Evening star., 1939-07-19
Civil Service
Conferees
To Meet
Nicely Is Hopeful
Of Agreement
On Retirement

House and Senate conferees prob
ably will meet tomorrow morning
in an effort to settle differences be-
tween the two bodies over liberaliz-
ing the civil service retirement law,
Senator Nicely, Democrat, of West
Virginia said today
Although there are a number of
important differences in the meas
ure as passed by the two branches.
Senator Nicely said he is hopeful
some agreement will be worked out
The House conferees will be led by
Representative Ramspeck, Demo-
crat, of Georgia. The disagreement
covers both age limits and rate of
employe contribution.
employees are classified into three
groups, according to the nature of
their vocations, with retirement age
limits as follows:
Compulsory retirement at 81, IS
and 10, respectively, for the three
groups; optional retirement after 80
years of service two years earlier
for each group. or so, 63 and 68.
AS passed by the Senate several
months ago, the Nicely bill did not
change compulsory age limits, but
made the optional age limits So, so
and g..
Two Groups Established.
The House bill, passed few days
ago. establishes two, instead of three.
compulsory age groups, IS and 10.
The group which now retires at 81
was brought under the 65-year re-
quirement. The House bill made the
optional age limits as follows:
At 60, after 80 years of service,
or at 81, after Is years. A new fea-
ture would allow optional retirement
at 55 after 80 years of service on a
reduced annuity.
The Senate bill would increase
the employe contribution from 3la
per cent to 4 per cent, while the
House bill would raise it to per
cent Under the House bill depart
ment heads would have the right
TO ask for the retirement of en-
ployeS who have reached the op-
tional age limits if. because of some
disqualification they are unable
longer to perform efficient work
The question of a widows annuity
continuing after the death of
retired employe also is included for
consideration.
Seniority Rule Urged.
Declaring that employees who en-
tered Government service by COM
petitive examination should have
preference for retention over those
who are blanketed under civil serv-
ice, E. Claude Babcock. president of
the Federal Personnel Association,
meanwhile, sent to Representative
Edith Nourse Rogers. Republican, of
Massachusetts, a plea for an amend
ment providing for dismissals by
seniority. when the House takes up
the Ramspeck bill
today urged Representative Edith
Nourse Rogers, Republican, of Mas
sachusetts. to seek an amendment
providing for dismissals by seniority,
when the House takes up the Rams
peck bill to give civil service status
to thousands of exempt positions.
If the bill should be enacted in
its present form. Mr. Babcock wrote,
1.-The President could authorize the
extension to many thousands of en-
ployes who were appointed through
influence the protection of the Civil
Service Act. In any subsequent re-
duction of force, present employees
of the civil service, appointed
through competitive examination
procedure, would be at a decided
disadvantage because of the abSo-
lutte discretion now given to indi-
vidual officers with respect to meth
DDS of choosing employees to be re-
leased in reduction of force.
Based on Ratings.
Under present law, reductions
take place in accordance with per-
sonal opinions exercised through the
use of the so-called efficiency or
service ratings.
With the best intention in the
world. employees who had enough
influence of one kind or another to
obtain non-civil service appoint
ments will have enough influence so
they will not be the ones in most
cases who will receive efficiency rat
ings low enough to be released in
reductions of force"
Mr.. Babcock, former secretary
of the Civil Service Commission,
made it clear that he was not ask
ing that incompetents be retained
solely because of length of service,
but he pointed out that there is
machinery for dealing with these
cases.