The Oregon state employee., July 01, 1951, Page 16, Image 16

14
Personnel Clippings
Concern ís growing in Washington, D. C., over a worrisome paradox: Federal
"employees number two and one-half million, a five-year high; but expanding
defense-labor needs are siphoning trained government workers off at an alarm ­
ing rate. Latest estimate is that 1950’s half-million turnover figure may be
nearly doubled this year. Aside from money needed to train replacements, this
means snarl in operation, low, morale . . .
. . . One logical proposal offered by Civil Service Commission Chairman
Ramspeck: Treat federal employees as well as those engaged in private industry
as to salary, leave, training' working conditions, unemployment insurance, over­
time pay, career incentives—in short, all the things that have paid off for
private business . . .
. . . In Illinois, incidentally, the State Civil Service Commission reports
turnover among employees under civil service status was 10 percent last year;
among non-civil service workers, 36 percent . . .
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. . . In Oregon, the turnover among state workers for the fiscal year
1950-51 was 41 per cent for all types of civil service employees.
An interesting training program is under way in Kansas City, Missouri, for
employees who come in contact with the public in their daily work . . . City’s
Personnel Department holds group sessions, and by lectures and discussions
advises municipal employees how to get along with the “customer.” Included
in the- lessons: good grooming, good manners, telephone procedures, how to
answer inquiries and how to take criticism.
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Opinion researcher, Elmo Roper reports that when people talk about graft in
government “they usually do not have in mind literally millions of civil servants
who perform their duties without a trace of corruption.”
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On July 1, Hartford, Connecticut, placed all employees in the police, public
works< parks, and hospitals on a 40-hour work week. The pay of the employees
was not reduced but they did not receive a $150 cost-of-living adjustment that
had bean granted by the Court of Common Council to other employees.
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The Wisconsin Bureau of Personnel now accepts status as a professional
engineer or certified public accountant in Wisconsin in lieu of w ritten exam­
inations for positions at the Engineer III level or Accountant III level or higher
if there is nb question of competition involved. For several years this practice
has been followed in the medical services field.
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A survey conducted by the American Management Association reveals th at
salaries of personnel and industrial relations employees rose nearly 5 per cent
between early 1950 and 1951. The average pay of manpower managers is now
$8,581 as against $8,188 in 1950.
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On August 1, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, placed 62 over-aged city
employees on half-tim e work at half-tim e pay, with corresponding reduction in
sick and vacation leave. All of the employees involved were over 7 0 'but did
not have the necessary 25 years of service with the city to retire.
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During the last session pf the Minnesota legislature, the salaries of state
department heads were tied to the cost-of-living index. Their salaries will now