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HANDBOOK
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for I JUN 3 1940"
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employees
FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY
WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Subject Page
Introduction Before 1
Foreword Before 1
General Recruitment 1
How Vacancies are Filled 1
Job Classification 2
Method of Classification 2
Appeal from Classification 3
The Appeals Board 4
Employee Training 4
Training on the Job 5
Service Ratings 5
Purpose 5
How Ratings are Made 5
Appeals from Final Rating 6
Promotions 6
Promotion Procedure 7
Notice of Job Openings 7
Transfers 8
Other Transfers 8
Terminations 8
Personnel Replacement Service 9
How the Replacement Service Operates 9
What Employees Can Do About Replace¬
ment 10
Active and Inactive Registers 11
Adjustment of Complaints 11
Unions 11
Individual Action 11
Negotiating Machinery 11
Employees' Relations 12
Work Problems and Grievances 12
Procedure 12
What the Officer Does 13
How Grievances Are Handled 13
Settlement 13
(X)
220029—40 1
II
Page
Welfare Service 13
Accidents 13
Sickness. 13
Compensation for Injuries 14
General Welfare—Health, Insurance 14
Group Hospitalization Incorporated 15
Group Health Association, Inc 15
Mutual Health Service of the District of
Columbia 15
Group Life Insurance 15
WPA Credit Union 15
Miscellaneous Information 16
WPA Organizational Chart After 16
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this handbook is to define, in
so far as it is possible, the policy and procedures
that are followed concerning those questions
and problems which arise from day to day in
connection with the working conditions of all
administrative employees on tjie Washington
staff of the Work Projects Administration. It
is intended to be of assistance as a guide to
clarify the work relationships of the staff.
Much of our policy is prescribed by laws
which are subject to change and to interpreta¬
tion by independent authorities. Within the
scope of our own jurisdiction, however, we can
initiate and develop a basic method of pro¬
cedures which will assure for the WPA the most
efficient and competent service possible and a
just consideration of the right of employees.
Such a policy must of necessity be modified
from time to time, because of forces outside our
control and because of changing conditions
within the WPA.
F. C. Harrington,
Commissioner.
May 1, 1940.
(HI)
FOREWORD
The Work Projects Administration is a
Federal agency which cooperates with state and
local governments in carrying out needed public
improvements and services, in order to provide
work and wages for the needy able-bodied un¬
employed. The WPA is a part of the whole
machinery of government. No other function
of government has a more worthwhile or socially
significant purpose than our Administration.
We are employed to carry out that purpose.
(V)
GENERAL RECRUITMENT
In the recruitment of new employees or the
promotion of workers from one job to another,
the primary factors are those which will pro¬
mote the building up of a staff adequately
qualified to perform satisfactorily the varied
and specialized technical or professional func¬
tions required by the service. Consideration of
religious, political or trade union affiliations
shall neither hinder nor advance employment
opportunities in the Administration.
How Vacancies are Filled.—When our work
requires the employment of one or more persons
to replace those who leave or for any other
reason, the operating procedure is as follows:
The job itself (including employee qualifica¬
tions) is described in writing and classified.1
After the job is thus set up, recruitment
begins. All candidates must possess the pre¬
scribed qualifications and are considered in
accordance with our general recruitment policy
from among several groupings in the following
order:
1. Present employees still in a pay roll status
who have been notified or are about to be noti¬
fied of their termination without prejudice,
and other present employees who are in grades
lower than the one being filled.
2. Former employees of the central office who
have been terminated without prejudice.
1 See "Classification" page 2.
(1)
2
3. Persons possessing a Replacement Serv¬
ice status, and active or former field employees.
Eligibles from the Replacement Service shall
generally receive priority over field personnel
except for those positions for which field experi¬
ence is a desirable prerequisite. In so far as it
is possible, certified 2 persons shall be given first
consideration.
4. Persons not eligible for Replacement but
with experience in the Federal Government.
This includes all project workers. Within this
group certified persons shall be given priority.
5. Persons with no previous Government ex¬
perience. So far as possible preference will be
given to applicants possessing veteran status.
JOB CLASSIFICATION
The administrative jobs in the WPA are now
classified as required by the amended Classifi¬
cation Act of 1923. This Act and the Civil
Service Law are two separate statutes. Classi¬
fication, therefore, does not mean in itself that
our jobs will acquire Civil Service status. The
Civil Service Commission, however, adminis¬
ters the Classification Act and must approve
the titles and grades now being established in
the Administration.
