Registry No.- 1730-0l 

NATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION 

PROPOSED CODE OF FAIR COMPETITION 

FOR THE 

BURIAL INSURANCE 

INDUSTRY 

AS SUBMITTED ON AUGUST 30, 1933 

The Code for the Burial Insurance Industry 

in its present form merely reflects the proposal of the above-mentioned 

industry. and none of the provisions contained therein are 

· to be regarded as having received the approval of 

the National Recovery Administration 

as applying to this industry 

UNITED STATES 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON : 1933 

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D .C. - - - - - - - - Price 5 cents 

CODE OF FAIR COMPETITION FOR THE BURIAL 

INSURANCE INDUSTRY 

UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL 

RECOVERY ACT 

PREPARED AND SUBMITTED BY ALABAMA BURIAL INSURANCE 

ASSOCIATION, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 

ARTICLE I-PURPOSES 

SECTION 1. The declared object and purpo e of this Code i : 

(a) To increase the number of gainful workers employed, thereby 

reducing and relieving unemployment; 

(b) To eliminate unfair competition and destructive trade practice and create fair competitive relationship ; 

(c) To improve the standards of labor; 

(d) To rehabilitate and stabilize the Industry; 

(e) To up port and effectuate in every possible way the prescribed plan program and procedure of the Admini tration. 

ARTIOLE II-DURATION 

SECTION 1. During the Emergency Period covered by the National 

Indu trial Recovery Act this Code is intended to govern the Burial 

In urance Indu try ar1d its relation hip with alliBd and kindred 

Indu tries. 

ARTI LE III- DEFINITION 

SECTION 1. ' Burial In urance Indu try " mean and include all 

' Burial Insurance Companie ", whether qualified and licen eel as 

' Burial Companie · "Burial Ins-tlrance Companies'', or "1Iutual 

Aid . ' 

E ·. 2. ' Burial In urance Company ' means any per on, firm or 

coq oration engaged in the bu ines of providing Funeral or Burial 

J\1erchan li e and ervice through the sale of Certificate entitling 

the holder~ thereof in con ideration of mall weekly or monthly 

payment , to re eive at the time of death, certain specified tandard 

Funeral or Burial Merchandise and Service. 

SEc. 3. ' Certificate" means the Contract Certificate, Policy, or 

other Document issued by a Burial In ·urance Cmnpany, le ignating 

the J\IIerchandi e Service, and other Commoditie to which the 

holder is entitled and the condition governing the performance or 

fulfillment thereof: 

973--33 (.1) 
AR'IICLE IV-El\fPLOYEES RIGHTS Al-D PRIYILEGES 

SEcTION 1. Employees shall have. the right to organize and bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and 

shall be free from interference, restraint, or coercion of employers 

of labor, or their agents in the designation of such representatives, 

or in self-organization, or in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining, or other mutual aid or protection. 

SEc. 2. No employee nor prospective employee shall be required to 

join any Company or other Union as a condition of employment, or 

to refrain from joining, organizing, or assisting a labor organization 

of his choosing. 

SEc. 3. Minors or persons under 16 years of age shall not be 

employed in any capacity. 

ARTICLE V-HOURS AND wAGES 

SECTION 1. Employees working on a commission basis or on part 

commission and part salary shall not be governed by the provisions 

of this Article as to minimum wages. 

SEc. 2. Outside Salesmen, canvassers, or other employees employed 

wholly on a commission basis shall have the privilege of determining 

the hours which they shall devote to employment since their compensation is commensurate with the time and effort devoted to their 

work. 

SEc. 3. For Outside Salesmen or canvassers employed on a salary 

basis, the maximum hours for any one week shall be 40, and the minimum salary shall be $30.00 per week. 

SEc. 4. For District Superintendents employed in a managerial 

capacity, the maximum hours for any one week shall be 44, and the 

minimum salary shall be $40.00 per week. 

SEc. 5. For Accountants and Auditors the maximum hours for 

any one week shall be 52, and the minimum salary shall be $50.00 

per week. 

SEc. 6. For Bookkeepers the maximum hours for any one week 

shall be 40, and the minimum salary shall be $25.00 per week. 

SEc. 7. For Office Clerks the maximum hours for any one week 

shall be 40, and the minimum salary shall be $20.00 per week. 

SEc. 8. For Clerical Helpers or Apprentices the maximum hours 

for any one week shall be 40, and the minimum salary shall be $15.00 

per week. 

SEc. 9. For Branch Funeral Home Managers, who must be professional Funeral Directors and Embalmers in order to qualify, the 

hours shall be as required by the business transacted at their Branch, 

and the minimum salary shall be $40.00 per week. 

SEc. 10. For Funeral Directors, capable of conducting funerals in 

accordance with recognized professional standards, the hours shall 

be as required by the business transacted at their Branch, and the 

minimum salary shall be $25.00 per week. 

SEc. 11. For Assistant Funeral Directors, incapable of conducting 

funerals in accordance with recognized professional standards, the 

maximum hours for any one week shall be 40, and the minimum 

salary shall be $20.00 per week. 
3 

SEc. 12. For Licensed Embalmers, capable of embalming bodies 

in accordance with recoo·nized professional standards the hours shall 

be as required by the bu iness transacted at their Branch, and the 

minimum salar} hall be $25.00 per week. 

