Evening star., 1942-01-09
Rating System
For. u. 5. Pay
Raises Revised
Civil Service Lists
81 Factors for
Marking Employees

Marking Employees
The Civil Service Commission to-
day revised the efficiency rating sys-
tenn in an effort to get a better line
on the work of the thousands OF
employees whom it affects and at the
same time admonished supervisory
officers responsible for the marks to
"allow sufficient time for making
your evaluations SO that the rating
will reflect careful deliberation and
sound judgment"
Employees are rated annually un-
der the system, which has taken on
added importance now that the
marks determine if individuals are
to receive the periodic pay raises
provided by the RamSpeck-Mead
Act.
The revised system provides for
more particularization than hereto
fore Under the plan being revamped
after six years usage. employees were
rated on about 20 elements divided
under three Enthusiastically Of
performance, productiveness and
Qualifica tiOnS shown on the job
each Of which was given equal
weight. The new system introduces
81 elements on which to gauge the
work of employees, but they are rated
only on those which have a direct
bearing on their work.
Nav AHI Nthar Ea
For example. a junior clerk-typist
now is marked on maintenance of
equipment, skill in the application
of techniques, presentability of work,
attention to- pertinent detail, ac-
curacy OF operations, industry,
amount of acceptable work produced
effectiveness in meeting and dealing
with others, co-operativeneSs, de-
pendability and physical fitness for
work. If there are other factors
which supervisory officers feel war
rant special mention, these also may
be graded.
The dual system Of rating-adjec-
tive and numerical-is followed, al
though there has been rearrange-
ment of the numbers. Excellent"
now is one; very good, two or three;
good, four, five or six: fair, seven or
eight, and unsatisfactory is nine.
The numbers hitherto ran from one
to 10 in each of the three main
divisions.
Under the new system. admins
trat officers receiving more than
$500 annually will get efficiency
marks. This is due to the fact that
the pay law takes care of all per-
sonnel up TO the $4,000 level. The
field services also will be rated for
the first time.
disputes Up to Committees.
The mechanical aspects of the
rating system will be unchanged and
consequently there will continue to
be in each agency efficiency rating
committees to pass on marks that
may be disputed by employees, before
they are taken before the appeals
boards being set up in each agency
under the Ramspeck civil service
extension law, and to assist In de-
veloping the rating systems.
In evaluating the work Of en-
ployes, administrative officers will
decide whether it is outstanding"
''adequate' or weak" under the in
structions issued by the Civil Service
Commission in connection with the
revision. Outstanding" work is de-
scribed as that distinctly better
than what would be expected, after
q reasonable period of training, of
q fully competent, qualified, accept
able employe in the same kind and
level of work" Adequate" III
effect. is average and weak" sub
average.
An employe whose services are
outstanding in all respects is in line
for an excellent efficiency rating"
the commission explains. "An en-
ploye who is outstanding in a ma
jority of elements or factors and has
no serious weaknesses in perform
ance is entitled to very good rat
ing. An employe who is adequate
in most elements and is outstanding
enough to compensate for those in
which he is deficient is entitled to
good rating. Below these there
are levels of fair where weak
nesses are not compensated by
strong points, or unsatisfactory
where weak points are the deter
mining factor in the rating"
rating of good" is the minimum
for benefits under the Ramspeck-
Mead Act.
Ratings as of March 81.
Ratings are to be given as of
March 81 yearly, and are to be
ready by July l, the commission says.
Five general principles are set
down to guide administrators who
are told to make sure that uniform
standards are applied in giving eff
cheney marks; that you have net
been influenced by purely personal
considerations" and that the marks
accurately reflect the work of en-
ployes over the entire year, and are
not simply based on isolated in
stances of success or failure"
Supervisors are instructed also
to see that employees understand the
rating system. and where there are
differences Of opinion over marks
that have been given" do not let the
discussion become argumentative
Employees are assured of receiv-
ING deserved recognition for their
efforts if periodic, careful, deliberate
and unbiased ratings are made" the
commission emphasizes. This sar E
point was MADE by the House App y
priations Committee last month IN
making the initial appropriation fer
the promotion plan.
The commission was assisted by
representatives of mot agencies
serving on the Council of Personnel
Administration in revising the sys-