Method of Classification.—All jobs are de¬
scribed in writing indicating in detail the char¬
acter of the work, nature of supervision, respon¬
sibility in the producing unit, etc. The descrip¬
tion is sometimes written by the employee
occupying the job or (in case of a new job or
2 A person whose need and eligibility for employment
on projects of this Administration has been determined
either by an approved public relief agency or by the
Work Projects Administration.
3
a vacancy in which the job duties change) by
the Administration. The Classification Unit
then, starting with the written job description,
commences to classify the job. In the process
a thorough analysis of the functions is under¬
taken. Classification investigators may appear
in the affected unit to discuss the job and they
may compare it with others in the WPA or
elsewhere. Investigation findings are reviewed
by the Classification Officials who also consult
the Civil Service Commission,* after which a
classification of the job is made. Classification
automatically designates for each job, the serv¬
ice, grade, class, position title, and salary range
including the minimum, maximum, and appro¬
priate wage steps therein. The classification
process operates impersonally. A job, not a
person, is classified. Eventually, every job
will have attached to it the written minimum
qualifications that are required by the Admin¬
istration of those who ever hold the job.
Appeal from Classification.—An employee, or
the administrative division concerned, may ap¬
peal from the classification allocated by the
Classification Unit. The procedure in appeals
is: A written appeal must be prepared by the
employee or division involved on a form ob¬
tainable at the Personnel Office. After the ap¬
peal form is properly prepared, it is returned
to the Personnel Office. The following steps are
then taken: The Classification Unit is informed
of the appeal. The job is examined or checked
to discover whether it has changed since classi¬
fication. If no job change has occurred, the
3 The Civil Service Commission has designated its
own representatives officially to advise and assist us
with the initial classifications.
220029—10 2
4
appeal is referred to the Appeals Board. The
Board schedules a hearing and so notifies all
parties concerned.
The appealing employee may or may not re¬
quest witnesses to appear at the hearing. Such
witnesses may be union representatives and/or
anyone else concerned with the job. All such
witnesses are invited by the Board to partici¬
pate in its hearing on the case. The Board also
may summon witnesses.
The Appeals Board.—The Board is made up
of members representing the Classification Unit,
and advisers from the Civil Service Commis¬
sion. The chairman is from the Employees' Re¬
lations Unit of the Personnel Office. The pro¬
ceedings are recorded and a verbatim transcrip¬
tion is made.
The Board transmits the record and recom¬
mendations of all appeals to the Commissioner
of the WPA for final action. The employee
and division concerned are notified by the
Appeals Board in writing of the Commissioner's
decision and the case is closed.4
EMPLOYEE TRAINING
The Administration assumes responsibility for
a limited amount of employee training. Such
training is to enable employees better to adapt
themselves to their assignments, to increase
their efficiency in immediate tasks and to
acquire new skills for related work. The pur¬
pose of this policy is to continue work standards
* This appeal machinery is not to be confused with the
Appeals Board of the Civil Service Commission. The
procedure described here indicates a method of appeal
from one WPA authority to another and has no official
relation to the Civil Service Commission.
5
of the WPA at a high level and to increase
opportunities for employee's promotion in the
WPA and for transfer to employment elsewhere.
Training on the Job.—Practically all jobs offer
in themselves training possibilities for higher
grade functions. As an employee masters the
technique of a job and adapts himself to the
work at hand, he undergoes an experience
which may train him for additional and more
difficult accomplishments. The Administra¬
tion necessarily provides instruction, super¬
vision, and methodology. The process cannot
be a one-sided affair. It rests for the most part
on the attitude of the employee, his potential
capacity and the opportunity he has to learn
while on the job.
SERVICE RATINGS
Service ratings of employees are made peri¬
odically. The method is that of the Civil
Service Commission and employs the same
form used by all Federal Agencies operating
under the Classification Act in the District of
Columbia.
Purpose.—The purpose of service ratings is
to provide an impersonal and unprejudiced
record of the work progress a worker makes on
his job. It is to serve both the employee and
the Administration as a guide to training, and
as a means to improve work performance and
output. There is no mystery about the rating
process.
How Ratings are Made.—Employees are
rated by a designated supervisory rating officer
attached to the production unit familiar with
the employees' work. Each rating is considered
6
under three major subdivisions: Quality of
Performance, Productiveness, and Qualifica¬
tions Shown on Job. The final rating score is
determined by a consideration of the job as a
whole. The initial rating is reviewed by
another rating official attached to the produc¬
tion unit. The last step in the process is a
review and final rating by the division chief.
