396 DEPAETMENTAL KEPORTS. 



Every appointee will be required to take an oatli (or affirmation) of 

 office in tlie form i^rescribed by law before entering ni^on his duties, 

 and file the same, together with a statement of legal residence, post- 

 office address, and personal record, with the Appointment Clerk of 

 the Department, on a form provided by the Department. 



In every case in which the issue of a new appointment becomes 

 necessarj^ as in promotions, reappointments, transfers, and changes 

 of official designation, a new oath and a statement of personal record 

 will be required, unless otherwise directed in the appointment. 



The oath of office of appointees to positions in the United States 

 Department of Agriculture may be taken before any officer having an 

 official seal, with authority to administer oaths either by United States 

 statutes or by local municipal law, and it must be properly certified 

 under the hand and seal of such officer. The oath of office may also 

 be taken before the Chief Clerk of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture or before the chief clerk of any Bureau thereof. 



Neither salary nor other emoluments will be paid to any employee 

 until the required oath of office shall have been filed with the Appoint- 

 ment Clerk of the Department, nor until the aj)pointee shall have 

 reported for duty according to his instructions. If a specific date is 

 named upon which the appointment is to take efi'ect, salary will not 

 begin until that date, although the oath may have been taken earlier. 



regulations governing promotions, etc., in the u. s. department of 



agriculture. 



Office of U. S. Civil Service Commission, 



Washington, D. C, December 1, 1896. 



In pnrsiaance of the requirements of section 7 of '"An act to regulate and improve 

 the civil service of the United States."' approved January 16, 1883. and in con- 

 formity with Rule XI of the revision of the Civil Service Rules promulgated by 

 the President on the 6th day of May, 1896, the following regulations governing 

 promotions in the departmental service of the Department of Agriculture have 

 been formulated by the Civil Service Commission after consultation with the 

 Secretary of Agriciilture, and are hereby promulgated: 



Regulation I. 



Section 1. All vacancies above those in the lowest class of any grade not filled 

 by reinstatement, transfer, or reduction shall be filled by promotion: Provided, 

 That if there is no person eligible for promotion, or if the vacant position requires 

 the exercise of technical or professional knowledge, it may be filled throiigh cer- 

 tification by the Civil Service Commission. 



Sec. 2. Except as provided in section 1 of this regulation, a vacancy in any class 

 shall be filled by the promotion of an eligible in the next lower class of the same 

 Bureau, Division, or Office. When siich vacancy exists the Board of Promotion 

 Review shall certify to the Secretary of Agriciilture the names of the three eligi- 

 bks in tlie Bureau. "Division, or Office having the highest records of efficiency, and 

 from these names the Secretary of Agriculture shall make his selection: Provided. 

 That if there shall be in the Bureau less than three eligibles in the class next below 

 that in which the vacancy exists, the Board f)f Promotion Review shall certify as 

 many in addition of the highest eligibles in the corresponding class of the other 

 Bureaus as may be necessary to make a full certification. 



Regxdation II. ~ 



Section 1. No person shall be promoted to any grade from which he is barred 

 by the age limitations prescribed by the Civil Service Rules. 



Sec. 2. No person whose record of efficiency is below 85 per cent of the possible 

 maximum rating of his class or grade shall be eligible for promotion. 



Sec 8. No person occupying a position below the grade of clerk-copyist shall 

 be promoted to that grade until he shall have l)een employed two years in the 

 departmental service and shall have passed, with an average percentage of 70 or 

 over, the examination prescribed by the Commission. 



