Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-15
LEAVES :.4.,y ANg holidays
CONTROLLER TRAdNw&LL ANSWERS
PUBLIC PRINTER's-QUERY.
Former See. No Rea.M to Change
Custom long In
Fotee. g

Controller Tracewell has written an opin-
ion to the public printer n lative to leaves
of absence for employees of his office. In a
letter to the controller, MrRalmer says:
Section 46 of the act of January II. 1895,
relating to the publics printing and binding
and the distribution of public documents
(2S Stat, co., provides that the employees
of the government printing office shall be
allowed the following legal holidays with
pay, to wit: The LIST day of January, the
22d day of February, the 4th day of July,
the 25th day OF December, Inauguration
Gay. Memorial day, Labors holiday, and
such day as may be designated by the
President Of the United States as a day of
public fast or thanksgiving
"It has been the custom of this office for
some years past not to pay those of it's en-
plcyes for holiday who were absent both
the day preceding and the day following a
holiday, upon the principle that those alb
sent would not, in all probability, have
worked on the day that such holiday &C.
Cured had the day not been a holiday
otherwise employees who may be absent on
account of sickness and who may have
exhausted their annual leave of absence
would be paid for holiday which might
occur during such absence
1.-The employees take exception to this Gus
tom or rule, believing 1T to be contrary to
the letter and spirit of the statute.
81 will thank you, therefore. to inform
me whether or not, in your opinion, all per-
sons whose names are borne upon the rolls
of this office are entitled to pay for the holt
DAYS named in the law, Notwithstanding
the fact that some of them may be absent
from their duties both before and after a
holiday.
"In this connection I desire to state that
employees of this office are not granted
thirty days annual leave Of absence with
pay exclusive of Sundays and holidays; in
other words. Sundays and holidays are in
clLded in such leaves.
The Controllers Decision.
In reply to this letter the controller says:
1.-The object of the act of January II, 1890,
supra, giving pay for the holidays named, is
clearly to prevent the employees Of the gov
eminent printing Office from being obliged
to lose pay which they might otherwise
earn owing to the temporary closing of the
office on account of the holidays. and not
to absolutely grant them pay for these
DAYS irrespective of other conditions which
might affect their rights in the premises.
Since an employee who is absent on annual
leave with pay is not entitled to pay for
any holiday falling within the leave, 1t is
entirely reasonable to hold that one who is
absent from duty for period of time dur
ing which a holiday may occur is not en-
titled to be paid for such holiday, if such
absence is manifestly for his own conven-
fence, or through his own misfortune or is
due to some cause other than the closing Of
the office on account of the holiday.
81 can see no good reason for changing
your long-continued practice of paying an
employe of the government printing Office
for time lost on account ola holiday only
when the loss of pay onst that day grows
solely out of the occurrence of the holiday,
and not from some cause unconnected
Herewith