Evening star., 1962-09-04
THE FEDERAL SPOTLIGHT
Queries on Hatch Act Answered
For U. S. Employees in Politics
BY JOSEPH YOUNG
Star Staff Writer

BY JOSEPH YOUNG
Star Staff Writer
With the election season no
tar away, the Civil Servict
Commission today supplies an,
swers to Federal employees quer,
les on the Hatch Act govern.
ting their political activities.
Question: May a Federal EN-.
ploye participate in a registra.
ton drive conducted by a politi-
cal party which is not carried
out on behalf of specific candi-
dates?
Answer: Yes, with certain
qualifications. If the Federal
elnploye is engaging in regis
tfation activities for the pur-
pose of encouraging the regis
tration of voters on a partisan
political basis, such activity
would violate the Hatch Act.
The employe must see to it
that his role in the drive is
wholly non-partisan in char
aeter and that he impartially
registers voters for the party
OF their choice without at
tempting to influence the in
dividual being registered.
General Restrictions
Specifically. an employe COW
cred by the Hatch Act cannot
run for any office as q parti.
san candidate or campaign fol
any partisan candidate or en-
gage in any partisan political
management. BY partisan can
didate is meant one represent
ing q National or State political
party such as the Democratic
or Republican Party. He may
not run for office, even as an
independent, in an election in
which partisan political desig-
nations are used, unless he lives
In one of the communities to
which the Civil Service Com
nilsson has given partial ex-
emption in connection with his
local government.
Question: Does the Hatch Act
apply to part-time Government
employees who have no regular
tours of duty?
Answer: Yes, 1t applies to
them on any day they perform
work for the Government, and
this includes the entire 24-hour
period of any day worked.
Question: The Civil Service
Commission enforces the Hatch
Act for the competitive civil
service. Does this mean that
employees holding excepted po-
sitions (outside the competitive
civil service) are not subject tc
the act?
Answer: No. Excepted en-
ployes are subject to the act
but in these cases the employ
ing agency is responsible fol-
enforcing it.
Question: What employees are
prohibited by the Hatch Act
from active participation in
politics?
Answer: Employees of tn e
executive branch of the Fed
eral Government and the Gov
ernment of the District Of Co.
lumbia. including temporary
and part-time employees. The
political activity of employees
Of any State or local agency
whose principal employment is
in connection with a Federally-
financed activity is also re-
stricted.
Question: What is the PEN
atty for violation of the Hatch
Act by a Federal employer
Answer: The most severe
penalty for violation is removal
The minimum penalty is sus-
pension without pay for 80 days
Question: Please explain for
employees affected by the Hatch
Act just what their RESPONSE
bilities and rights are under
the act.
Answer: They have the right
to vote and to express their pol
itical opinions, but are forbid
den to taken an active part in
partisan political management
or in partisan political cam
paigns. In connection with Fed
eral employees right to vote, the
Commission emphasizes that
political-activity restrictions do
not relieve employees of their OBJ
legation as citizens to inform
themselves of the issues and to
register and vote.
Question: May a Federal en-
ploye serve as an election Of
ficer?
Answer: Yes. provided that in
doing so he discharges the du-
ties of the office from an i'm
partial manner as prescribed
by State or local law, except
that he may not become a can