190. Immediate reports, in duplicate, of temporary appointments shall be made to the Quartermaster General on Q. M. C. Form 485 (through the district secretary when the position is under the "district system"), and shall show the appointee's name, position in which appointed, salary, station, date, reason for employment, and authority therefor, and whether selected from a register or not. Such reports, when transmitted through department or depot quartermasters, should be made in triplicate, the extra copy being for the files of the office through which transmitted.

191. Extension of temporary job appointments beyond the period originally authorized must have the prior approval of the commission or the district secretary (the request, by letter, therefor to follow the same channel as for original appointment), except that when such temporary appointment was originally made for three months under prior authority of the commission or the district secretary, or from a register of eligibles, the appointment may be extended for a further period not to exceed three months, by reporting the extension by letter as soon as made, through the proper channel. Extension of job appointment beyond six months shall not be made without prior approval of the commission obtained through the proper channel. Authority for extension may be granted only when there are no eligibles available for the additional period or when the circumstances are unusual and seem to the commission to justify it, and then only for the purpose of completing the job of work for which the person was originally employed.

192. A vacancy occurring in the classified service in the Philippine Islands will be filled as provided in the foregoing paragraphs or by appointment from eligible lists and under the rules of the Philippine civilservice board, unless it is decided to fill the vacancy by an enlisted man of the Quartermaster Corps.

193. An agreement on Q. M. C. Form No. 127 will be made in all cases where civilians are employed for temporary service (not classified civil service) in the Quartermaster Corps of the Army in any capacity in connection with troops in the field. The original agreement will be forwarded direct to the Quartermaster General on the date of signing, the duplicate given to the employee and the triplicate sent with transfer papers of employee when he is transferred. Three copies will be made, marked "Original," "Duplicate," and "Triplicate."

The agreement is as follows: 1. I, the undersigned, .

...

in the Quartermaster Corps, United States Army, and to perform such other duties in the Quartermaster Corps when not on duty as as may be directed by proper authority, at a compensation of per ..........., for such length of time as my services may be temporarily required under the conditions below stated, which are made a part of this agreement.

2. Pay to begin on date of leaving place of hire here below given, under orders from the Quartermaster General or other authorized officer of the Quartermaster Corps, and to terminate at the conclusion of service at place of duty. The United States to furnish transportationin kind from place of hire to......... and in lieu of subsistence to make an allowance of three dollars per day and for a fractional part of a day at the rate of one dollar for each eight hours or part thereof for necessary time en route.

3. Ifon discharge the employee desire to promptly return to place of hire, the United States to furnish returntransportationin kind to place of hire and to pay in further compensation (in addition to wages due at discharge) a lump sum not in excess of an amount equal to wages and per diem travel allowance, as above, for such time only as would be necessary, under normal conditions of travel over the shortest usually traveled routes, to make the return journey: Provided, however, That such transportation and compensation shall apply only in case the discharge occurs after the expiration of . from the date of the begin

ning of service hereunder, or sooner if for the convenience of the United States on account of services being no longer required or on account of sickness not due to misconduct.

4. Transportation for return to place of hire is not to be furnished nor any amount to be paid in addition to accrued wages when termination of this agreement is due to resignation prior to the time indicated in paragraph 3 hereof, to sickness due to misconduct, to unauthorized absence, to refusal to perform service, or to other insubordination or misconduct.

5. A written discharge, stating the reason for discharge and showing the date of conclusion of actual service, the last payment made, and what amount, if any, still remains due under the agreement is to be given to the employee on termination of service.

6. In case of injury or death please advise (name)..

(address)

7. Subscribed at

(relation)

194. Upon entering into service, persons employed as masters, mates, engineers, assistant engineers, and oilers will be required to make report on the form furnished by the Quartermaster General at the time of hire and forward it to the Quartermaster General of the Army with both historical record and declaration of appointee. The reports referred to must show name in full, date of birth, present position and salary, name of boat, description oflicenses held, if any, and the following information concerning all positions previously held in the Quartermaster Corps, namely: Position, name of boat, date appointed, date relieved, and monthly pay.

