The Oregon state employee., May 01, 1946, Page 7, Image 7

5
motions received since September 1940.
Mr. Colman explained that each em­
ployee who was working for the state
prior to September 1940, and who has
received a promotion since that date,
will probably be exempt from an exam­
ination for his present position. Any
person advancing beyond his or her
present position will be required to
take an examination even if employed
before September 1940. Although the
promotion were made immediately, the
classification would be considered ten­
tative until an examination is passed
when the first such examinations are
given. It is not yet determined when
these first examinations will be held.
When a vacancy occurs in a given
department, examinations will be open­
ed first to qualified persons in the de­
partment’s reemployment list. These
are persons who have been laid off
because of lack of funds or work, and
not because of inefficiency. Second, the
position will be open to the state-wide
reemployment list; third, to the depart­
ment promotion list; fourth, to the
state-wide promotion list and finally,
to those outside of state employment.
Association members present were
glad to learn that the Civil Service Act
is now in effect even though all sec­
tions are not operative. For instance,
dismissals based on religious or political
prejudices are now forbidden by this
act. The Civil Service Commission may
order the reinstatement of any em­
ployee whom it can be proved was dis­
charged for these reasons. The Commis­
sion will recommend reinstatement of
employees unjustly discharged for other
reasons, but the department head is not
required to comply in these latter cases.
As soon as new job classifications are
established and approved by the Gov­
ernor, they will become effective. Those
sections which are not now operative
will be put into effect as soon as rules
ire formulated for enforcement. Mr.
Colman emphasized especially that
when the mimeographed copies of the
tentative rules are distributed, he urges
employees to read and discuss them and
to make their views known. He pointed
out that definite answers cannot be
given to all questions until these rules
are established.
Mr. Colman was asked whether civil
service will assure equal pay to women
who are doing the same work as male
employees. He answered that classifica­
tions are determined by the job per­
formed and not by the person perform­
ing the job. Therefore, equal pay for
equal work will be insured. All em­
ployees, male or female, will begin at
the minimum pay level established for
his or her classification. Present in­
equalities will not be automatically cor­
rected by re-classification, however, be-r
cause employees within a classification
will be receiving different wage rates
as determined by their seniority and the
quality of their work. Equalizations can
be made by the department heads in
line with a woman employee’s seniority
and the efficiency with which she per­
forms her work. "The policy of the
Civil Service Commission is to not do
its work in ah’ ivory tower fashion, but
to cooperate with department heads and
employees, taking advantage of all con­
structive criticism they have to offer.
The program will be simple, practical
and fair,” Mr. Colman summarized.
The Capitol Chapter invited members
of the Willamette, Library Building,
Agriculture and SIAC chapters to be
their guests for the evening. Floyd
Query, president of the Association,
was also among the guests. Other inter­
ested employees were invited through
the press. Members present were tre­
mendously pleased with the amount and
clarity of the information they re­
ceived regarding the Civil Service Act.
Mr. James Turnbull, Capitol Chapter
president, conducted the meeting. Mrs.
(Continued on Page 6)