The employee is then notified of his rating
score by the first rating officer. Upon request,
the rating officer will discuss with any employee
concerned the final rating score and make avail¬
able for his examination his rating form in its
entirety.
Appeals from Final Rating.—An employee
dissatisfied with his rating may appeal for a
different rating to the administrative officer in
his division. If a satisfactory settlement of the
issues cannot be made through the division
administrative officer, the employee may appeal
further to the Central Personnel Office, pro¬
vided:
(a) The appeal must be in writing.
(b) The employee and his administrative
officer must have attempted to settle the case.
(c) The appeal to the Central Personnel
Office must be made not later than thirty (30)
days after the employee has received his service
rating.
PROMOTIONS
The Administration will maintain a policy of
promoting employees from the ranks to jobs of
higher caliber. The volume of promotions is of
necessity restricted by the limited size of the
WPA and by the employment opportunities in
the general labor market which affects normal
7
turnover; it is further conditioned by the
education and work experience of all employees.
Promotion Procedure.—As has been indicated
in the section of this handbook dealing with
Recruitment, current employees are considered
for job vacancies or new openings in the
Administration before formerly employed or
outside candidates are recruited.
In this process the central Personnel Office
examines the personal file8 of the currently
employed possible candidates for promotion.
(All employees have been requested to file with
their personal history record a work preference
on the I. B. M. Personnel Information Sheet
(form 64) which is obtainable at the Personnel
Office.) The affected employee is then inter¬
viewed by the staff of the central Personnel
Office. The final selection is made by the
employing unit from a number of candidates
nominated by the Personnel Office. This pro¬
cedure is applied on an agency-wide basis;
employees may be promoted in their own or to
another division.
Notice of Job Openings.—All openings of jobs
on the administrative payroll of Washington,
except those of a policy making character, will
be posted on official departmental bulletin
boards. The notice will contain a description
of the job and the minimum qualifications re¬
quired of eligible candidates.
Simultaneously with the job opening the pro¬
motional policy described above automatically
6 Employees should keep the Personnel Office posted
concerning new skills or additional education, etc.
Forms designed for that purpose are obtainable from
supervisors.
8
begins to operate. However, any employee
having the required qualifications may apply for
the job in writing to the Personnel Office.
TRANSFERS
The Administration will cooperate with em¬
ployees whenever possible to facilitate their
voluntary transfer from one WPA division to
another and to other Government agencies or to
private employers; provided that such transfer
does not adversely affect the WPA.
Other Transfers.—An attempt will be made by
the Administration to initiate the transfer of all
superfluous employees to other jobs before ter¬
mination takes place and during the process of
separation.
TERMINATIONS
When reduction of staff becomes necessary
because of curtailment of work or for budgetary
reasons the following procedure is followed in
the termination of employees: The rule of sen¬
iority is the major factor whenever it can be
applied without obvious injury to the Adminis¬
tration. Service ratings will also be considered.
Exceptions to this policy are cited below. Sen¬
iority is measured by original date of employ¬
ment on the administrative staff of the WPA or
its preceding organizations in Washington minus
any time when separated from the payroll and
time on leave without pay for period of 30 or
more consecutive days compared with all other
persons in the same class within designated
units. (Examples of class are: Assistant Clerk
Stenographer, CAF 3 or Statistical Clerk, CAF
4, etc.)
9
Exceptions to the seniority rule are:
Any termination required by present or future
laws such as the Hatch Law,6 state quotas, etc.
Termination of employees with veteran pref¬
erence status.
Termination of employees with an established
inefficiency record.
Termination of employees for any dismissive
cause.
PERSONNEL REPLACEMENT SERVICE
A Personnel Replacement Service is main¬
tained by the Work Projects Administration.
It operates to facilitate reemployment of em¬
ployees who are separated, without prejudice,
or who resigned in good standing from agencies
of the executive and legislative branch of the
Federal Government in Washington, D. C.7
All agencies in the executive branch of the
Government using non-civil service or emer¬
gency employees have been directed by the
President of the United States to use the Per¬
sonnel Replacement Service in the recruitment
of new personnel in Washington, D. C.8 Dur¬
ing the year 1939 there were 2005 persons
placed in jobs by the Personnel Replacement
Service in the District of Columbia.
How the Replacement Service Operates.—
When employees of the WPA are separated
without prejudice their names and occupational
characteristics are automatically recorded on
the replacement list of the Replacement Service.
• An act to prevent pernicious political activity.
