Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-07
HALF PAY DURING QUARANTINE
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES BENE-
FITTED By BENNETT BILL.
Measure Provides for Sufferers
From Disease Not Resultant
From Their Own Habits. :.

Employees of the several government de-
partments, the District government let
ter carriers and those employed in the
government printing office and navy yard
are expressing qualification to Repre-
sentative William S. Bennett Of New York
for introducing recently in the House what
is known as 1.-The Bennett health bill" The
measure. which has been referred to the
committee on reform in the civil service.
provides that "any employe of the gov
eminent who is employed in the various
executive or manufacturing departments
of the government. including employees of
the District of Columbia, those persons
who may be employed upon the isthmian
canal and postal employees or letter car
rlers. who suffer from any contagious or
loathsome disease. including tuberculosis.
that Is not the direct result of the per-
sons own vicious habits or who may in
any manner without previous knowledge
come in actual contact with such pre-
existing contagious diseases in such man.
ner as to endanger the health OF others,
be granted One-half his or her salary.
wages or other remuneration for the
period quarantined
Official Verifcation.
THAT before such one-half wages or
salary be paid from the funds OF the de-
partment concerned. the d.sbursing officer
for that department shall demand a GER
tificate from the employee. the blank form
Of which shall be obtained. upon applica-
ton. from the surgeon general Of the
public healti, and marine hospital serv-
ice. and which shall be signed by the
health officer. board Of health or licensed
physician within the district. or place.
i te
ployed. or resides, approved or disap-
proved by the chief or head of the de-
partment. and which must certify that
the said person has suffered from or has
been in contact with contagious diseases
that would endanger the health of others;
such certificate to bear on the reverse
side list Of the contagious diseases
with the quarantine period called for by
each specific contagious disease"
1t is provided also that any sick leave
Of absence that may be due. or to the
credit OF the employe, must first be ex-
hausted in the same ratio of one-half pay,
before this act or the provisions thereof,
shall apply in each particular instance:
also that any annual leave Of absence
due employee shall be exempt from any
provisions of this act and to remain to
the credit of the same employee"
Sanitarium Privilege.
Under the provisions of the Bennett bill
government employees found to be suffer
ing from tuberculosis may be placed upon
formal application in any sanitarium es-
tablished for the treatment of that
disease by any department or branch of
the government. at mo greater than
actual cost for keep. nursing and medical
attendance" such rates to be prescribed
by the surgeon general of the marine
hospital service.
Should death OF the person ensue while
an inmate OF the saDjtarium. payment of
the one-half of his or her salary or wages
shall cease. Free medical attention is
also provided for dependent children Of
male employees Of the government.