SEc. 13. For As i tant Embalmers, not capable of embalming 

bodies in accordance with recognized professional standards, the 

maximum hour for any one week shall be 40, and the minimum 

salary hall be $15.00 per week. 

SEc. 14. For Porters and Maids or other Funeral Home A sistants 

or Attendants the maximum hours for any one week shall be 40, 

and the minimum salary shall be $14.50 per week. 

ARTicLE VI-APPLICATION OF PRoviSIONs OF FuNERAL DIRECTORs' 

CoDE 

SECTION 1. In lieu of Sections 9, 10 11, 12 13 and 14 of Article V 

hereof, provisions of the Approved Code of Fair Competition of the 

Undertaking or Mortuary Industry, relative to the maximum hours 

and the minimum wages of employees in the Funeral Home Department of Burial Insurance Companies, are hereby approved and 

made applicable to Funeral Home employees of Burial Insurance 

Companies. 

ARTICLE VII-BusiNESS HoURs 

SECTION 1. The Minimum hours during which Funeral Home, District, or General Office of Burial Insurance Companies shall be kept 

open for the transaction of business for any one week shall be the 

same as was the custom of such Companies on July 15, 1933. 

ARTICLE VIII-UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES 

SECTION 1. The right of Burial Insurance Companies to contract 

with Morticians or Undertakers shall be deemed fair competition and 

shall be recognized. 

SEc. 2. To procure or attempt to procure Embalming or Hearse 

Service, from the Mortuary Industry, at a lower rate than quoted by 

such Industry in the open market i unfair trade practice and constitutes a violation of this Code. 

SEc. 3. To procure or attempt to procure Burial Merchandise at a 

cost below the wholesale price quoted by the Manufacturer in the 

open market is unfair trade practice and constitutes a violation of 

thi Code. 

SEc. 4. To circulate, or cause or permit to be circulated, any disparaging tatement or rumor, either written or verbal, concerning a 

competitor or a competitive business, is unfair trade practice and 

constitutes a violation of this Code. 

SEc. 5. To offer, provide, or perform any service or benefits without receiving premiums or proper compensation therefor is unfair 

trade practice and constitutes a violation of this Code. 

SEc. p. To patronize any person, firm, or corporation not in complete harmony with the National Recovery Administration, which is 

to say, unless such person, firm, or corporation has signed the Presi-
4 

dent's Reemployment Agreement, or is operating in accordance with 

the Approved Code of Fair Competition of the particular Industry 

in which engaged, i unfair trade practice and constitutes a violation 

of this Code. 

ARTICLE IX-RELATIONSHIP TON ATIONAL RECOVERY ADMINISTRATION 

SECTION 1. Other conditions of employment approved or prescribed by the Pre ident, in addition to the maximum hours of labor 

the mini1num rate of pay, and other provisions of this Code, shall 

be complied with by all Burial In urance Companies. 

ARTICLE X-ADOPTION 

SECTIO :r 1. We, the undersigned, repre enting the majority of the 

Burial Insurance Companies by number and by volume of business 

transacted within the State of Alabama, do hereby agree to abide 

by the provisions of this Code in the conduct of our business, and we 

do hereby pledge our cooperation and support of the plan and purpose of the National Recovery Administration in the interests o-f 

Indu trial Recovery. 

SEc. 2. This Code and all the provisions thereof are expressly made 

subject to the right of the President, in accordance with the provisions of Clause 10 (b) of the National Industrial Recovery Act, 

from time to time to cancel or modify any order, approval license, 

rule, or regulation, issued under Title I of said Act, and specifically 

to the right of the President to cancel or modify his approval of this 

Code or any conditions imposed by him upon hi approval thereof. 

ARTICLE XI-REFRIGERATION 

SECTION 1. A Conference Committee composed of J. S. Lester, 

Birmingham, Alabama, J. E. Luquire, Birmingham, Alabama,. E. A. 

Bradford, (C.) Birmingham, Alabama, R. M. Lackey, Binningham, Alabama, R. F. Blow, :Mobile, Alabama, at a meeting of 

Alabama Burial Insurance Association held on August 22nd, 1933, 

at which all the member were present, was duly elected, commissioned, authorized, empowered, and instructed, by and in behalf 

of said Alabama Burial Insurance Association, as its Legal Applicant, Agent, and Attorney, to appear at any Administrative, 

Official, or Board Hearing, or Conference, in connection with the 

compilation, presentation, revision, or execution of the provisions 

of this Code, the members of said Association hereby ratifying, and 

confirming any act which said Conference Committee or the majority 

thereof may perform hereunder. 

In testimony whereof, the duly constituted officers of said Alabama Burial Insurance Association, being authorized and instructed 

thereto have hereunto affixed the official signatures of said Association, this 22nd day of August, 1933. . .. 

ALABAMA BuRIAL INSURANCE· AssoCIATION~ ·: : 

R. M. LACKEY, Its President. 

J. S. LESTER, Its Secr.etary. 

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