7 Employees must have been employed a minimum
of thirty (30) consecutive days at any time subsequent
to September 1, 1935, and must now reside in the
vicinity of Washington.
8 Budget Bureau Circular No. 349, July 9, 1939.
10
As calls come in from all agencies using the
Service, candidates for jobs are selected accord¬
ing to their occupations from the list and
referred to the employing agency for job place¬
ment. WPA employees are not given pref¬
erence (except for openings in our own Ad¬
ministration) by the Employment Service, but
they are included with others on the register
for reemployment consideration.
The Personnel Replacement Service is guided
by the incoming requests for employees from
the interested agencies concerning the quali¬
fications of applicants, number sent for job
interview, type of worker, etc. Ordinarily,
three or more candidates are sent by the
Replacement Service to all job openings.
The selection of candidates is made by the
employing agency.
What Employees Can Do About Replacement-
Ail WPA employees eligible for replacement
should check their status periodically (once a
week) with the Personnel Replacement Service.
Factors of importance are: Proper address,
telephone number, and notice of any change
in same. When job openings come to the
Replacement Service, its office tries immediately
to contact eligible candidates by telephone and
secondly by mail. Wrong phone numbers or
changed addresses at this point often mean
loss of job interviews.
Adequate occupational information should
be recorded with the Replacement Service.
An employee's work record here may not show
all of his occupational equipment. Employees
themselves must see that they are properly
registered.
11
Active and Inactive Registers.—As persons
registered with the Personnel Replacement
Service are placed in jobs, their names are
removed from the files. They are transferred
to the inactive file if they cannot be located
by telephone or mail. Periodic surveys are
made by the Service to keep its register active
and up to date, but all persons interested should
themselves see to it that they are properly
registered so long as they want replacement
service.
ADJUSTMENT OF COMPLAINTS
Unions.—The right of employees to organize
or join unions of their own choice is taken for
granted. The Administration will recognize
such employee organizations for the purpose of
adjusting complaints or for the discussion of
personnel policy in behalf of their members.
This means an employee choosing to do so may
be represented by the accredited union in the
adjustment of work problems with the Ad¬
ministration.
Individual Action.—The Administration rec¬
ognizes the right of employees to adjust com¬
plaints on an individual basis. This means an
employee may represent himself in the adjust¬
ment of his work problems with the Adminis¬
tration.
Negotiating Machinery.-—The method now in
use to deal with, employees' work problems and
which is described in the following section of
this handbook under "Employees' Relations"
operates impartially in so far as union and non¬
union action is concerned. In utilizing the
machinery of the Employees' Relations Unit,
12
employees, without any direction from the Ad¬
ministration, may or may not be represented
by the union. The employees themselves make
the choice.
EMPLOYEES' RELATIONS
The Administration has established authori¬
tative machinery in the Personnel Office to
handle work problems and grievances of em¬
ployees. The purpose of this procedure is to
clarify and to adjust problems which arise
around employees in the performance of their
work. The Personnel Section maintains an
Employees' Relations Unit to carry out this
purpose.
Work Problems and Grievances.—A work prob¬
lem affecting employees may arise from a mis¬
understanding concerning the policy or function
of the WPA, physical conditions at the point of
operations, or through the work relationship
attending supervision, and among general staff
employees themselves. A grievance can grow
out of a minor work problem or it can originate
from other reasons.
Procedure.—When an employee has a ques¬
tion in his mind that is related to his work or to
the WPA as a whole the employee may consult
the Employees' Relations Officer for an answer
to that question. If an employee has a prob¬
lem, a complaint, or a grievance that is related
to his work or to the Administration, he may
also take that matter up with the Employees'
Relations Officer.
The employee may attempt to settle his
problems with his supervisors or his division
administrative officials before the Employees'
13
Relations Unit is consulted or he may initiate
discussion and negotiations directly with the
latter.
What the Officer Does.—The Employees' Re¬
lations Officer may not be able to answer all
questions or solve all problems, complaints and
grievances satisfactorily to the employees but
he can initiate the operation of the Administra¬
tion's machinery which disposes of such matters.
How Grievances Are Handled—Some griev¬
ances are settled by the Employees' Relations
Unit through discussion and negotiations be¬
tween the parties concerned in an informal
manner. Others require formal hearings at
which the employee and administrative officials
involved discuss the issue, present data, wit¬
nesses etc., to clarify the facts. A verbatim
record of such hearings is made and becomes a
basis for settlement of the case.
