Evening star., 1944-11-16
Personnel Reduction
Orders Are Clarified
BY Civil Service

The Civil Service Commission to-
day ordered that race, religion and
politics be eliminated from consid-
Grafton when the lessening OF the
war efforts calls for reduction In
the Federal force.
Revising the regulations issued
August 5 to govern the order in
which the inevitable personnel cuts
must be made, the commission said
that mo discrimination shall be
exercised, threatened or promised in
any reduction in force against or in
favor of any. employe because of
race or his political or religious
opinions or af1iliations"
In an explanatory statement the
commission said that this prohibi-
ton supplements the standard civil
service antidiscrimination rule
which applies only to employees in
the classified service. Because OF the
newly enacted veterans preference
law, separation regulations must
be applied uniformly throughout
both the classified and unclassified
service, instead OF only in the for
mer, as previously has been the
case.
Intended to Clarity.
The revised regulations, the COM
mission said, are intended simply
ito clarity and simplify the rules
originally promulgated. 1t empha-
sized that there is no change in
the fundamental provisions" of the
earlier regulations, requiring due
weight to be given to tenure of en-
ployment, military preference,
length of service and efficiency
ratings, in prescribing the order of
dismiSSalS.
There is no implication in the
issuance of revised regulations that
immediate or early reductions in
force are expected because of a
cessation of hostilities," the commits
sion said However, the commits
sion feels that 1t Is necessary to
plan ahead and to have the regula-
tions Immediately available when
they are needed"
Under the revised rules, employees
will be retained according to an "A"
"B" and &C" ranking. Top priority
will 90 to those serving under per-
manent or indefinite appointments,
or whose present service in war;
service positions is a Continuation
of permanent or indefinite ap-
pointment. Next will come those
serving under war-service appoint
ments, either by original appoint
ment or by return to the Govern
ment service after a definite break
in Government Service-more than
80 days. Last in order-and first to
go-will be those whose appoint
ments are limited to year or less;
who are serving on a when-actually-
employed basis, or who are beyond
automatic retirement age.
Four Sub Groups.
Within each of these retention
groups are four sub-groups, who will
be kept on in the order specified.
At the top are preference employees
Iveterans-with efficiency ratings of
good" or better and then in order:
Nonveterans with efficiency ratings
of good" or better; preference en-
ployes whose ratings are lower than
good" and nonpreference employees
likewise rated. A temporary SUBJ
group, A-l-plus, is provided for vet
Grams and former merchant seamen
in their first year after restoration
to permanent or indefinite civilian
positions.
The revised regulations continue
the requirement. that reductions be
made uniformly throughout a unit
or combination of units-unless the
civil service permits an exception
in order to forestall the possibility
of selective reduction resulting in
discrimination, and perhaps the loss
of highly efficient employees.