Evening star., 1941-10-24
Ruling Allows
DC. Employees
Pay Increases
Mason Will Brooch
Subject at Meeting
OF Commissioners

Commissioner Guy Mason today
proposed that some eligible CLASH
fed District government workers be
granted automatic stepups in pay
after he was advised that yesterdays
decision by Controller General Lind
say Warren-to the effect that such
pay raises could be made whether
or not Congress yet had made spe-
cific appropriations-Would apply to
the District government.
The controller generals ruling was
on question raised by the Library
of Congress. Mr.. Warren ruled that
the RamSpeck-Mead promotion law
was imperative and mandatory
and that the regular appropriation
Of the Library was available for pay
raises and that there was no pro-
hibition against a deficiency in
CURED for the purpose.
By implication. however, the con-
troller warned the Library against
creating a deficit"
After reading of this decision,
Commissioner Mason directed Dis
trict Auditor Arthur r. Pilkerton to
determine if the Warren ruling was
applicable to the District. Mr.. Pill
kerton called the General Account
ing Office and was told that the
ruling would so apply.
Cost 100000 to S15O, 900.
1t was estimated the cost of auto
matte stepups in pay would cost the
District Government somewhere be-
tween 100000 and S150,000 annually.
The Office of the District budget
director said there we're $500 Dis
trict employees under the basic
classification law. Members of
the Police and Fire Departments
and school teachers are not included,
since these agencies have their own
merit and pay systems under sep
arate laws. Neither would per diem
workers be affected
Later, it was revealed that the
Commissioners several weeks ago
had sent TO the Budget Bureau a
proposed deficiency appropriation of
s115,000 for the last three-quarters
of the current fiscal year to cover
automatic pay stepups. 1t was said
that while 5000 District classified
workers were affected by this law,
only 1000 or $500 would be cur
rently eligible for pay increases
under the service and other require
ments.
Commissioner Mason said he
would bring up the subject for
action soon at a meeting of the
Board Of Commissioners. He said
he did not know what position would
be taken by the other two city heads,
/ but that he favored the paw in
creaSes, if they were found possible,
since he had been wondering how
well District employees were getting
along on present pay in face of the
rising cost of living.
Workers in the CAF brackets from
l TO 10 are eligible for automatic
annual increases of $50, subject to
an 18-month service rule, and those
IN CAF II to IS, inclusive, are eligible
for automatic annual increases of
| $500. subject to 30-month service
However, in the custodial brackets
l to 10, where the pay brackets range
from $1,000 to $500 a year. the
automatic stepups .range from SEQ
to 500 year with an l8-month
service rule. District officials said
no automatic pay increases had been
granted this fiscal year, that they
had been held up to await a de-
termination on the point and the
question of available funds to cover
them. The District Appropriation
Act for this year carries a limitation
OF $50, 900 on the total the Commits
sloners can use in automatic stepups.
but no specific funds were appro-
priated for pay raises and unless a
deficiency plan is adopted the only
pay raises that could be granted bv
the Commissioner would be those
that could be financed out of lapses
or savings made by departments
through deaths, designations and re-
tirements or abandonment of posi-
tions.