Government and Social Work
True or False

1.




1. More than half the members of the National Association of Social Workers are employed in government jobs.



FALSE


Less than half the NASW members who were surveyed, worked in government positions.




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2.




2. Most social workers who work in government are employed by the legislative branch.



FALSE


Social workers in government , by and large, work for the executive branch, carrying out programs that have been passed by legislative bodies.




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3.




3. Significant numbers of social workers work for the legislative and judicial branches of government, including the state legislatures, the U.S. Congress, and the state and federal courts.



TRUE


Social workers in legislative bodies help conduct hearings on legislation, conduct research for legislators, and otherwise assist in developing social welfare programs. In the judicial branch, they work for judges and courts, assisting in probation and parole programs for the courts as well as carrying out other duties.




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4.




4. It is impossible to terminate the employment of public employees after they have completed their probationary period.



FALSE


Public employees can lose their jobs for a variety of reasons, including failure to perform the job satisfactorily. The reasons have to be documented and, in many cases, the workers have to be given an opportunity to improve their performances. When the reasons are poor conduct, such as the mistreatment of clients, or failure to do the job properly, termination can be very rapid.




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5.




5. Periodic evaluations of employees are typically required in government and many voluntary social agencies.



TRUE


Social workers should expect to have at least annual formal evaluations by their supervisors based upon their job performances during the year.




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6.




6. The federal government has special programs to provide equal employment opportunity for those of minority sexual orientation such as gay men, lesbian women, and bisexuals.



FALSE


The federal government does not provide protection for people of different sexual orientations. However, some state and local governments provide protection for those with minority sexual orientations.




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7.




7. References are not important in merit system employment because the only criteria are the grades applicants make on their examinations.



FALSE


References that testify to a social worker's good character and professional performance are required by most employers, including those in government. References are taken seriously by those who appoint social workers to jobs.




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8.




8. Voluntary organizations receive all of their funds from contributions and from fees they charge to clients and not from government.



FALSE


Many voluntary or private social agencies receive substantial amounts of money from government contracts and grants.




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9.




9. Social workers who are willing to join a military service may find opportunities to practice their professions in the Air Force, Army, and Navy.



TRUE


The U.S. armed services have social workers who perform a variety of tasks with members of the armed forces and their families.




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10.




10. In order to work with military families in the U.S. and overseas, social workers must join one of the uniformed services.



FALSE


There are many jobs for social workers with the military that are contracted to civilians. That is, civilian social workers may be hired by the military services to work with military families. The social workers who assume those jobs retain their civilian status.




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11.




11. Social workers who provide social services to low income people are, by and large, federal employees.



FALSE


Although the Supplemental Security Income program and Social Security are federal programs, most social workers who provide help such as counseling to low income families work for state departments of social welfare or social services. The social services provided to Supplemental Security Income clients are provided by the state departments, for example. Social Security offices are not primarily designed to provide personal services to clients.




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12.




12. The highest paying jobs in social work employment are with the federal government.



TRUE


Federal agency jobs and the military are, generally, the highest paying jobs for social workers, according to one study. However, only a small percentage of social work jobs are in those agencies.




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13.




13. All merit system or civil service social work jobs require an examination.



FALSE


Some applications are evaluated without an examination. Reviewers rate applicants objectively by examining their resumes and applications.




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14.




14. Unassembled civil service examinations are basically oral interviews.



FALSE


Unassembled employment examinations are evaluations of resumes and credentials. Specialists examine one's experiences, references, and education, and rate the applicant on those bases rather than on the results of an examination.




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15.




15. Government employees in social welfare should expect to be well-recognized and acknowledged for their work.



FALSE


Government employees are generally anonymous and not well-recognized by the public for their work. Becoming a major public figure should not be an expectation for most public employees.




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16.




16. An important part of the work of social workers in government agencies is translating legislative actions into administrative law and policies.



FALSE


Implementing legislation is a basic function of social workers in executive branch agencies.




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