Overall, 16 of the white females hired in Cy 1973 have separated from the Office. The attrition rate for white females ls 41.0 percent. Minorities : Of the 66 minorities hired at GS-7, 27 or 40.9 percent have left GAO. Of the 39 remaining staff members, 9 or 23.1 percent are at the GS-11 level, and 30 or 76.9 percent are at the GS-12 level. Of the 12 staff members hired at GS-9,.1 or 8.3 percent has left GAO. Of the 11 remaining staff members, 1 or 9.1 percent is at the GS-11 level and 10 or 90.9 percent are at the GS-12 level. ANALYSIS OF CURRENT STATUŠ There are two areas of concern: First, of those 39 minorities hired at the GS-7 and still with GAO, 9, or 23.1 percent, are GS-11 while only 4 or 5.8 percent of the 69 white males and 3 or 15 percent of the 20 white females are still GS-11. Second, of the 11 minorities hired at GS-9, not one is GS-13 while 10 or 19.6 percent of the 51 white males and 1 or 33 percent of the white females are GS-13.. These statistics do not take into consideration the restics do not take into quired time-in-grade, since any past disparities would, of course, directly affect the promotion daza at the next lowest grade, thereby automatically delaying the first promotion data to the next grade. . . . ::.. : Under GAO's competitive selection process there have been only 15 minorities promoted cut of the 507 staff members selected for promotion. No black woman staff member has been promoted under GAO's competitive selection process. 2 FEB 201979 Additionally, minorities hired in calendar 1974 have a higher attrition rate than white females and males. This has occurred because of the adverse impact in minority promotion rates. An analysis of the GAO's promotion policies in the career ladder and under the competitive selection process has indicated that minorities are progressing. much slower than whites. There are systemić barriers to career ladder and competitive selection of minorities in the General Accounting Office.. in addition, please. read the attached three documents ----on the morale in the General Accounting. Office as white male staff members see them. 35-533 79 45 (Pt. 2) TROM : Deputy Comptroller General : Names withheld for fear of reprisal SUBJECT: [mployee l'orale: Christmas 1978. FEB 26 1979 Christmas is normally a time of joy and festivity. Largely due to a series of recent changes within GAO, however, employee morale may well be at its lowest ebb in 30 years. The silent, professional majority is, dis-. gusted, confused, repressed, and tired of bureaucratic changes: As viewed from a headquarters perspective, major changes--such as (1) teams, (2) competitive selection, (3) the lowered career ladder for auditors, (4) no carcer ladder for specialists, and to a lesser extent, (5) increased paperwork requirements (PPA, HDS, program plans, etc.), – and (6) the interdivisional employee rotation policy--have had a seemingly catastrofic adverse impact on employee morale. From a regional perspective, some of these changes, coupled with others personally initiated by the Director, FOD, have cut down on productive work time and have further acerbated the longstanding problem of meager field promotion opportunities. Yes, each of these changes was studied 'prior to its implementation. And yes, each study included, at least perfunctorily, an assessment of the impact on employee morale. Unfortunately, eur zealousness to initiate these new concepts--i.e, to make GAO more responsive to the Congress--may have dismissed employee morale problems too lightly. ོ་ One might look to recent attrition figures to corroborate or dispute these concerns.. In light of the tight outside job market and the current Federal hiring freeze, however, such an examination would seem inadequate. In contrast, a questionnaire sent to all current employees--with proper .measures to protect anonymity--might be a real eye-opening experience for those of you who have been insulated from the daily concerns of the rank and file professional in CAD. CAD still has talented staff members but too many of them are just going through the motions because their drive and responsibility has been stripped away. Mr. Keller, we desperately need your support. We are sure it would give us all a lift during this Christmas season to know that top management is concerned about our professional welfare. We want and need a chance to I voice our concerns without fear of reprisal. We have been suppressed by the power figures before. Therefore, we hope that you will direct that such a study be undertaken inediately and that the task force leader report directly to you, specifically excluding the advice and assistance of Hessrs. Heller, Hellyea, and Pin or their staffs. cc: ir. Staats and Heads of Divisions and Offices Jack Anderson FEB 261979 Trying to Dump Survivor Schlesinger As cach president lays down the con ols of government, he leaves behind a w appointees who don't want to go ck to Pocatello. Tuey're the perennial rvivors, who always seem to find a osting place in government Tury unce from one top policymaking posi to another with apparent immunity changes in political fortunes .. One of the inost durable of these nine ed cats is Janes Schlesinger, the gray