HEW Lawyers Cast Wary Eye On Hiring Plan

Harvard's most recent attempt to meet a Federal government requirement for a non-discriminatory hiring plan may be in jeopardy.

The University's third affirmative action proposal, submitted to the government two weeks ago, is facing unfavorable review by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, sources close to the regional office of HEW said this week.

The plan--which includes goals and timetables regarding Harvard's plans to recruit and hire more women and minority group members throughout its ranks--may be rejected by HEW, the sources said.

Other HEW sources confirmed some dissatisfaction by the department reviewers with several parts of the proposal, although they declined to specify which parts.

Those sources said that HEW's final action on the hiring plan would come within two weeks, thus apparently laying to rest earlier indications that HEW would not act on the plan before the 45-day limit prescribed by law.

When the proposal was submitted to HEW in early May, Walter J. Leonard, special assistant to President Bok and coordinator of the University's affirmative action program, said that he had every reason to believe that the plan would be accepted by HEW.

The proposal now under consideration by HEW's regional office took over one year to complete at a cost to the University of nearly $250,000.

It includes some portions of programs that Harvard submitted to the department in February 1970 and November 1971, both of which were invalidated by new orders from Washington.

The government requires all major Federal contractors to draft extensive plans for ending discriminatory hiring practices.

Institutions whose plans do not comply with the government's standards risk loss of Federal funding.

Last year, Federal contracts accounted for about one-third of Harvard's income.

The affirmative action proposal under consideration by HEW sets forth a policy, which, for the first time, allows women to take maternity leaves with pay.