
than the original proposal of the Budget
Bureau, which would automatically
have separated all such employees from
the service, with the exception Of those
specifically retained by the President.
But the House would not agree to the
further modification, proposed by the
Senate, which would have permitted
voluntary retirement of thirty-year en-
ployes-a principle long desired by the
representatives Of organized Govern
ment workers.
Another important change made in
the bill by the conferees was in elimi-
mating, and rightly so, all reference to
the iniquitous quota" law when en-
ployes are to be selected for separa-
ton from the service. The House wrote
into the bill the provision requiring that
the unworkable apportionment law be
considered in making dismissals. This
would have resulted, II literally fol-
lowed, In discharging efficient employees
who had registered from some State
or the District of Columbia which,
under the apportionment of Offices law,
has more than its quota Of employees in
the civil service. The Senate made a
gesture toward remedy by providing
that efficiency, as well as apportion-
ment, should be considered. The con-
ferees chose the best way out Of the
mess by eliminating all reference To
quotas.
This administration has authority to
break down most of the protective fea-
lures Of the civil service. But the use
Of all this authority Is another matter
The President is not the man to take
advantage of such authority to the
injury of the Federal service. 1t Is
believed that Government employees will
find in the President friend and pro-
tector who will exert himself to the
utmost in the prevention of ruthless
disregard Of the rights Of efficient men
and women who entered Government
service with the intention Of devotine
their lives to 1t, and for whom the
changing tides Of politics have beer
minor incidents.