PROMOTIONS AND EFFICIENCY RATINGS.

195. In obedience to instructions of the War Department of July 8, 1904, that for the present the number of clerks in each grade above the entrance salary be no greater than the number that was at the date in each grade for the whole of the Quartermaster Corps of the Army (except when clerks are transferred from the Philippines under par. 217), no recommendations for promotions in the clerical force will be considered by the office of the Quartermaster General except when a vacancy exists in the grade to which promotion is proposed, unless the case is an extraordinary one justifying a departure from this rule. This rule obtains in the War Department in Washington, and while in some cases it may appear to be a hardship, it is necessary to prevent extravagance in compensation of the clerical force.

196. All promotions in the classified service should be made in the order of merit as established by the last semiannual efficiency report, subject to such examination as may hereafter be ordered under civilservice rules; provided, that any person entitled to promotion under the terms of this order who shall become markedly inefficient or be guilty of any serious misconduct after the preparation of the last semiannual efficiency report shall forfeit the right to promotion, and the same shall accrue to the next eligible person on the list.

197. In grading employees, clerks should not be graded with inspectors or mechanics, but each class of employees by itself.

198. Employees who fail during any six months to attain an efficiency rating of 70 per cent will be regarded as deficient in their respective classes and subject to regrading, and will, in the discretion of the chief of bureau or office, be reported to the Secretary of War for reduction. All who on two consecutive reports fall below 70 per cent in efficiency will be invariably reported for reduction. All who on two consecutive reports, fall below 60 per cent in efficiency, or below 50 per cent in either application, habits, or ability, will be reported for discharge.

An employee to be reported for reduction or discharge under this paragraph will first be informed in writing of the intention and reasons therefor and allowed a reasonable time in which to subunit his reasons as to why he should not be reduced or discharged.

199. Each employee whose name is borne on the semiannual report will be furnished, after the report is prepared, a transcript from same, showing his efficiency rating and lineal number (relative standing in class).

200. All changes in the relative standings (lineal number in class) of employees from the preceding efficiency report will be reported on W. D. Form No. 20a. These reports will be attached to the semiannual reports.

201. The first deck officer of an Army transport was granted leave of absence without pay and it was proposed to fill the "vacancy" by temporary promotions from the lower grades. Section 12 of the sundry civil appropriation act of August 1, 1914, provides:

"That it shall not be lawful hereafter to pay to any person, employed in the service of the United States under any general or lump-sum appropriation, any sum additional to the regular compensation receivedf for or attached to any employment held prior to an appointment or designation as acting for or instead of an occupant of any other office or employment. This provision shall not be construed as prohibiting regular and permanent appointments by promotion from lower to higher grades of employments."

Held, that the first officer while in the status of absence on leave without pay was still in the transport service and that so long as he remained in that status a "temporary promotion" of the second officer could not be a promotion to a vacancy, but in effect a designation of the second officer as acting first officer, and that as the object sought was to give the lower officer the higher pay the prohibition of the statute would apply. Held further, that temporary promotions are not prohibited by the statute where vacancies exist (Bull. 32, p. 6, W. D., 1915.)

202. With a view to placing promotions of employees filling classified positions in the Quartermaster Corps of the Army wholly upon a basis of merit, a report of efficiency ratings will be prepared semiannually (W. D. Form No. 20) on the 30th day of June and the 31st day of December by all quartermasters of all such employees serving in each office under their direction, two copies of each report to be transmitted to the Quartermaster General as soon as possible after expiration of the dates above given, not later than the 10th day of the succeeding month.

203. Under the head of "Application" should be represented the degree of diligence and faithfulness which has been shown in respect to attention to duty, the rating to be made in the manner prescribed for ability.

204. In estimating habits, consideration should be given to sobriety, integrity, subordination, cheerful and zealous obedience to orders and regulations, and promptness and courtesy in all the relations of official business. The rating will be made in the manner prescribed for ability. Insubordination, disregard of regulations, frequent tardiness, drunkenness on duty, or any conduct prejudicial to the good order and discipline of an office should be made the subject of special inquiry and action as directed in regard to absence without leave.