tired, pipesmalang, profesorial cir gy secretary. Schlesinger, who'll be 50 At week, has pravitated around the nter of power since 1922, when Richd Nixon appointed him an assistant idget director. Since his relatively modest entry into e Washington Berrygoround, Schle iger has been riding high through ree administrations. He served alter itely as atomic energy chairman, conal intelligence director, secretary of fense and, after a brief eclipse whea en-President Ford fired him from the. Diagon, as energy czar under Prese Dt Carter. Schlesinger is the kind of Ivy League ghead who seems to have an irresisti e appeal for presidents summa cum ude graduate of Harvard, university ofessor, alumnus of the Rand Corp ad author of learned treatises on abruse national issues Perhaps for the same reasons, Schle, eger is also the land of presidential ap ointee who has a highly resistible apal to the pragmatic politicians on CabHill, who must measure what should done against the practicalities of hat can be done. Schlesinger's political relations with ongress are "a disaster," one congres sional aide told our reporter J. D. Solo "He's simply imperious," said another "I've never heard one consumer or ganization say anything good about him," said a spokesman for a lending solar energy group. And in a speech last fall, Ralph Nader called for Schlesinger's resignation, suggesting that the guardian of the public's energy interests might be more at home working for the industries be should be controlling. While a full-scale "dump Schlesinger Toby Moffen D-Conu) and Richard Ot As we noted, Schlesinger's staying Watching the Watchdog Ernment's professional watchdogs are growling in discontent A recent internal memo drafted by a group of General Accounting Office employes complains in scathing terms about overwork and administrative change Sent to Deputy Comptroller General Robert F. Keller, with copies to the heads of the various divisions and offi. ces, the memo was unsigned "for fear of reprisal." "Employe morale may well be at its lowest ebb in 30 years," the memo sad. "The silent, professional majority is disgusted, confused, repressed and tired of bureaucratic changes." Referring to the major administrative changes that were enacted to make GAO more responsive to Congress, the memo complains that the bosses' "zealousness to initiate these Dew concepts... may have dismissed employee mcrale problems 100 lightly." The memo asked that a questionraire be sent to all GAO employes, giv ing them a chance to voice their dissat factions-"with proper measures to protect anonymity." A few weeks later, Keller responded i with a memo-to the entire GAO staff, I since, as an aide pointed out, we don't! now who these people were who wrote the memo." Xeller explained i that the agency's workload has doub led, and specific requests from Con-¡ gress have tripled, largely because a change in GAO's charter broadened i the range of work the agency is asked i to perform. However, be ignored the suggestion The of the employe questionnaire. APPENDIX 1 TIME-IN-GRADE AND PROMOTION ANALYSIS As outlined in the 1978 GAO Affirmative Action Plan, we recently completed two studies analyzing the progress of minority and white professional staff members hired during CY 1973 and CY 1974. The studies were initiated to determine if there are systemic barriers to normal career ladder progression of minority persons and women. The following is a cumulative summary of studies conducted this year and in prior years. MINORITIES AND WOMEN HIRED DURING CY 1973 Prior studies of staff members hired in CY 1973 seemed to indicate that minorities and women were not being promoted at the same rate as white males. Because the data indicated a possible serious adverse impact upon minority group members and women, a supplemental analysis was performed last year to identify the reasons for the apparent discrepancy. The analysis found that several variables (month of entry, location, and overall promotion rate of unit) had a significantly greater effect on promotions than sex or racial group status. Additionally, it was determined that minorities and women generally had less of those characteristics which were assosciated with promotion. That is, they were less likely to have: 1. entered GAO in the early part of 1973, 2. been located in Headquarters where promotions have been faster, 3. been located in a regional office with a high promotion rate. Therefore, what originally appeared to be a discriminatory effect was actually due to the lack of association of minorities and women with variables that have an accelerating effect upon promotions. The data strongly indicated that there has not been any significant adverse im pact upon minority group members due specifically to their sex or racial group status. Rather, the disadvantages they had experienced were attributed primarily to impersonal factors such as location and timing. The results of this year's study are more favorable than prior studies. This year a further analysis was performed to determine if GAO's promotion practices have had an adverse impact on women and minorities. The analysis indicates that women and minorities are not being adversely affected by GAO's promotion practices. |