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General Information for Employees

US Navy Yard

Washington, DC

Cover image to "General Information for Employees"

General Information
For
Employees

U.S. Navy Yard
Washington, D.C.

Amended to 12 September

1941

Table of Contents

General Information
Annual Leave
Sick Leave
Leave Without Pay
Passes and Identification Badges
Pay
Retirement
Retirement fund
Efficiency Ratings
Safety
Compensation
Resignations
Political and Religious Opinions Not to be Considered

GENERAL

1. Employees are required to be in the yard at such time as to be ready to go to work when their specified working hours begin.
2. Employees must obtain permission to leave the yard during working hours. They are not to absent themselves from their work without authority.
3. When, for any reason, an employee who has not been granted leave must remain absent from work, it is his duty to communicate with his shop as soon as possible.
4. Employees of the yard are not allowed to traffic or enter into any deal with other employees or pursue any manner of mercantile business, even though they may be licensed as merchants by the District of Columbia, nor shall any employee act as a collecting agent, or solicit, or engage in commercial business of any kind within the navy yard.
5. Employees are required to keep the yard informed of correct home address, marital status, number of dependents, and next of kin (or person who is to be notified in case of acci-

--(1)--

dent). Any changes in the above items should be promptly reported on forms which are available in the shops.
6. Any employee bringing intoxicating liquors into the yard is subject to disciplinary action.
7. Employees are not allowed to bring cameras into the yard.
8. Committees representing employees or individuals who wish to present petitions or pertinent matters to the management must first present their case to the master mechanic, or other head supervisor of their shop or office. If it is desired to take it to higher officials, the master mechanic or other head supervisor, should be requested to obtain an appointment for the committee or individual with the immediate officer concerned.
9. Any request for transfer or other correspondence to be addressed to the Navy Department or Commandant, should be addressed via official channels and not directly to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy or the Commandant.
10. Two cafeterias are maintained in the navy yard for the use and convenience of employees. The west-yard cafeteria, Building 191, is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for service of breakfast, midday dinner, and afternoon meal. The center-yard cafeteria, Building 21, is open from midnight to 9 p.m. for service

--(2)--

of breakfast, midday dinner, and evening dinner.

ANNUAL LEAVE

1. Permanent employees who have been employed continuously for 1 year or more and who do not contemplate leaving the service during the current calendar year shall be entitled to current annual leave with pay at any time during such calendar year not in excess of 26 days. In addition to current annual leave, any employee may accrue annual leave not to exceed 60 days.
2. Probationary employees, reinstated employees, and employees with indefinite appointments are entitled to annual leave with pay accruing at the rate of 2 1/6 days per month. This leave must be accrued before it may be taken.
3. Temporary employees who hold definite temporary appointment for not more than 6 months are entitled to 2 1/2 days annual leave. After the first month of service, such leave may be credited at the beginning of the month in which it accrues. Temporary employees shall be charged with annual leave only for absence on days upon which they would otherwise work and receive pay.
4. Employees who hold an indefinite temporary appointment are entitled to 2 1/6 days annual leave and will be charged for annual

--(3)--

leave under the same rules as those applied to permanent employees.
5. Employees must obtain advance approval before taking annual leave. When unaccrued annual leave is desired, a written request must be submitted to the head of the department. Leave may not be taken unless this request is approved. Only permanent employees with over 1 year's continuous service are entitled to unaccrued annual leave and this leave may not be granted if employee contemplates leaving the service during the then current calendar year.
6. Annual leave of absence may be revoked at any time and the employee required to return to duty before the expiration thereof, should the exigencies of the service require.
7. Leave is granted at such time or times as may be deemed in the public interest.
8. Annual leave does not accrue to an employee in a nonpay status if the duration of such nonpay status in any calendar year aggregates 30 days or more. If an employee takes unaccrued annual leave and does not earn this leave by the end of the calendar year because of being in a nonpay status, deductions will be made from his pay at the beginning of the next year to offset the amount represented by the unearned annual leave taken. It is well to remember this provision when taking unaccrued annual leave because it opens up the

--(4)--

possibility of starting the next calendar year with a short paycheck or no pay check at all.

SICK LEAVE

1. When an employee must remain absent from duty because of illness, his shop or office must be notified as soon as possible on the first day of absence.
2. Sick leave is granted to employees when they are incapacitated for the performance of their duties by sickness, injury, or pregnancy and confinement.
3. Sick leave shall not be granted for slight illness or indisposition not incapacitating the employee for the performance of his duty.
4. Sick leave is not granted for illness or injury which results from overindulgence in intoxicants.
5. In cases of serious disability or ailments, and when the exigencies of the situation so require, sick leave may be advance, to permanent employees, to a total not exceeding 30 days. Probational employees may not be granted advances to exceed the amount which could be liquidated during the period of probation. Temporary employees are not entitled to sick leave.
6. Sick leave accrues at the rate of 1 1/4 days per month and if not used may accumulate to a total of 90 days. Wise employees will ac-

--(5)--

cumulate as much sick leave as possible in order to have something to fall back on when unfortunately stricken by a long illness.
7. Employees make application for sick leave after returning to work from absence due to illness or injury. Applications for sick leave may be disapproved if:

(1) Illness is not reported to shop as soon as possible on the first day of absence.
(2) Application for sick leave is not made within 2 days after return to duty.

