Evening star., 1920-05-30

dnnultleS Will De handled III iHoSh e"e
same way as the present pension rolls
Employees to Aid Fund.
The new law provides for a con-
tributory system. in which the gov
ernment workers have 21s per cent
Of their salaries deducted and paid
into a fund in the custody of the Sec
retary of the Treasury. out OF when
the annuities will be paid. This means
that the employees contributions VIII
finance the annuity system for the
first ten or twelve years, the United
States Treasury borrowing from this
employees fund. with interest. There
after the federal government will be
required to make annual appropria-
tions to make up the deficiency as the
retirement roll grows longer. Joseph
S. Mccoy. the government actuary
who has been advising the appropria-
tions committees of Congress for
many years, estimates that the maxi
mum expenditure on the annuity roll
will come in about thirty years.
The law carries ample provision for
refunding the amounts Of contribu
tions. with compound interest, in the
service who may be transferred to an
unclassified position. and to any en-
ploye who may become separated from
the service before becoming eligible
for retirement on annuity. Provision
is also made that in case of death of
an employe the amount of his contri-
button. with compound interest. shall
pass to his heirs.
Gaylord NJ. Saltzgaber. the commits
sioner of pensions. explains the three
principal provisions for such refunds
O In case of disability. If annuity
is discontinued before the annuitant
has received a sum equal to the total
amount Of contributions. with accrued
interest, the difference shall be paid
to the employe or estate.
co On separation from service be-
fore reaching retirement age the to-
tai amount Of deductions Of salaries.
with accrued interest at per cent
compounded. shall, on application. be
returned to the employe or estate.
ca In case an annuitant shall die
without having received in annuities
an amount equal to the total amount
deductAd from his or her. salary. with
Interest at per csat eer4poundsd. the
axcNeS .Saf accumulated deductions
shall be paid to the legal representa-
tive.
The deduction of thS ~ per cent
OF salasy contribution. to the annuity
fund will begin on September 1.
Annuities to Ne Paid Monthly.
Annuities are TO be paid monthly
and are not assignable or subject to
execution or other legal process.
Ono Of the features Of the new law
10 tho disability clause which provides
for those who may become totally
disabled before reaching the retire
ment ages. There are no statistics
available on which to base a reliable
computation. but it is estimated that
this will afford relief to 500 to 1000
applicants annually.
Tho employe who becomes per-
nanently injured has his choice for
relief either through the United
States employment compensation act
or through this disability clause. As
this provides an annuity for life 1t
is expected that the big majority Of
applications will be made under the
retirement law. The compensation act
provides only for injuries. while the
retirement act provides for total dis
ability.
There is definite limit placed in
the law upon the rentention even Of
efhcient and technically expert en-
ployes. During the first ten years of
operation Of the law such emcient
employees may be retained In two-year
periods of extension. but after the
law has been in force for ten years
no employe can be continued for
more than two two-year periods.
Scope Of New Law.
Besides those in the regular classi-
fed civil service the law covers into
the retirement system certain other
classes of employees who are not
technically within the classified serv-
Ice but the character Of whose work
and tenure is practically the Same. It
includes:
All regular annual employees Of the
municipal government of the District,
including those receiving per diem
pay out of the general appropriations.
but whose services are continuous,
and Including public school employees.
School officers and teachers and police
and firemen are specifically excluded.
because they have separate retirement
systems.
1t includes also superintendents Of
United States national cemeteries,
employees of the superintendent Of the
United States Capitol buildings and
grounds. the Library Of Congress and
the Botanic Garden. excepting per-
sons appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate 1t may be
extended by executive order, upon
recommendation of the Civil Service
Commission. to include any employe
or group of employees in the civil serv-
ice not classified at this time. The
President has power In his discretion
to exclude from the operations Of this
act any employe or group Of employees
in the classified civil service whose
tenure Of Office Of employment IL in
termittent or Of uncertain duration.
BERGD0LL INQUIRY ASKED.
Congress Is asked to investigate the