205. The following are the highest ratings under the factors "ability" and "adaptability" that may be used in arriving at the maximum efficiency rating:

Rate no employee at a higher figure in adaptability than in ability. Rate not more than one employee at the same ability figure, unless there is another whose ability is without question considered to be of equal value, in which case two may be rated at the same ability figure, but in no case will three or more in the same grade in the same office be rated at the same ability figure. Whenever two are rated at the same figure in ability, distinguish between the two by rating the one at least one-half (five-tenths) of a point less in adaptability than the other. If no other grounds for this difference is apparent, let it be based on the length of service in the present grade, the one having the shorter term of such service getting the lesser adaptability.

Rate no employee at a higher figure in either factor than is warranted by his actual efficiency, as compared with that of the other employees of the same grade in the office during the last half year and at the present time, regardless of any higher figure that may have been assigned to him on any previous lists. 206. Under the head of "Adaptability" there should be considered intelligence, aptitude, fitness for the general duties of an office, and demonstrated capacity for the performance of a higher class of work. As in respect to ability, these elements will be weighed and the figure of adaptability determined therefrom by the chief of bureau or office, assisted by the recommendations of officers and others in supervising positions.

207. Wherever practicable a record will be kept of the amount and character of work performed each day by persons whose efficiency is required to be reported. The record of work for each six months will serve as a basis for determining the relative ability of the persons engaged thereon, proper deduction being made for all errors or deficiencies that may have been reported. The ability figure of those employed upon work that can not be tabulated, or stated numerically, will be based upon the written report of the person in immediate charge of the work. In any case, however, the final figure will be determined by the chief of office, in view of his own observation and knowledge of the employees, together with reports and recommendations of officers and others in charge of divisions and subdivisions.

While the amount of work creditably performed is valuable as a guide in estimating ability, too much importance should not attach to this factor except as between persons employed in substantially the same way. Character and quality of work must be regarded as much more important than quantity, and, as these elements can not be ascertained by any automatic process, or be stated numerically from day to day, the opinions of officers and supervising employees who by constant association and observation acquire intimate knowledge of the personnel of their own office must be relied upon to a great extent to determine the relative merits of the individuals employed under their direction.

When employees of a particular class perform satisfactorily work of a grade usually assigned to a higher class great credit should be given therefor. If for lack of ability persons are employed upon work usually assigned to a lower class of employee the marking should be correspondingly low, although the work itself may be exceedingly good.

208. A record will be kept in each office upon which will be noted daily the duration of all absences from official duty on the part of persons whose names are to appear on the semiannual efficiency report. From the time record thus kept the figure of attendance to be used in the preparation of that report will be obtained.

A deduction of two points will be made for every three days' absence on leave without pay or on account of personal sickness which is accounted for and approved in accordance with the department's leave regulations; provided, that absence on account of sickness may be disregarded in cases of special merit or where it would be manifestly unjust to include such absence in the calculation of the efficiency figures. In cases where absence is disregarded notation of the reason will be made on the efficiency report. Not more than 30 days can be charged as sick leave in any one calendar year.

Deduction for absence without leave will be made at the rate of five points for each day, and further deduction will be made in the figure representing habits if required by the nature and degree of the offense. Tardiness will be considered in connection with habits, and if of frequent occurrence will be made the subject of special action as prescribed under that head.

No deduction will be made from attendance of the efficiency of any employee except by reason of absence on account of sickness or leave without pay.

209. In determining the efficiency of each person concerning whom a report is to be made the factorof attendance, ability, adaptability, habits, and application will be considered and each marked separately on a scale of 100. Ability will be given four times the weight, adaptability twice the weight, and habits twice the weight of either of the other factors, which will each be given a weight of one. The

final efficiency figure will be obtained by dividing by 10 the aggregate of the markings under the several heads, and will represent, as far as practicable, the record of each individual as made from day to day during the six months preceding the report.

The names in each class or grade will be entered in the order of merit, those with the same efficiency figure being arranged according to length of service in the department.

