26 THE NATIONAL FOREST MANUAL. 



gross. Promotions will be based strictly on merit, length of service, and the 

 possession of qualifications required for each position. The district foresters 

 will issue instructions annually to the supervisors, outlining the policy which 

 must be followed in fixing the compensation of forest guards and other tem- 

 porary employees. Such instructions will be based on reports from the super- 

 visors giving local rates of compensation from private employers, and the rela- 

 tive cost of living. They should recommend the rates of compensation which 

 the Service should offer to obtain the right kind of men. 



Outside Employment. 



All employees are expected to give, their entire time to the Service. In 

 exceptional cases permission to engage in outside employment may be ob- 

 tained from the Secretary of Agriculture. When such permission is desired, 

 the member concerned should address his request to the Secretary of Agri- 

 culture, in accordance with section G of the Fiscal Regulations, giving a state- 

 ment of the kind of work contemplated, and that it will not hamper or inter- 

 fere with his work for the department. If his immediate superior approves 

 the request, he will initial and forward it to the Secretary through the proper 

 channels. 



Leave of Absence. 



Members of the Forest Service on duty outside of Washington may be 

 granted leave of absence with pay for a period of not to exceed 15 days 

 annually, or at the rate of 11 days per month. In case of sickness there will 

 be granted an additional leave of absence with pay of 15 days per year, or at 

 the rate of If days per month. 



It should be understood by all Forest officers that the granting of annual 

 leave of absence is entirely within the discretion of their superior officers, and 

 that in case of urgent work, or for other good reasons, it may be impracticable 

 to grant them the whole or a part of the annual leave. 



Leave of absence without pay for a period not to exceed 30 days may be 

 granted by the supervisor to Forest officers, at their own request, in order to 

 attend to private business or for other good reasons. Applications for leave 

 of absence without pay for periods longer than 30 days will be referred with 

 appropriate recommendations to the District Forester. The Fiscal Regulations 

 contain full instructions relative to the methods of calculating leave of absence. 



Furlough. 



Forest officers are furlonghed without pay at the instance of their superior 

 officer, when, on account of lack of funds or cessation of work, it becomes 

 inadvisable to keep them on the pay roll. Officers on furlough have the same 

 rights under the civil service rules and regulations as have officers on active 

 duty, and when funds again become available or work is resumed, they must be 

 given preference. In case they do not desire to be restored to active duty, they 

 should either resign or apply for leave without pay. 



Personnel Reports. 



The supervisor will submit on May 1 an efficiency report on each member of 

 his force in duplicate on the regular departmental form, and this report will 

 include his annual promotion recommendations. No other personnel report will 

 be made by the supervisor, except in cases which require special attention 

 or action, or *vhen called upon by the District Forester. 



Diaries. 



Members of the district office, supervisors, and deputy supervisors will keep 

 n diary when traveling in the field. Forest clerks will keep a diary of the 

 daily proceedings in the office of the supen'isor. Visits from permittees and 

 others and the nature of the business transacted should be noted. All officers 

 on the Forests will record every day's service in a diary to be kept in the regular 

 field notebook, which will be submitted to the supervisor on request. When it 

 is considered desirable by either the District Forester or the supervisor, the 

 Forest force may be required to accompany the monthly service report (Form 

 26) with a brief summary of the dairy for the month. 



Supervisors will bear in mind that in no case will the examination of rangers' 

 diaries replace field supervision. The diary is a record and not a measure of 

 efficiency, and no criticism of Forest officers' actions will be based upon it unless 

 substantiated by investigation. 



