ESTABLISHMENT OF POSITION CONTROL IN PERSONNEL DIVISION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP51-00036A000100030002-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 21, 1998
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: May 15, 1947
• Content Type: MEMO

,STANDARD FORM NO. 64 Sanitized ppr IA-RD91-0003 10003
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.0fhce Memoranaum ? UNITED STATES !X~
DATE: 15 May 1947
SUBJECT: Establishment of Position Control in Personnel Division
1. A memorandum from the Chief of the Personnel Division to the Executive
for P&A dated 13 Mayo~~rb1 requesting that an extension of time be granted for
installing a position,,has been given consideration. This memorandum is the first
indication I have received that the schedule prescribed in my memoranc .um to you
of 9 April'could not be adhered to by the Chief of the Personnel Division. It
is surprising that he did not see fit to interpose any objection to this schedule
at a much earlier date in view of the difficulties he outlines in his memorandum
of 13 May.
2. This morning I checked with the Chief of Transactions and Records Section
and the Assistant Chief of Personnel Division to ascertain -what progress has thus
far been made and to discover to what extent difficulties beyond the control of
the Personnel Division have hindered installation of the position control in order
to determine the need for extension of scheduled dates.
3. It was found that the following action has been completed:
a. Control cards have been set up for Personnel, Finance, and Services
Divisions of P&A. Actions affecting positions in these areas have been
routed through the control after Classification has determined the position
involved. While this action on the part of Classification may be initially
desirable, it defeats one of the primary purposes of the control, namely,
the automatic determinatiob of the status of the position.
b. Position control cards have been prepared for practically all other
positions in the organization. Cards have not been prepared for a few
scattered positions in the Director's office, ICAPS, and? P&A.
c. Flex-o-Hine strips are in the process of being typed for all employees
of the organization. Flex-o-Line is needed to provide an alphabetical locator
for employee roster cards which are now filed with the position control card.
4; The following work must be finished before installation is completed:
a. The position control c must be or.anizationally arranged in the
register. The T/O prepared by for ORE would be
of great assistance in setting up t h e cards for t his will also involve
transposition of roster cards from their present organizational arrangement
to the appropriate position.
b. Typing on the Flex-o-Line strips must be completed and the file
arranged alphabetically by names of employees..
c. The recap card by organizational unit, which will be a running inven-
to re ositio an Lv cancies t be du: licated, initial
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d. A realistic test which will allow the control to function in the
manner contemplated must be undertaken. Prior to testing,,the individual
who will administer the file must be instructed in all details of the files
operation.
e. After an adequate test the 'bugs" should be isolated and action
taken to eliminate them.
5. In discussing difficulties with the head of Transactions and Records
she stated that the difficulties encountered thus far have been in effecting
installation rather than in the operating procedure. The Assistant Chief of the
Personnel Division stated that only one operational difficulty had come to his
attention. It was his opinion that Classification would not be adequately ad-
vised of the changes in incumbency of the positions, w iich could easily lead to
basic changes in the operation of the position. I told him that this difficulty
had been foreseen and the proposed procedure which was formulated in this office
had provided for routing certain categories of personnel actions (to be designated
by through Classification so that Classification will be aware of
contemplated changes in functioning of positions. The following difficulties
have hindered installation:
a. Flex-o-Line equipment which had to be ordered was not received until
12 May.
b. By including position information the security classification of the
file was upgraded. This necessitated changing a key lock to a combination
lock on the files.
o. The Chief of Transactions and Records was handicapped by emergency
absences. In addition, her 'workload was increased by special assignments
requiring many man hours of staff time. No provision was made to give her
additional typing assistance to prepare the records for the position control.
d. The work required in the installation was not planned so that the
difficulties in a, b, and c could have been minimized. Certain phases of
the work could have continued while awaiting change of locks and necessary
equipment. Also no day-to-day stimulus was provided for carrying on this
activity. Instead it was allowed to be put aside when other pressing
assignments were received. All of this stems from the fact that no one
person was given the task of "babying" and -promoting this job.
e. No realistic test was made, and no training was provided for the
employee administering the control.
6. In checking with the Chief of Transactions and Records and by a phone
call to the administrative assistant, it was learned that as of yesterday (14 May)
additional typists had been detailed and would continue to be detailed to Trans-
actions and Records to complete the preparation of the cards and the Flex-o-Line
strips. In addition, arrangements had been completed for detailing a new employee
cleared for the ORE Reference Center to the Personnel Division for the purpose of
organizing and installing the position control. This new employee has had con-
siderable records managementtoxeperience, and it was felt that his full time per-
sonal attention to organizingAcontrol would speed up the operation. It is con-
templated that he will be with the Personnel Division for approximately ten days,
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Sian undertake the duties for which he was hired.
7. In view of the delay thus far experienced, it would be impossible for
the schedule of dates set in my memorandum of 9 April to be met. It would seem
that no alternative exists but to extend the dates as follows:
Installation completed 1 Julie
Test and formulation of needed refinements 1 July
Refinements incorporated 1 August
8. It is suggested the Executive for P&A request the Chief of the Personnel
Division to present by memorandum on 1 July a list of refinements which he feels
are needed to have a truly effective position control.
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