Evening star., 1934-12-21
Would Change Efficiency
Rating Plan to Obtain
Better Results.
REPORT ON WORKERS
IN FEW MONTHS ASKED
System Would Do Away With
Fine Mathematical Distinctions
in Grading Employees.
The Civil Service Commission to-

The Civil Service Commission to-
day called for an improvement in per-
sonnel administration, in the interest
Of more efficient government.
Striking a new note, the commits
sion, in its annual report, proposed q
revision of its rules-by presidential
action-to tighten up probationary
appointment requirements.
Concurrently, a statement was Is
sued amplifying a section Of the re-
port forecasting change in efficiency
ratings in which it was explained
that the revision as now contem-
plated would do away with the in
volved mathematical formulae by
which employees are graded. Instead
they would be classed in general
terms, ranging downward from "ex-
cellent."
SAYS Probation Is Flexible.
On the probation question, the re-
port said:
There Is need to impress upor
employing officers that they must be
alert to secure efficient service If they
are to accomplish the results with
which they are charged, and that the
appointment in the first instance is
to be merely provisional and is to be
succeeded by practical scrutiny OF
the behavior and work of the proba-
tioner for a period sufficient to ascer-
tain whether he meets reasonable re-
quirements. The probationer need
not be kept for the entire six months
or the year (the optional terms Of
probation preceding regular appoint
ment) but only long enough to salts.
fly the employing officer that he is
not worthy of retention; and even II
the appointment has become absolute
he should be removed If found un-
suitable.
while the small percentage OF
those dropped during or at the end OF
probation would indicate that the pre-
liminary examination fairly tests
qualifications, the evidence is not con-
elusive, since employing officers may
be passive in not giving sufficiently
close observation of the habits and
work Of the probationer, and thus fail
to guard the service against retention
Of the incompetent"
To bring about the change it advo-
Gates, the commission asks that the
civil service rules be amended to pro-
vide that a definite administrative
report be made to it, one month be-
fore the end of the probationary pc
riod, upon the quality Of service rem
dered by the employe concerned, II he
has not been dropped earlier.
Given Long Study.
n connection with the proposed
change in the efficiency rating system
the commission statement supplement-
ing the report said that it had beer
under study for months by the COM
mission and the Council of Personnel
Adnlinistration-composed of person
mel officers in the various agencies
and that the tentative plan now would
be given an actual test in the de-
partments.
In doing away with the fine mathe-
matical distinctions heretofore used in
grading employees it is also intended
to wipe out the average provision. u
Under this a rating of employees in
different units of the same establish
ment was made to conform to a set
average, and the result has been, in
many cases, injustice to the more COM
petent workers whose averages were
brought down by those of their less
skilled associates.
The new plan, 1t Is emphasized
also would give supervisory officers
who were doing the rating a much
better opportunity to grade their stats
satisfactorily as they no longer would
have to be concerned with the differ
ent weights allotted a large number
Of elements.
Closer Contact Planned.
In connection with the efficiency
system change, it is also intended tc
provide for closer contact between
supervisors and employees, with more
attention given to remedying short
comings of the latter. This, the COM
mission says, not only will increase
efficiency, but will prepare the rank
and file for more responsible duties
The quality of supervision also will
be improved, it is emphasized.
A new efficiency system has long
been urged by Government workers
The emphasis laid on personnel
practices was the outstanding feature
Of the report.
As previously announced, the COM
mission is recommending that civil
service be extended to cover those
emergency agencies placed by law
In the patronage category, ito the ex-
tent that it is determined that such
agencies are to become established
branches of the Government"
The report shows that from June
so. 1888. to the same date, 1884, the
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