Settlement.—Ordinarily, complaints are ad¬
justed by the Employees' Relations Unit but
those which it cannot settle to the satisfaction
of the employee may be appealed by the em¬
ployee to the Assistant Commissioner's Office,
and from there it may be taken to the Office of
the Commissioner.
WELFARE SERVICE
The Administration maintains a Welfare
Service to protect the health of employees.
Accidents.—Persons injured on the job are
given first aid treatment and if necessary are
hospitalized by the Public Health Service
through our Welfare Service.
Sickness.—The Welfare Service also gives
medical first aid to employees who are ill; it
14
gives health consultation to such employees
and when necessary puts the employee in touch
with his own physician or upon request recom¬
mends physicians.
When employees are absent from work
because of sickness, their employing unit
reports such absence to the Welfare Service.
After two days of sick leave9 the affected em¬
ployee is visited by a registered nurse attached
to the Welfare Service. The Welfare Service
maintains emergency rooms in the Walker
Johnson Building, Temporary Building, and in
the Auditorium. These rooms are staffed by
registered nurses with equipment to meet
emergency situations.
Compensation jor Injuries.—In case of injury
sustained while in the performance of duty an
employee may be entitled to assistance under
the United States Employees' Compensation
Act. Employees so affected may have the
service of a compensation officer in our Admin¬
istration. There is a posted notice concerning
this subject in all our office buildings. Em¬
ployees should familiarize themselves with its
contents and act accordingly.
GENERAL WELFARE—HEALTH, INSURANCE
Employees of the WPA are eligible to partici¬
pate in various beneficial welfare organizations
which function in Washington. The organiza¬
tions operate on a monthly payment plan.
Fees may be paid by members to designated
collectors attached to our offices. The organ¬
izations of this nature that solicit membership
in the WPA are:
9 Or on the first day if requested by the employee.
15
Group Hospitalization Incorporated.—The serv¬
ice of this organization is to provide hospital care
for individuals and families.
Group Health Association, Inc.—This organ¬
ization's program is for "the prevention and
cure of illness and improvement of health of
Federal workers in Washington." It has a
service for individuals and families.
Mutual Health Service of the District of Colum¬
bia.—This organization provides medical service
to groups of individuals and families whose
salaries fall within certain specified limits.
Group Life Insurance.—The WPA Employees
Beneficial Association was organized by the
employees. Its purpose is to provide "life
insurance at a minimum cost." All employees
of the WPA (and other eligible Government em¬
ployees) between the ages of 15 and 60 years
may apply for this insurance. The policies
carry from $1,000 to $5,000 insurance.
The insurance you obtain through this Asso¬
ciation does not terminate if you leave the WPA.
It may be continued in force by paying the
regular association rate.
WPA Credit Union.—A Credit Union, oper¬
ating under Federal charter, has been organized
by administrative employees of the WPA in
Washington for their benefit. Its function is
to promote thrift by installment saving, making
loans to members at reasonable rates of interest,
and helping members use their savings and
credit most effectively.
The Credit Union, Life Insurance, Health and
Hospital Organizations are represented by des¬
ignated members of our staff and each group
issues literature which explains in detail their
16
services. For further information consult the
Personnel Office.
Miscellaneous Information.—This handbook
does not pretend to contain all the information
employees need to know. For instance, it is
assumed that employees are familiar with their
sick leave and annual leave privileges and such
items as starting and quitting time of the regular
work shift. Questions concerning tardiness and
leave without pay, etc. can easily be cleared
with unit supervisors and administration offi¬
cers of the divisions.
We have omitted also reference to employee
recreational activites. The administration does
not sponsor or participate in the management
of these activities although the employees do
so and frequently advertise them throughout
the WPA. Notices on various bulletin boards
carry information concerning the above and the
Employees' Relations Officer will attempt fur¬
ther to answer your questions about any mat¬
ters which are not now clear to you.
u. a. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1940
FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY
WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
THE COMMISSIONER
DIVISION OF
INVESTIGATION
DEPUTY COMMISSIONER
DIVISION OF
INFORMATION
ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER
ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER
ENGINEERING
DIVISION
Municipal
Engineering
Building
Construction
Highway k
Conservation
Airways k
Airports
Engineering
Surveys
PROJECT CONTROL
DIVISION
Reports, Sta¬
tistics &
Records
Supply-
Project
Application
DIVISION OF
EMPLOYMENT
Intake and
Certification
Assignment
and Wages
Labor
Relations
Labor Appeal
k Review
220020—40
(Face p. 16)