The Washington times., 1924-07-18
COMP AIN
OF UNFAIR
GRADING
House Of Detention Employees
Especially Hard Hit,
Claim

OteAttBt
Employees Of the District gov
eminent are aroused over alleged
injustices against them in the re-
classification Of salaries, follow
ing the first pay day on the new
schedule which became effective
July /.
Many local employees are being
paid less than they were under
the former scale and it is alleged
that the personnel classification
board has violated the cIassifica-
tion law by failing to grade Dis
trict employees on the same basis as
other Government employees.
Bitter AT Reductions.
Bitter dissatisfaction with the
new classifications exists among the
employees of the House of Detention,
who have suffered reductions OF
pay, 1t became known today.
Mrs. Nina g. Van Wrinkle, under
whose jurisdiction the House Of
Detention comes, declared today
that, in her opinion, the civilian
employees there have grounds for
suit against the government ror
breach Of contract because Of these
reductions
District telephone operators and
elevator operators complain Of the
boards failure to grade them az
similar employees in sother depart
ments are graded. They declare
that they are being pald far less
under Reconsideration than tels-
phone and elevator operators in the
Federal departments, although the
law is clearly intended to equalize
compensation rates for identical
work throughout the Federal and
District governments.
Defend Classification.
The chief complaint Of many
employees, it is statec Dy friends Of
reclassific is based upon =
misunderstanding OF facts.
They declare that salary reduc-
tions in most instances are not
actually reductions, but are the
result OF the increased contribution
exactedl by the new retirement law
passed during the past session Of
Congress, which increases the
amount to be paid by employees
from III to IA per cent Of their
salaries. This contribution is made
still larger by the fact that lust
year it was levied solely upon the
basic salary and not upon the bonus,
while this year the basic salary has
been increased to absorb the bonus,
thereby making the entire income
of the employee subject to the y
per cent reduction.
Employees at the local House OF
Detention, Mrs. Van Wrinkle de-
clared, have suffered actual reduce
ton of pay as result Of q ruling
that their board must be paid from
their salaries. In past years the
board has been furnished and their
salaries have heen paid them intact.
Called Injustice.
while they have had their sal
aries increased in many cases by
as much as $240, this increase has
been more than swallowed UP by
the amount of board they must pay
80 that they are actually receiving
less pay than before" Mrs. Van
Wrinkle declared.
This is an absolute injustice and
works great hardships on these
faithful and loyal employees" she
said
These employees took examina.
tons for positions which had been
advertised at certain salary. They
understood when they came into the
service that they were to receive
the salary advertised. Instead, un.
der this reclassification, they find
they are receiving less.
They were promised a certain,
salary when they took their ex-
aminations and now, after they
have become familiar with their
positions and have become expert.
enced and valuable employees, they
are reduced in pay.
Guards Hard Hit.
"The guards at the House Of De.
tention are receiving an indecently
ssmal salary under Reconsideration
some OF the guards came to me last
WINTER and complained they could
not get along on the salaries paid
tnein' AT my own urging they re-
NAMED on duty In the belief that
tney would receive justice under re-
c,assl1lcation. They have been
gwen no relief whatever
hundreds Of District employees are
I0rwarding appeals to the Personnel
CIassirication Board, It was learned.
All employees Of the local govern.
ment who have suffered pay reduc.
IONS or who are not being paid on
sne same scale as employees in SINH
lar positions in the Federal service
are being urged by the Federation