Evening star., 1941-05-14
Promotion System
Bill Reported by
House Committee
Drofed to Garry Out
Classification Act
Pay Increase Intent
Ey WILL p. KENNEDY.

The Budget Bureau bill to set up
uniform system throughout the
classified civil service system for
granting increases in pay at regular
intervals was favorably reported to
the House late Yesterday by the
Civil Service Committee. The bill
is the result of study by the Budget
Bureau at the recommendation of
the House Appropriations Commit
tee last year to make effective the
intent of the Classification Act of
1923.
The study covers 304 900 persons
in the Federal Civil Service but was
made before the blanketing-in pro-
visions, so that il nov would affect
more than double that number. The
estimated cost is about $4,000, 900 a
year for the next 20 years, after
which the cost would be "levelled
out through lapses
Stepups Provided.
In effect, the bill. provides that
those in the $50 to s100 increment
class Cthose whose salaries run up to
$4,000 are entitled to the next STEP
| up in grade every 18 months if they
nave an efficiency rating of good or
better; those in the 5000 class (whose
salaries run from SO 300 to Sc $500 or
in the $3.50 increment class Cwhose
salaries run from $500 to SO ,000) are
entitled to promotions every 30
months. In the $500 to SO 900 class
the promotion under present law
provides $500 increases. but the bill
reported yesterday proposes to cut
this into intermediary steps. so that
there will be five instead of three
jumps.
The House Civil Service Commit
tee made but one amendment to the
bill, which has been accepted by the
Budget Bureau representatives. This
affects Customs Service employees.
1t puts them under the Classical
ton Act and thus eligible for bene-
fits under the bill. There are sew
eral groups of employees in the
classified civil service which have
special laws covering advancement
and salary increases, most conspicu-
ouSly the Postal Service. The
amendment takes in all classes of
employees in the Customs Service ex-
cept clerks and laborers who are
now covered by separate system.
Seeks Uniform System.
Representative Ramspeck, chair
man of the Civil Service Committee,
emphasized that the proposal is not
a "Salary-increase bill' but is de-
signed to set up uniform system
covering promotions as recon-
mended by the Appropriations Com
mittee. When Congress passed the
Classification Act in 1923, it set up
various grades and rates of pay on
the theory that a person could start
at the bottom salary and gradually
work up. In operation, however, it
did not so work out.
Experience proved that many en-
ployes never had been able to get
the expected increases. while a few
were successful in getting substan-
tial increases. Some agencies, ap-
pearing before the Appropriation
Committee, were given money for
increases, but more were not.
rivalry between agencies being
created.
Another shortcoming was the re-
striction set up by the Appropriations
Committee, which was called the
average clause" It provided that
employees could not get a raise be-
yond the middle of the grade. This
kept the majority in any group un-
der the average and caused much
trouble for the Appropriations Com
mittee.