United States Civil Service Commission
Encyclopedia
The United States Civil Service Commission a three man commission was created by the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act
, which was passed into law on January 16, 1883. The commission was created to administer the civil service
of the United States federal government in response to the assassination of President James Garfield
by Charles Guiteau, who is said to have been a rejected office seeker. Guiteau wanted a job via the spoils system
, also known as patronage, and Chester Arthur didn't want to continue the system that killed his predecessor. The law required certain applicants to take the civil service exam in order to be given certain jobs; it also prevented elected officials and political appointees from firing civil servants, removing civil servants from the influences of political patronage and partisan behavior.
Effective January 1, 1978, functions of the commission were split between the Office of Personnel Management
and the Merit Systems Protection Board
under the provisions of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978 (43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783) and the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978
. In addition, other functions were placed under jurisdiction of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC), the Federal Labor Relations Authority
(FLRA) and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).
Under the Commission Model, policy making and administrative powers were given to semi-independent commission rather than to the president. Reformers believed that a commission formed outside of the president’s chain of command would ensure that civil servants would be selected on the basis of merit system and the career service would operate in a political neutrality fashion. Civil Service Commissions typically consisted of three to seven individuals appointed by the chief executive on a bipartisan basis and for limited terms. Commissioners were responsible for direct administration of personnel system, including rule-making authority, administration of merit examinations, and enforcement of merit rules.
Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act
The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of United States is a federal law established in 1883 that stipulated that government jobs should be awarded on the basis of merit. The act provided selection of government employees competitive exams, rather than ties to politicians or political affiliation...
, which was passed into law on January 16, 1883. The commission was created to administer the civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
of the United States federal government in response to the assassination of President James Garfield
James Garfield
James Abram Garfield served as the 20th President of the United States, after completing nine consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Garfield's accomplishments as President included a controversial resurgence of Presidential authority above Senatorial courtesy in executive...
by Charles Guiteau, who is said to have been a rejected office seeker. Guiteau wanted a job via the spoils system
Spoils system
In the politics of the United States, a spoil system is a practice where a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its voters as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party—as opposed to a system of awarding offices on the...
, also known as patronage, and Chester Arthur didn't want to continue the system that killed his predecessor. The law required certain applicants to take the civil service exam in order to be given certain jobs; it also prevented elected officials and political appointees from firing civil servants, removing civil servants from the influences of political patronage and partisan behavior.
Effective January 1, 1978, functions of the commission were split between the Office of Personnel Management
Office of Personnel Management
The United States Office of Personnel Management is an independent agency of the United States government that manages the civil service of the federal government. The current Director is John Berry.-History:...
and the Merit Systems Protection Board
United States Merit Systems Protection Board
The Merit Systems Protection Board is an independent quasi-judicial agency established to protect federal merit systems against partisan political and other prohibited personnel practices and to ensure adequate protection for federal employees against abuses by agency management...
under the provisions of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978 (43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783) and the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978
Civil Service Reform Act of 1978
The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, , reformed the civil service of the United States federal government.The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 abolished the U.S...
. In addition, other functions were placed under jurisdiction of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an independent federal law enforcement agency that enforces laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination complaints based on an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, perceived intelligence,...
(EEOC), the Federal Labor Relations Authority
Federal Labor Relations Authority
The Federal Labor Relations Authority is an independent agency of the United States government that governs labor relations between the federal government and its employees....
(FLRA) and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).
Under the Commission Model, policy making and administrative powers were given to semi-independent commission rather than to the president. Reformers believed that a commission formed outside of the president’s chain of command would ensure that civil servants would be selected on the basis of merit system and the career service would operate in a political neutrality fashion. Civil Service Commissions typically consisted of three to seven individuals appointed by the chief executive on a bipartisan basis and for limited terms. Commissioners were responsible for direct administration of personnel system, including rule-making authority, administration of merit examinations, and enforcement of merit rules.
Presidents of the commission
| Name | From | Until |
|---|---|---|
| Dorman B. Eaton | Mar 9, 1883 | Nov 1, 1885 (resigned) |
| Alfred P. Edgerton | Nov 9, 1885 | Feb 9, 1889 (removed) |
| Charles Lyman | May 13, 1889 | Dec 15, 1893 (resigned) |
| John R. Procter | Dec 15, 1893 | Dec 12, 1903 (died) |
| John C. Black John C. Black John Charles Black was a Democratic U.S. Congressman and received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the American Civil War.-Biography:... |
Jan 17, 1904 | Jun 10, 1913 (resigned) |
| John A. McIlhenny | Jun 12, 1913 | Feb 28, 1919 (resigned) |
| Martin A. Morrison Martin A. Morrison Martin Andrew Morrison was a U.S. Representative from Indiana.Born in Frankfort, Indiana, Morrison attended the public schools.... |
Mar 13, 1919 | Jul 14, 1921 (resigned) |
| John H. Bartlett John H. Bartlett –––John Henry Bartlett Descendant of Josiah Bartlett, signatory of the Declaration of Independence, Bartlett was an American teacher, high school principal, lawyer, author and Republican politician from Portsmouth, New Hampshire... |
Jul 15, 1921 | Mar 12, 1922 (resigned) |
| William C. Deming | Mar 1, 1923 | Feb 6, 1930 (resigned) |
| Thomas E. Campbell | Jul 11, 1930 | c. 1933 |
| Harry B. Mitchell | May 19, 1933 | Feb 26, 1951 (resigned) |
| Robert Ramspeck Robert Ramspeck Robert C. Word Ramspeck was an American politician and businessman.-Biography:Ramspeck was born in Decatur, Georgia. As a young man he was a federal police officer. He was admitted to the bar in 1920. He would go on to be a Democratic congressman from Georgia from 1929 to 1945. In the period of... |
Mar 16, 1951 | Dec 31, 1952 (resigned) |
| Philip Young | Mar 23, 1953 | Feb 11, 1957 (resigned) |
| Harris Ellsworth Harris Ellsworth Mathew Harris Ellsworth was a Republican U.S. congressman from Oregon.-Early life:Born in Hoquiam, Washington, Ellsworth moved together with his parents to Eugene, Oregon and later to nearby Wendling, where he attended public schools. In 1922, he graduated with a journalism degree from the... |
Apr 18, 1957 | Feb 28, 1959 (resigned) |
| Roger W. Jones | Mar 10, 1959 | Jan 4, 1961 (resigned) |
| John W. Macy John Macy John Williams Macy, Jr. was a United States Government administrator and civil servant.-Biography:Born in Chicago, he received a B.A. from Wesleyan University in 1938. In 1938 Macy moved to Washington, D.C. where he began his government service and studied at American University... |
Mar 6, 1961 | Jan 18, 1969 (resigned) |
| Robert E. Hampton | Jan 18, 1969 | c. 1977 |
- Alan K. Campbell, 1977-1978
- Alan Campbell 1979–1981
- Don Devine 1981–1985
- Constance Horner 1985–1989
- Constance Newman 1989–1993
- Kay Coles James 2001–2005
- Linda M. Springer 2005–2008
- (Acting) Michael Hager 2008–2009
- (Acting) Kathie Ann Whipple 2009