_To the United States Civil Service Commission_.
Gentlemen: I desire to make a suggestion regarding subdivision
(_c_), General Rule III, of the amended civil-service rules
promulgated February 2, 1888. It provides for the promotion of an
employee in a Department who is below or outside of the classified
service to a place within said classified service in the same Department
upon the request of the appointing officer, upon the recommendation of
the Commission and the approval of the President, after a noncompetitive
examination, in case such person has served continuously for two years
in the place from which it is proposed to promote him, and "because of
his faithfulness and efficiency in the position occupied by him," and
"because of his qualifications for the place to which the appointing
officer desires his promotion."
It has occurred to me that this provision must be executed with caution
to avoid the application of it to cases not intended and the undue
relaxation of the general purposes and restrictions of the civil-service
law.
Noncompetitive examinations are the exceptions to the plan of the act,
and the rules permitting the same should be strictly construed. The
cases arising under the exception above recited should be very few, and
when presented they should precisely meet all the requirements
specified, and should be supported by facts which will develop the basis
and reason of the application of the appointing officer and which will
commend them to the judgment of the Commission and the President.
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