8. Power of Discharge.— In plants where the hiring and placing of workers is delegated to an employment department, the final dis charge of an operative becomes one of the func tions of employment manag=cnt. In concerns where this rule is in force the authority to dis charge unconditionally does not rest with the foreman. A foreman usually is given the privi lege of saying when a man shall not continue to work in his department but the authority to decide that an operative shall not be permitted to work in any other part of the plant is dele gated to the employment manager, subject, of course, to the approval of the plant manager.
To perform these duties successfully and without weakening departmental discipline re quires that all cases shall be handled diplo matically and each case upon its own merits. In fact, where these methods are pursued, the employment manager becomes a man who sits in judgment upon all questions of differences between the employees and their superiors, who is entrusted with the important duty of seeing that the foreman is protected in the exercise of all just methods of directing his help and that every employee is assured a square deal.
9. Maintaining the Reputation of the Finn. — If a desirable class of employees is to be obtained and retained it is necessary that the concern should have a °good name' among the workers. While the wages paid, the hours of labor and other conditions that depend upon the policy of the management, have a great deal to do with the development of the reputa tion of the firm, fully as much depends upon the character of the employment management, as it is essential that both applicants for and those actually working in the plant shall be pleasantly impressed by the treatment they receive at the hands of the employment depart ment. This means (1) All applicants must be handled promptly and treated courteously, ap plications being taken and filed for future ref erence where there are no positions to be filled; (2) Employees shall invariably be treated cour teously and justly and shall be advised and assisted in every way practicable; (3) Even those who are discharged, or who are leaving the concern because of dissatisfaction, shall be treated so fairly and courteously that they will go away with as agreeable an impression of the firm as possible.
10. Management of Welfare Activities.— The various welfare activities of the firm, in cluding those of a social and educational char acter, also come under the direction of the em ployment department. See INDUSTRIAL WELFARE.
11. Keeping Labor Records.— In order that these various functions may be performed effectively, it is necessary that a system of de partment records shall be adopted and care fully kept. These include records of (1) Ap plications for employment and data regarding condition of labor-market. (2) Employment cards, containing such information as: Name and address, date of application, place and date of birth, date of arrival of foreign-born immi grant, degree of education, language spoken, domestic condition and record of previous em ployment. (3) Physical examination. (4) Daily report of those tardy and absent, with causes. (5) Industrial progress of the indi vidual worker, with special attention to progress of ((learners" (6) Labor turnover sheet, de tailing the number °quitting° or discharged both by departments and a j ob s,* with such facts as (a) reasons for withdrawal, (b) length of serv ice, etc. See LABOR TURNOVER.
In plants where these methods have been adopted there has been a marked improvement in the personnel, a reduction of the labor turn over and general stabilizing effects that have been clearly reflected both in the quality and the quantity of product.