Evening star., 1938-06-14
SHORT WEEK COST
SET AT $56,7OD,OD)
Figure Is Revealed in Letter
to Ramspeck From Civil
Service Head.
BY J. A. FOX.

inauguration OF the nve-day week
throughout the executive agencies
move opposed by President Roosevelt
would cost the Government $50, ,7oo,-
900 annually, according TO a survey
by the Civil Service Commission.
This became known today with dis
closure Of communication from Harry
B. Mitchell president of the Civil
Service Commission. to Chairman
Ramspeck of the House Civil Service
Committee, who had asked for COM
ment on flve-day week bill sponsored
by Representative Mccormack, DEM
ocrat of Massachusetts,.
In putting the civil service report in
the Congressional Record, Representa-
tive Mccormack. who has been push
ing the flve-day week sought by white
collar" organizations of Government
employees. said he would sponsor the
same sort of legislation at the next
session of Congress.
With the approaching passage of
the wage and hour bill having as its
objective not only a minimum wage,
but q maximum hour work week for
those employed in private industry and
affected by this legislation, it is only
proper that the Federal Government
should provide for a similar work week
for its employees" Representative Nc
Cormack said.
Roosevelt Asked Survey.
The survey by the Civil Service
Commission was made at the instance
of President Roosevelt several months
ago, and on completion was sent to the
Budget Bureau. Widespread interest
has been provoked by the canvass, but
the details have never been made
public.
More than year ago, another study
showed overtime is a rule rather than
an exception in executive agencies
and hundreds of thousands of excess
hours are worked without compensa-
ton annually by employees whose work
week in some instances runs over 80
hours.
LII dhoSuoolilS Illc NICSOIIIldCk Dill
Mr.. Mitchell said the figure of S56, ,7OO,-
900 was the minimum of cost and that
there should be added two other items
Of cost on which he had no informa-
ton.
The first of these, he said, was the
additional expense of the five-day week
which was proposed to apply to naval
and military forces engaged in depart
mental duty in the Government in the
District of Columbia, and secondly the
amount involved to pay overtime at
time and half or give compensa tory
time to employees receiving less than
$4,000 year.
Great Bulk Under $4,000.
Mr.. Mitchell said the great bulk of
employees are under the $4,000 figure.
amplifying that on the pay roll last
September, 81 per cent of the personnel
was in this category.
The civil service chief also cited an
other angle of the proposal to give
departmental workers fve-day week.
At present, it was pointed out, these
groups work 80 hours in 5la day
week, or in some cases 411a hours
in a 51a day week. To cut them to
five days, he continued. would reduce
their hours to IS and 371a, respec-
lively, notwithstanding the fact a
much larger group-the reference cb-
viously being to postal employees and
skilled tradesmen-work by statute 40
hours in five-day week.
Representative Mccormack said cit
is only matter OF time" until Federal
employees get the short work week. He
urged his colleagues to study the COM
mission report and acquaint them
selves with the situation.