The Washington times., 1919-10-24
OFFICIAL EXPLAINS
MINIMUM PAY LAW
Merchants and Manufacturers
Hear Address by Secre-
\ tary of Board.

Details OF the operation OF the min
imum wage law for minors and
women were discussed last night be-
fore members OF the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association in a meet
ing at the Raleigh Hotel by Miss
Clara E. Mortenson, secretary of the
minimum wage board.
1t was explaiend that the law
provided minimum wage of $3.50 a
week for adults on the basis of the
working week ordinarily in force In
any given establishment; that. IL the
working week of a firm is forty
hours, the $3.50 a week minimum
wage should be prorated on that
basis. Many msrchants protested
against this interprs station of the law,
pointing out that they would actually
be paying an employe more per day
during the months of July and Au-
gust, when local stores are closed on
saturday, than they would during the
other ten months of the year. They
also said that this change from a
forty-eight-hour week to a forty
hour week would be an inconvenience
and injustice to them.
May End Saturday Hsnday.-
Some OF the merchants intimated
that IL the order were interpreted by
the board to mean they would have
to pay the $3.50 a week for the
forty-hour week as well as for the
forty-eight-hour, that Interpretation
might result In the abolition of the
summer Saturday closing. Miss Nor
tenson told the merchants that she
would explain their position to the
board.
The original order of the board will
go into effect 1t was explained, Oc-
tober 2s. Miss Mortenson asked the
merchants If they would agree TO
substitute the modified order. which
would legally go into effect December
II, for the original order to go into
effect for adults and minors beginning
next Tuesday.
The amended order is less stringent
from the employers point OF view
Miss Mortenson explained, as regards
minors, and the substitution means
fewer changes in the bookkeeping OF
the firms
"An experience for minors begins
after October 2s," said Miss Mortenson
regardless of age" "If you have in
your employ on that date a minor
who Is seventeen years old, according
TO the minimum wage law, he has
had one years experience, and must
be paid on that basis. II you have
IN your employ a minor who is fif
teen years old, according to the law
he has had no experience.
The law strictly provides that an
| adult female employe must be paid 4
minimum wage of s1650 a week, and
II an employe works part time tn,
minimum wage must be prorated or
the basis of an eight-hour day"
May Include Bonus.
In answer to some OF the questions
put TO Miss Nortenson. IT was made
clear that payment need not be made
weekly, but that the empIoye mus,
receive the minimum wage per week
IL paid semi-monthly or monthly. n
was also pointed out that the min.
| inum wage might include a bonus
but that the employe must be guar.
anteed the minimum net wage OF
S16.5O a week
John ID. Clark, OF thercredit section
OF association, explained the work
OF the section, and announced that
the next meeting of the section would
be held November II, at which time
a number OF prominent bankers would
speak
Isaac Cans urged the members OF
the association to support the Trinity
community drive. DR.. Thomas O.
Beasley, OF the American Red Cross
made an appeal for Red Cross mem
oers. Ross P. Andrews presided a,
the meeting. =