Evening star., 1941-06-07
Staggered Pay
Ordered for
u. ). Workers
7 Federal Groups
To Receive Money
On 9th and 23d

President Roosevelt today in
structed Secretary of the Treas
ury Morgenthau to increase the
number of Federal paydays in
the District from two to four per
month, the extra disbursements
to be made on the 9th and 23d
day of each month.
The President requested that the
new paydays be applied for en-
ployes of the Agriculture, Commerce,
Navy. Treasury and War Depart
ments. and of the Federal Security
and Federal Work Agencies.
The new arrangement. designed
to eliminate the concentration of
Federal disbursements here on the
1st and 18th of each month, is to
become effective July l. For the
departments and agencies specified,
employees will receive their custom
airy half months check on June 80
and on July will receive the pay
for the first week of the month.
Their next check will be received
on July %. and from then on they
will be paid twice monthly on these
new dates.
District May Follow.
The District Government is eX-
pected to follow the lead of tho
Federal departments in adopting ?
staggered pay system. the District
q lraa6X haiF1n ~ 1ly
gered arrangement.
Commissioner John Russell Young
recently urged the Board or Com
miSSioners TO take the lead in the
movement, and Commissioners Mel
vim c. Hazen and Charles w. Kutz
indicated today the District would
take further steps in the matter
promptly, The subject is expected
to be considered at Mondays meet
ing of the board.
While Disbursing Officer James r.
Lusby has reported that about 40
per cent of the monthly disburse-
ments already are on days other
than the 18th and last DAYS of the
month, Commissioner Hazen said
today large percentage of the Dis
trict Building workers still were
paid on the traditional paydays and
that some of them might well be
brought into the new system.
Instruct MorgenthzI-
The Presidents instructions to
Secretary Morgenthau were con-
tanned In the following letter, oateG
today:
MY Dear Mr. Secretary:
There has been submitted to me
by the director of the Bureau of
the Budget proposal that the dates
for payment of salaries and wages
to Federal employees in the District
of Columbia be staggered. instead
Of continuing the present practice of
paving nearly all employees on the
18th and last DAYS of each month
The objectives sought are to
spread more evenly over the month
the vorkload incident to such pay
ments. to level off the semi-monthly
peak loads in the local banks and
stores. and to alleviate the attend
ant inconvenience experienced by
Federal employees and the public
generally.
1T is my understanding that you
concur in the desirability and prac-
ticability OF such a change, and that
members of your staff and OF thes
staff of the Bureau of the Budget
have co-operated in working out
the proposed plan.
Includes d. c. Employees.
IN order that the benefits in
herent in the proposal may be real
lied, you are requested to increase
the number of semi-monthly pay
periods and pay days from two to
four, beginning July /. l941. It is
suggested that the inclusive dates
of the additional pay periods be
from the 9th to the 23d of each
month and from the oath of
each month to the 9th of he fol-
lowing month. and that the paydays
for such periods be the 23d and
9th respectively.
1T is further requested that in
collaboration with the heads of the
Agriculture, Commerce. Navy,
Treasury and War Departments
and of the Federal Security and
Federal Works Agencies, you ar
range for salary payments to be
made on the 9Th and 23d OF each
month to all their employees in the
District of Columbia who are paid
through the facilities of the Divi-
sion of Disbursement. Treasury De-
partment.
In tnaugurating the new pro-
cedure, it is contemplated that the
first pay roll will cover the period
from July to July 8, l94l, inclusive.
Sincerely yours,