B-131930, JUN. 19, 1957
Highlights
IS AVAILABLE FOR PAYMENT TO PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES FOR SERVICES FURNISHED. HAVE BEEN INADEQUATE TO FILL CIVILIAN PERSONNEL NEEDS IN THE SHORTAGE CATEGORY POSITIONS OF ENGINEERS AND STENOGRAPHERS. IN VIEW OF THE COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE JUST QUOTED WE CONCLUDE THAT THE COAST GUARD'S CURRENT APPROPRIATION FOR OPERATING EXPENSES IS AVAILABLE FOR THE PAYMENTS CONTEMPLATED. THAT THE MATTER OF RECRUITING APPLICANTS FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT BY CONTRACTING WITH PRIVATE OR COMMERCIAL EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES IS UNDER STUDY BY THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND WE HAVE BEEN INFORMALLY ASKED BY THE COMMISSION TO SAY THAT SUCH METHOD OF RECRUITING SHOULD NOT BE USED UNTIL THE COMMISSION'S STUDY IS COMPLETED.
B-131930, JUN. 19, 1957
TO THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY:
ON MAY 16, 1957, THE ACTING SECRETARY REQUESTED OUR DECISION WHETHER THE APPROPRIATION ,OPERATING EXPENSES, COAST GUARD" CONTAINED IN THE TREASURY- POST OFFICE APPROPRIATION ACT, 1957 (APPROVED APRIL 2, 1956, 70 STAT. 98), IS AVAILABLE FOR PAYMENT TO PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES FOR SERVICES FURNISHED, UNDER WRITTEN AGREEMENT, PURSUANT TO THE ACT OF SEPTEMBER 13, 1951, 65 STAT. 320, IN CONNECTION WITH THE RECRUITING OF CIVILIAN PERSONNEL. THE ACTING SECRETARY POINTS OUT THAT DURING RECENT MONTHS NORMAL RECRUITING THROUGH CIVIL SERVICE REGISTERS AND POSITIVE RECRUITING EFFORTS BY COAST GUARD PERSONNEL, UNDER AUTHORITY DELEGATED BY THE COMMISSION, HAVE BEEN INADEQUATE TO FILL CIVILIAN PERSONNEL NEEDS IN THE SHORTAGE CATEGORY POSITIONS OF ENGINEERS AND STENOGRAPHERS.
THE PERTINENT LANGUAGE OF THE REFERRED-TO APPROPRIATION ACT, UNDER THE HEADING "COAST GUARD, OPERATING EXPENSES," READS AS FOLLOWS:
"FOR NECESSARY EXPENSES FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE COAST GUARD, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR * * *.'
IN VIEW OF THE COMPREHENSIVE LANGUAGE JUST QUOTED WE CONCLUDE THAT THE COAST GUARD'S CURRENT APPROPRIATION FOR OPERATING EXPENSES IS AVAILABLE FOR THE PAYMENTS CONTEMPLATED.
OUR OFFICE HAS INFORMATION, HOWEVER, THAT THE MATTER OF RECRUITING APPLICANTS FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT BY CONTRACTING WITH PRIVATE OR COMMERCIAL EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES IS UNDER STUDY BY THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND WE HAVE BEEN INFORMALLY ASKED BY THE COMMISSION TO SAY THAT SUCH METHOD OF RECRUITING SHOULD NOT BE USED UNTIL THE COMMISSION'S STUDY IS COMPLETED.