Evening star., 1941-12-03
U. 5. Pay Raises
Of S3,236,327
In Fund Bill
More to Come Later;
1882 Workers
Will Benefit
Bv WILL p. KENNEDY.


periodic, Within-grade promotions
and salary increases for Federal
and District employees as provided
by the Ramspeck-Mead Act, the
third supplemental national defense
bill reported to the
House today carries a total Of 3d.
236 327
Included in this amount is Sis
OILS for employees OF the District
government. of which sl06,755 Is
from the general tax funds; s4.lo5
from water revenues. and s3,075
from the highway fund made up
of gasoline and motor vehicle taxes.
The total carried IN the bill, how
ever. is only part Of the cost for the
fiscal year 1912 The total estimated
cost. starting as Of October |. Is
s1l.6l2.8o4. but more than $4,000
will be absorbed in the regular ap-
preparation.
The salary increases viii be re-
ceived by 223.332 Government en-
ploves. of whom 59234 are workers
in the District and l64098 in the
field service. OF this total, l59,04l
are estimated to be eligible as OF
october | last: 1886 will become
eligible on JANUARY ! next and 30
535 will become eligible on April /.
Boosts Due Every Is Months.
The increments of increase are
$50 500. and $3.50 The increases
will be given every Is months II
the emplove attains an appropriate
efficiency rating and is in the $50
or 500 increase grades and once
every 80 months N the 5000 or
$3.50 grades. Increases are not Al
lowable if an employe has during
the period received an equivalent
increase from any cause.
L. c. Martin, assistant director
in charge of estimates for the
Budget Bureau, told the committee
that by far the greatest number re-
ceivlng increases are in the IoWcf
brackets. He said that l43,00O. with
entrance salaries under $4,000. Will
pet $50 raises. $500 IN the range
between $1,000 and $500 Will set
500. 10000 in the s3,8OO-s5,600
bracket will receive 5000, and 6Oo
whose pay is IN excess OF S5,oOO VIII
receive $3.50.
As of August 81 last. 653,459 en-
ploves were covered By the pay
raise plan. but the coverage now Is
somewhat larger because OF the m
crease in the defense force. OF TINS
number. l42,776 were in service here
and 5lO.683 in the field.
Advances Held Mandatory.
Those rated as eligible on october
come under a decision by the
controller general that the 40
vances are mandatory and that If
an employe otherwise meets the
terms and conditions OF the statute
he is entitled as right to the
periodic advancement in salary ana
grade.
The first advances under the law.
due on October l, were Wltnneld
until consideration could be given
to estimates of the appropriations
necessary TO place all agencies on
an equal basis of consideration ana
treatment.
The situation. therefore. is that
those employees whose advancementS
can be financed within the s6.376.-
SGT of appropriations under which
they can be absorbed. Will, under
the provisions of the law and th'
controller generals decision, receive
their advanCements retroactlviy a
of October |. although no further
appropriations may be made.
Those employees whose advance
ments depend upon the approprl7
ton of the pending s3,236.321 vii
be entitled under the controlleT
generals decision to their promo
tions and pay increase as matte
of right and the agencies Will be
obliged to pay the new rate so lonG
as their existing funds may last,
The financing of the deficiency thus
created without the pending appro-
priation would have 10 be met by
the agency by resortlng to some
method of curtailment involving
elimination or furlough Of personnel
in order to meet the unfnanced
additional cost. This would work
All injustice and hardship upon en-
! ployes through no fault OF their
own and bring about condition
) which unuuestlonably was not in
. tended by Congress III the enact
: ment of the law. the report from the
Appropriations Committee states.
4Per Cent to Get No Promotions.
E. B. Young. personnel officer OF
! the Budget Bureau, told the Ap-
preparations Subcommittee that ap-
proXimately per cent of the en-
t ploves covered by the plan would be
2 barred from promotion because their
t efficiency ratings we're below good.
D but he added that AN employe must
E be hopelessly inefficient to fall be-
l low this level.
He told the committee also that
|. I'VE recognize fully the existing ef-
:, ficiency rating system is unsatisfac-
tory" but said that improvement
was in prospect because of several
factors, the most important OF which
u is the provision in the RamspecS
!, Civil Service Extension Act for ap-
u peals procedure which gives en-
" ployes the right to review ol
: ratings they believe are unfair
D. Chairman Cannon was particular
ly critical of the existing system.
II He said one official practically
r conceded" that he no longer ratec
y employees low who actually we're in
: efficient because of the trouble II
le stirred. The chairman continued
= See SALARY INCREASES, Pg. AS