Equality For U.S. Working Women

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31317, 13 March 1967, Page 2

Equality For U.S. Working Women

President Johnson has taken another step to insure employment equality for women in the Federal service.

The President says he will ban job discrimination based on sex, either by issuing a new executive order or by amending the current order barring bias in Federal employment because of race, creed, colour or national origin. x v Mr Johnson made this statement when approving recommendations of the Federal Women’s Award Study Group he established to study problems of working women and to seek ways of making Government service more attractive to women. “As a nation, we cannot continue to afford through outmoded custom or attitude the senseless waste of capability potential of American women,” Mr Johnson said. "It is my firm intent, and I have expressed this many times since I became President, to have the Federal Civil Service truly exemplify equal opportunity for all in employment and advancement regardless of race, colour, creed national origin or sex.” The Federal Woman’s Award Study Group also recommended that programmes be developed throughout the executive branch to recruit women for part-time employment; and that each Federal agency’s programme be assessed annually to promote more effective use of qualified women.

The report notes that the climate for employing women

in professional, administrative and technical positions has become more favourable, although women still hold only a small fraction of such positions in the Government. In addition, the relative importance of women among young people being appointed to Federal positions through the Federal Civil Service examination is increasing. Mr Johnson has asked an interdepartmental committee on the status of women to consider what form the proposed executive order should take. The Civil Service Commission has also been asked to take immediate action on the other recommendations and make a progress report by July 1.