Evening star., 1944-08-08
Ramspeck Says
U. 5. Will Slash
2Mi||ion Jobs
Rules Governing
Postwar Separations
Are Revealed


Are Revealed
Dropping of 100000 civilian.
from the Federal payroll within
a year after the war ends wa.
foreseen today by Chairman
Ramspeck of the House Civi
Service Committee. At the same
time, the Civil Service Commits.
sion announced regulations tt
govern separations as reduc.
tions become necessary.
Recalling that executive agency
employment now totals 2,908, ,912, Mr.
Ramspeck estimated that postwar
cuts will bring the total down tc
about 100000. The 270,057 Federal
employees in Washington, he believes
will be reduced to half that num-
ber.
When the rearmament program
was started In May, 1910. the Gov
eminent had approximately 1,000,-
600 civilian employees, including 133,-
900 on the job here. Department
officials have estimated that the
postwar staff will be about 800, 600
Mr.. Ramspeck expressed the opin-
ion that Government workers would
be mustered out" of war jobs un-
der the same severance pay and un-
employment insurance benefits as
are provided for workers in war
plants.
Regulations Announced.
The regulations to govern the
reduction of force, the commits
sion stressed that this does not
mean that rehabilitation of Fed
eral employees, incident to termi-
nation of war is believed to be i'm
minent," and admonished workers
not to seek new jobs in the belief
that they face early dismissal.
The public interest requires that
every Government employe stick to
his job as long as he is needed" the
commission said. Where reductions
In force have to be made, due notice
will be given, and affected employees
will be given help in getting other
Jobs in the Federal Government or
in private industry"
Told to Prepare.
The commission also advised the
agencies themselves to take Meas
ures that will obviate heavy reduc-
tions when the time for postwar
demobilization comes.
Some of the measures which are
effective In avoiding reductions in
force are restrictions on new ap-
pointments, shifting Of personnel to
meet changes in work loads, and en-
couragtng employees whose services
can be spared to seek transfers" the
commission said.
1t was explained that the new
regulations are necessitated by en-
actment of the Starnes- -Scrugham
Veterans Preference Act, which for
the first time requires reductions
throughout the service to be made
uniformly. Heretofore. regulations
have been applicable only within the
service classified.
Wide Spread Urged.
AS was disclosed several days ago,
the commission Is insisting that
when reductions are determined to
be necessary, they be spread over as
large an area as possible within an
agency, to avoid the discrimination
that would occur If small groups
were cut out.
Reductions then will be made in
this order: recalled annuitants and
employees continued beyond the in
voluntary retirement age. temporary
employees, whose appointments are
limited to year or less; ''transitory"
employees, which includes personnel
without classified status, and war
service appointees, and finally, the
career or classified civil service
employees. Veterans preference, ef-
ficiency and length OF service are
other determining factors.
The right to appeal from reduc-
tons is limited to the career and
"transitory" employees, and to those
who feel their rights under veterans
preference have been violated.
Provide Priority Guide.
The new regulations also emhody
priority guide to fix the re-em-
ployment rights Of returning vet
erans and members of the Merchant
Marine, and of persons who trans
ferred during the war emergency to
positions in which their skills were
of more Use to the Government than
in their regular occupation.
This guide, designed to compose
the conflicts which the commission
said will result when employees start
returning, gives preferred status to
the career employees with statutory
restoration. unemployment or re-
tention rights. Next come the
"tranSitory" employees, exclusive of
those with war appointments, with
the same statutory rights Within
these two groups, those persons who
served in the armed forces have
priority over those from the Mer-
chant Marine
Employees without statutory rights
to their old jobs will be next in line.
Whether they are career or "transi-
tory" personnel, and have veteran
preference or not, will govern the
classification.
Field 10 HeIp Direct