Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-06-08
Stimson Orders
44-Hour Week
AT Department
$4,000 to Get No
Extra Compensation;
Poydoys Staggered
BACKGROUND

Huge expansion OF force IN eT-
ecuttUe agencies has accompanied
defense program, approximately
$4,000 employees hGUirq been
added in past year Many estdb-
HShmentS hare reSorted to ouer-
time on occasions because Of in
crease in Uork.
The work week of War De-
partment employees will be in
creased five hours beginning to-
morrow. Secretary Stimson yes
terday ordered a 44-hour sched-
ule instead of the SO heretofore
prevailing.
More than $4,000 workers will
be affected, and they will not
receive compensation for the ex-
ira time.
Under the heightened hours the
employees will remain at their desks
until pm. instead of quitting at 4,
from Monday through Friday. Sat-
urday will continue 10 be four
hour day and the starting time,
8:l5 M, and 45-minute lunch pc
Rod will remain unchanged
While overtime has not been I'M
usual throughout the entire Gov
eminent establishment since the
defense program got under way.
the War Department is the first of
the executive agencies to inaugurate
a regular schedule involving extra
| hours.
Robert Dougan. public relations
director for the Capital Transit Co.,
expressed confidence that the re-
arrangement of transportation ia
cilities necessitated by the change
in hours would be accomplished
without difficulty. and that the
staggered hour plan started in
March would not be disturbed.
Paydays staggered"
The change IN the War Depart
ment hours was the second break
caused by the defense program in
| long bhshed Government rou-
tine yesterday. President Roose-
welt having earlier ordered a sys-
TEN of staggered paydays put into
effect July /.
In a letter to Secretary Of the
Treasury Morgenthau, the Presl-
dent directed that employees of the
Navy, War, Treasury, Agriculture
and Commerce Departments and the
/ Federal Security and Federal Work
| Agencies be paid on the 9th and 23d
of the month. Other workers will
| continue to be paid on the 18th and
| last of the month. The change be-
comes effective July l.
An unofficial count indicates that
107,560 Federal employees will re-
ceive their pay on the new days.
/ That was the number of workers
| in those agencies in March. the most
| recent month for which the Civil
Service Commission has compiled
| figures on the size of the Federal
| pay rolls in the District. Altogether
! in March the executive branch of
! the Federal Government had l67,06l
employees. 1t is known that almost
/ all agencies have increased since
/ then, but by how much is uncer-
/ tain.
The number of permanent work.
ers among the 107,560 is 1928, and
! the total number Of permanent Fed
eral workers in the District in March
was 1402l6. These permanent work
ers are divided thus among the af-
| fected agencies:
Treasury. 1892; War, 1910:
Navy, 1887; Agriculture. 1907;
Commerce, 1875; Federal Security.
8,749; Federal Works, 9,o23.
ID. c. May Follow Suit.
! Employees of the departments and
/ agencies affected will receive their
! customary half months check on
June 30. On July they will re-
! ceive the pay for the first week of
/ the month of July Their next check
will be received July %, and from
then on they will be paid twice
monthly on the 9th and the 23d.
Some type of staggered pay sys-
/ tenn has long been advocated by
traffic officials, merchants, banks
and other Washington businessmen.
They said that more than two pay
! DAYS a month would tend to level
out the sharp peaks and deep val
! leys of business in Washington and
ease the trffic congestion in the
downtown areas, acute at pay time.
The District government is ex-
| pected to order staggered" pay
days also in keeping with the new
Federal arrangement. Statements
by the city heads yesterday indi-
Gated the question probably would
| be decided at tomorrow's meeting
of the Board of Commissioners.
Commissioner John Russell Young,
who recently urged the Commits
sioners to take the lead in promot-
ing staggered paydays, favors fur
Their adjustment of the District pay
roll. Commissioners Melvin c. Ha-
zen and Charles w. Kutz said yes
terday the idea was splendid, though
neither one was prepared to sug-
geSt what groups of municipal
workers should be affected.
Princess Martha Guest