210. All promotions and other changes in status of employees in each office will be decided solely upon relative efficiency and, other conditions being equal, upon length of service within the department.

In determining the relative efficiency and merit of the various employees. a competitive system will be adopted in each office, all employees in the respective grades being considered, the most efficient and meritorious being first recommended.

Whenever it is impossible, owing to the technical nature of the duties of an employee or the fact that there is but one in a grade, to apply a competitive system, he will be rated in accordance with his demonstrated ability.

211. Efficiency boards will be established at department quartermasters' offices and general depots for the purpose of—

(1) Convening as soon as practicable after June 30 and December 31 (in order to comply with par. 202) for the purpose of determining and fixing the relative efficiency of the classified employees in their offices, and retaining a copy of all sessions;

(2) Considering all complaints made by the employees rated, reconvening to consider the merits of each case, and informing the complainants of the findings of the board;

(3) Submitting to the Quartermaster General for consideration and action the proceedings of the board, if requested to do so by the complainants.

In the large offices the efficiency board will consist of the three senior officers on duty there and the chie clerk, and at the depots where but one or two officers are stationed the board will consist of those officers on duty and the chief clerk.

The personnel of efficiency boards should be changed so that one member should serve no longer than two years, but the changes shall be so arranged that the board shall always contain some member or members who have passed upon previous ratings.

Quarterly efficiency reports of the principal clerks on duty in the offices where efficiency boards are established will be prepared by the officers under whose direction they work, and these principal clerks will prepare similar reports of the clerks under their direction wholly upon a merit basis. These reports will be made on forms provided for the purpose, and will not be forwarded to the Quartermaster General, but will be considered by the efficiency board in arriving at the final efficiency ratings. They will seldom agree with the ratings fixed by the board, as the quality and quantity of work performed by clerks in other branches will have to be considered and compared.

When an employee becomes unable to perform the character of the work of the class to which his salary properly pertains he shall be given an efficiency rating admitting of his demotion, and informed in writing of the intention and reasons therefor, and allowed a reasonable time in which to submit his reasons as to why he should not be reduced or discharged, provided his incapacity is permanent. It is only just and proper that due consideration should be shown to employees who have rendered efficient and faithful service during a long period of years; but when their capacity is so diminished permanently that it has been necessary to assign them to less responsible duties, they must give way in the matter of salary to others who are actually rendering more efficient service. Employees of this class will therefore not be carried in grades the salaries of which clearly exceed the value of the services they are capable of rendering.

REINSTATEMENTS.

212. A person separated without delinquency or misconduct may be reinstated in the department or office in which he formerly served upon certificate of the Civil Service Commission, subject to the following limitations:

The separation must have occurred within one year next preceding the date of the requisition of the nominating or appointing officer, but this limitation shall not apply to a person who has served in the Civil War or the War with Spain and was honorably discharged, or his widow, or an Army nurse of either war. No person can be reinstated to a position requiring an examination different from that required for the position from which he was separated without passing an appropriate examination. Recommendation for reinstatement shall be submitted by letter to the Quartermaster General and will show whether or not any member of the applicant's family is in the classified service. If there is, he will be required to state the relationship and service in which employed. If two or more members of his family are in the classified service an affidavit on form provided for the purpose will be filed.

A person who received permanent (competitive) appointment in connection with construction and repair work at San Francisco or vicinity and who was discharged without delinquency or misconduct by reason of lack of work or funds may be reinstated for work of the same kind at any time within one year from the date of discharge without the prior authorization of the War Department or the certificate of the commission. Such reinstatement shall be promptly reported by letter to the Quartermaster General through the district secretary for inclusion in the monthly reports of changes to the commission, and in connection therewith the officer reinstating such person shall furnish the information regarding members of a family in the service required by this paragraph.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE.

213. Clerks and other employees of the Quartermaster Corps, except those on duty in Alaska and the Philippine Islands (see par 214) or outside the limits of the United States, who are regularly and continuously employed, may be granted by the officer under whom employed 30 days' annual leave with pay in any calendar year, when to grant such leave will not cause embarrassment nor delay in the public service, nor involve additional expense to the United States by the hire of substitutes.