8. When employees are absent more than a week after reporting sick, sick leave applications will be mailed to their homes by the shops. These applications should be filled in and returned.

LEAVE WITHOUT PAY

1. Leave without pay is not a right. It will be granted only when the circumstances are such that the denial of the leave may work a peculiar and unusual hardship upon the employee. It may be granted on account of sickness when the sick leave has been exhausted. Leave of absence without pay will not be granted for purpose of pursuing a course of study.

--(6)--

2. Application for leave without pay on account of sickness must be accompanied by a certificate of the attending physician.
3. Leave without pay will not be granted until all accrued leave is exhausted.

PASSES AND IDENTIFICATION BADGES

1. In order to exclude unauthorized persons, and for identification purposes, all employees are issued passes and identification badges. It is each employee's duty to safeguard his pass and badge to avoid their loss and to prevent their falling into the hands of another person.
2. Civil employee's personal passes and badges are issued by the personnel officer.
3. Public property and private bundles and packages will be allowed out of the gates only on properly signed pass. Property passes are obtained through heads of departments.
4. If an employee reports at the gate, having lost his pass, or left it at home, he should report this to the marine sentry who will escort the employee to the personnel office where a temporary pass will be issued.
5. Losing a pass or badge is sufficient cause for disciplinary action.
6. All employees must wear identification badges on left chest so that it will be visible at all times.

--(7)--

7. The identification badge does not replace the employee's pass, but is a means of visible identification. Yard passes must be shown upon entering the yard. It will not be necessary to show the pass when leaving the yard, but identification badge must be worn as indicated in paragraph 6.
8. Loss of identification badge must be reported in the same manner as the present yard pass.
9. Entering or attempting to enter the yard by displaying another employee's pass or by displaying, with intent to deceive the sentry, anything but the regularly issued pass is sufficient cause for disciplinary action.
10. When passes become defaced or mutilated they must be promptly renewed.

PAY

1. Employees of the mechanical and laboring group (groups I, II, III, and IVa) are paid on Friday of each week except when a holiday falls on that day when they are paid on Thursday.
2. Employees of the clerical, drafting, and messenger force (group IVb) are paid on the 15th and last days of each month.
3. In general all employees are paid in or near their respective shops or offices. Upon arrival of the pay party, employees will line

--(8)--

up in numerical order; present their pay vouchers to the pay party and receive their pay envelopes.
4. Upon receipt of pay envelopes, each employee should verify the contents thereof. No loitering in the vicinity of the pay car will be allowed.
5. Employees must have their pay vouchers signed in ink exactly as the name appears on the top line. No erasures on the vouchers will be accepted at the pay stations.
6. Employees who miss the pay party will not be permitted to go to another shop or office but must wait until one of the regular pay hours at the disbursing department. The yard pass shall be presented for identification at the disbursing department.
7. Employees absent on pay day on leave or due to illness may have their pay mailed by check upon written application to the disbursing department or through prior arrangements with their supervisors.
8. Requests to have pay turned over to another employee or member of the family will not be honored.
9. Employees absent on sick leave must have their sick leave application approved promptly; otherwise, delay in securing their pay may result.

--(9)--

RETIREMENT

1. The Government provides pensions for regular employees after they reach certain ages. Employees with 15 years or more Government service are retired as follows:

(1) Mechanics and laborers at the age of 62 years.
(2) Master mechanics and foremen at the age of 65.
(3) Salaried employees at the age of 70.

2. Employees with 30 years of service may retire at their option within 2 years prior to reaching the age specified for their group. Employees with 5 years of service are eligible for retirement if totally disabled. The amount of pension is based on the salary rate and the number of years of service.
3. For retirement purposes 3 1/2 percent is withheld from the salary of every employee as his contribution toward his pension. This money is placed to the employee's credit and money is placed to the employee's credit and draws interest at 4 percent. If the employee is separated before reaching retirement age, the money is returned to him on application.
4. Employees should designate the person to whom their retirement money should be paid in case they die before reaching retirement age. This is very important and should be attended to promptly.

--(10)--

RETIREMENT FUND

1. Employees who have worked previously in this yard or in another Government department or agency, who have withdrawn their retirement deductions at the time of separation from service, should make an earnest effort to restore to the retirement fund amounts previously withdrawn by them as a matter of their own interest.
2. It occasionally happens that employees who have neglected to serve their interests at a time they are fully able to do so have been forced to retire and actions on their applications for annuity have suffered considerable delay due to failure of employees to make redeposit in the retirement fund.
3. Redeposits in the retirement fund may be made in installments. For further information concerning this subject, you are advised to contact the accounting department.

