Ch. 10.2 THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM Objective; Describe how federal workers are chosen for their positions.

The Bureaucrat The typical federal bureaucrat is; 40 years old and has worked for the gov for about 15 years. About 30% of federal workers belong to minority groups. Women make up about 44 percent roughly the same percentage of women in the total labor force. About 1/2 of federal employees are administrative and clerical workers. The bureaucracy also includes FBI agents, forest rangers, and air traffic controllers as well as engineers, doctors, lawyers, veterinarians, and others

History Andrew Jackson fired about 1,000 federal workers and gave their jobs to his political supporters. Jackson’s method of appointing federal workers is known as the spoils system Many federal workers who were good at working in campaigns were not as good at their new jobs. Corruption developed. Government employees did favors for interest groups in return for support for their candidates. Jobs were bought and sold. Congress passed the Pendleton Act which created the current federal civil service system. This system requires that government employment be based on open exams that test merit

Government jobs have many benefits such as: The Office of Personnel Management is responsible for filling job openings Government jobs have many benefits such as: A. Salaries about equal to those in private business B. 13 to 26 days of paid vacation a year C. Health insurance and 13 paid sick days D. Retirement at age 55, or earlier with a reduced monthly benefit payment E. Job security.

However, it allows them to: In 1939 Congress passed the Hatch Act. This law prevents a political party from using federal workers in election campaigns. However, it allows them to: A. hold offices in political parties B. participate in campaigns & rallies C. publicly endorse candidates D. raise political funds from within their own government agency’s political action committee(PAC)

● Political Appointees in Government Every new president has the chance to fill about 2,200 top-level jobs in the federal bureaucracy. They are outside civil service system. Filling these jobs gives a president the opportunity to place loyal supporters in key positions. These political appointees are expected to carry out the president’s decisions

Appointees are supporters of the president. They are usually college educated. Most have advanced degrees. Many are lawyers. Top political appointees hold their jobs for only a few years. The head of a large agency needs about a year just to learn all the issues, programs, and procedures involved in running the agency. The result is that most of the real power over the daily operations of the agency falls to the lower-level, career civil service officials. Their decisions shape how the national government handles key problems facing the nation.

Pop Quiz Explain the spoils system Explain the Pendleton Act