The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-04-28
An important
Postal Ruling.

postmaster Ha1S a received q let
ter from the postmaster-genera which
will be Of Importance and interest to
the public as well as the le~tter-carriers.
1t is In relation to overtime services
and claims Of l~etter-carriers under the
act approved May "a, 1888, and advises
the postmaster that 1.-The judgment OF
the court of claims, rendered March
7, 1892, constituting certain phrases of
that law, has been affirmed by the SUI
preme court Of the United States, from
which it appears that the carrier is en-
titled to eight-hours' work, and to his
pay If work is not furnished him. For
any excess on any day he is entitled
to extra pay. The only offset that can
be maintained is when he is absent
from duty without leave. The depart
ment is at liberty to keep a carrier en-
ployed eight hours every day, but not
to give him a deficit Of work n day
and an excess another. For any over
time actually made by a l~etter-carrier
on any day in the performance of any
kind of duty in connection with the
postal service, to which he may be as
signed by the postmaster, he is entitled
to extra pay pro rata"
Under this decision a full days pay if
allowed for not exceeding eight hours
work in any one day. This service may
or may not, be in consecutive hours,
1t is not to be construed, however, as
deciding that overtime may be al
lowed in any case unless for an excess
OF eight hours actual service in one
day.
Claims for overtime services must
be submitted and approved by the de-
partment. In order to curtail the ex-
penses Of his Office as far a spossible
Mr.. Hare is notified that in case any
letter-carrier is found lettering or con
| Stunning time on his route unnecessa-
| riiy, or absent from duty without per-
mission, in the absence Of j~ustifiable ex-
cuse, to at once recommend such car
rier for removal; and where a carrier
is working over eight hours daily and
the department upon application le'
fuses the allowance Of additional car
riers, the portmaster is instructed Z
at once learrange his free delivery ser
vice so as to bring his carriers time
within the eight-hour limit, either by
curtailing the exterior boundaries Of
his free delivery districts, or by re-
ducing the frequency of his deliveries
or collections, as in his judgment may
seem best for the interest of the ser
vice.
In of the plan above out
lined for the reduction Of expenses, the
assistant postmaster-general ~instructS
Mr.. Hare to make daily examinations
of each carrier and collectors trip re-
port to ascertain whether any one, or
any day, is consuming more than eight
hours in the performance of his officia
duties; and whenever any excess o.
time Is reported for any day, to at once
ascertain the cause. If it should bt
found that a carrier or collector in the
proper discharge of his official duties
is necessarily employed in excess o.
eight hours, that carrier or collector
is to be at once relieved Of such par
of said duties as will enable him tt
come within the ei~ght-hour limit. This
will be done by either assigning a por'
ton of his route or his labor to another
carrier who, may have a deficit or by
adopting some or all OF the other rene
dies outlined in the order; of the post
ma~ster-general.