EFFICIENCY RATINGS

 

Definitions

1. Groups I, II, and III employees comprise the nonsupervisory employees in the mechanical, helper, and laborer service.
2. Group IVa employees are the shop supervisors.
3. Group IVb employees comprise the clerical, drafting, technical, and custodial ratings.

--(11)--

Basis of Marking

4. Employees are assigned marks of equal weight, under each of the four headings:
(1) Knowledge of work.
(2) Quality of work.
(3) Quantity of work.
(4) Adaptability (includes ability to get along with others and a willing compliance with the intent of rules and instructions).
The average of the four marks assigned under the above headings constitutes the EARNED EFFICIENCY MARK.
5. To the earned efficiency mark is added a credit for length of service, called the longevity credit. The longevity credit is computed by allowing two-tenths of one point for each full year of Government service (including honorable service in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United States) for the first 5 years, five-tenths of one point for the next 2 years, and one point for each year thereafter, until the maximum of 10 points is received.
6. The FINAL EFFICIENCY MARK is arrived at by adding the longevity credit to the earned efficiency mark.

Promotions

7. Administrative promotions are made on the basis of EARNED EFFICIENCY MARKS.

--(12)--

Reductions in Force

8. Discharges for lack of work or funds are made on the basis of FINAL EFFICIENCY MARKS, giving due regard to the preference allowed veterans.

Competing Groups

9. The competing group (efficiency marking group) for group IVb employees consists of all employees of the same classification grade regardless of the title of the position or rate of pay. For all others the competing group consists of all employees of the same shop or office of the same rating and receiving the same basic rate of pay.

Assignment of Marks

10. The master mechanic or supervisor in charge arranges the employees of each competing group under his charge, in a relative order of merit, under each of the four headings: Knowledge of work; quality of work; quantity of work; and adaptability. For example, in a competing group of 70 employees, any employee may be assigned a place of merit, under each of the four heads, of from 1 to 70 depending on how he compares with other employees. The standing of an employee under all four heads is not necessarily the same. Standings are reviewed and must be

--(13)--

approved by officers in charge and head of department before they are effective.
11. The standings referred to above are then applied to a scale in personnel office and a mark for each of the four heads is automatically derived. (For competing groups of various sizes, various scales are used. The average of all marks on any size scale is 82.5.) The average of the four marks thus derived is the employee's earned efficiency mark.

SAFETY

1. Though the Washington Navy Yard has an effective safety engineering organization and though considerable expense has been incurred to make this yard a safe place in which to work, there remains here, as in every large manufacturing establishment, a certain amount of hazard.
2. New employees, being unfamiliar with their surroundings, are particularly liable to accident and must be especially alert to guard against danger.
3. If an employee is called upon to perform a task which he doubts his ability to execute he should not hesitate to call upon his supervisor for advice. The same is true about operating strange machinery.
4. When a lost-time accident occurs, everybody loses. It is each employee's duty to

--(14)--

exercise caution in order to guard against injuring himself and others. Keep this in mind.
5. Special safety shoes are available in the yard at cost. Your supervisor can tell you how to buy them.
6. When an employee is injured, no matter how slightly, he should immediately report it to his supervisor who will send him to the dispensary for treatment. This procedure has been adopted in the interest of the employee to reduce the possibility of the development of a serious infection.
7. Employees are required to obey the safety rules of the yard.

COMPENSATION

1. When an employee is injured in the line of duty he should report to his supervisor immediately, who will send him to the dispensary for treatment. If an injury is sustained while at work and not promptly reported, the employee may have difficulty in establishing any claim for compensation.
2. If time is lost on account of injury, the employee has the option to use annual and accrued sick leave in lieu of compensation. No advanced sick leave can be granted to employees for compensation.

--(15)--

RESIGNATIONS

1. Employees being separated from the yard at their own request are required to submit a written resignation, given date resignation is effective, and reason for resignation. Failure to submit a resignation may result in discharge for unauthorized absence, with delinquency.

POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS OPINIONS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED

1. No recommendation involving political or religious affiliations will be considered in connection with employment or promotions. Recommendations for promotions shall be made only by immediate superiors under whom employee has served. Recommendations in any other form, if made with the knowledge and consent of the employee, shall be sufficient cause for debarring him from the promotion proposed, and a repetition of the offense shall be sufficient cause for removing him from the service.

Geo. Pettengill,
Rear Admiral, US Navy,
Commandant.

December 20, 1939.
Amended 11 April 1941.
Amended 12 September 1941.

U.S. Government Printing Office: 1941

[END]

Published: Tue Mar 27 13:04:47 EDT 2018