Pay may be allowed in case an employee is absent because his presence would jeopardize the health of fellow employees, or when an employee is unavoidably absent from duty by reason of personal illness, provided that the period of such absence added to all other previous periods of absence with pay during the calendar year shall not exceed 60 days in that year, and provided that the absence is accounted for to the satisfaction of the proper officer by the personal certificate of the employee and the certificate of the attending physician.

Sundays and days declared public holidays by law or Executive order will be charged in all cases of absence, except when included in a period of annual leave.

In all cases of transfer of employees the total leave with pay, annual and sick, each separately, had by the employee during the calendar year must be stated.

The granting of leave to employees on probation is not authorized, nor will leave that has not actually accrued be granted within the first year's employment.

The Secretary of War has decided, in view of the difficulties the department has experienced in the past in several cases in determining the status and the rights of furloughed employees under civil-service rules, that the abolition of the practice of making furloughs without pay would be necessary to a compliance with the spirit and letter of the civil-service rules regarding eligibility for reinstatement, and has ordered that hereafter no furlough without pay be granted employees in the Quartermaster Corps, except for urgent and adequate reasons, and then only upon his authority in each case previously obtained. Civilian employees under the War Department in Porto Rico who have served there two years or more with a status of civilian employees, and who desire to continue in the service there, may be granted leave of absence for the purpose of visiting the United States. Such leave may be granted in accordance with the above instructions, and the duration of the leave will be calculated from the date of arrival within the continental limits of the United States to the date of departure therefrom. Leave will not be granted under this authority oftener than once in two years. (Cir. E, W. D., July 7, 1915.)

214. Unused annual leave of absence provided for in paragraph 213 shall accrue, not to exceed 120 days, counting Sundays and holidays, for employees who are citizens of the United States and who are on duty in Alaska, the Philippines, or outside the limits of the United States, provided that in calculating accrued leave there shall be deducted from the unused annual leave of each of the calendar years in the cumulative period all sick leave with pay taken in excess of 15 days in each year of the cumulative period.

Where accrued leave with pay for not less than 60 days is granted an employee for the purpose of coming to the United States, the running of such leave shall be between the dates of reaching and leaving the United States via the usually traveled routes, but this provision shall not apply oftener than once in three years and operates to rescind the department's circular (H) of July 7, 1904, on this subject.

Where leave of absence is granted an employee in the Philippines to be absent therefrom other than to visit the United States, the running of such leave shall be between the date of reaching Manila from his place of employment and the date of leaving Manila in returning to his place of employment

Where an employee who is granted leave of absence fails to return to duty at the place at which leave was granted, the running of such leave shall be from the date he left his station and not from the date of arrival in the United States or at Manila, as the case may be. To insure the enforcement of this provision, payment of a sufficient portion of the employee's salary will be suspended until his return.

Hereafter employees coming to the United States on a leave of absence from outlying stations will not be allowed sick leave with pay while in the United States; in other words, all absence of such employees while in the United States away from their stations shall be charged against annual leave which has accrued, and after that leave is exhausted shall be charged as absence without pay. Applications of such employees for any leave without pay while in the United States shall be made direct to the officers under whom they are employed and not to the War Department at Washington. (Cir. A, W. D., 1912.)

TRANSFERS.

215. The Secretary of War considers that the interests of the service require that employees at large in the department must be subject to orders in regard to transfer of station, and a refusal to obey such orders will be deemed a proper and sufficient reason for discharge from the service. (G. O. 68, W. D., 1904.) 216. A vacancy may be filled by the transfer of an eligible employee from one station to another or from other branches of the service. Recommendations for such transfers should be made by letter direct to the Quartermaster General through proper channels.

Applications for exchange of station between civilian employees for their own convenience may be authorized, provided the officers under whose direction the employees making request for exchange are employed will certify that the exchange is approved by each of them and is not detrimental to the interests of the Government, and will obtain a statement signed by each of the employees concerned that he agrees to bear all expen es of transfer and that no pay will be drawn for the time lost while en route from his 67511°-VOL 1-17

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