Evening star., 1942-05-21
Congress Gets
u. ). Overtime
Pay Request
Time-und-u-HuIf
Proposal Backed
By Administration
BY J. A. FOX.

thousands OF Government en-
ployes who traditionally have
worked overtime without extra
compensation today awaited
congressional action on an ad-
miniStration-supported proposal
for an overtime scale of time
and one half for hours in excess
of 40, provided the additional al
loWance would not raise the in
dividuai pay above $500.
With the backing of President
Roosevelt, the Civil Service Com
mission late yesterday sent letters
to the Speaker and Vice President,
urging overtime legislation as a war
measure. If enacted, it would 60
into effect July l.
Some Opposition Expected.
In official circles confidence was
expressed that the legislation would
be passed, although the possibility
of some opposition was conceded.
Chairman Ramspeck of the House
Civil Service Committee Is expected
to handle the measure in the House.
In the Senate, Senator Mead, Demo-
crat, of New York, has handled re-
cent employe legislation for the Civil
Service Committee
The program would have wide
coverage in the classified serv-
ice, as agencies generally for
several months have been working
"A hours instead of the statutory
80, and in the War and Navy De-
partments the work week is AZ
hours. Overtime worked voluntarily
or simply at the request of a su-
pervisor would not call for extra
compensation The measure. Incl
dentally, would permit establish
ment generally Of the 48-hour
week.
The plan. commission state
ment explained, applies to all en-
ployes paid on an annual basis. 1t
would include the postal service
and would supplant the varying
overtime schedules now applicable
for certain groups in War and Navy
Departments, Maritime Commission
and National Advisory Committee
for Aeronautics This would entail
the loss of overtime for professional
and subprofessional personnel above
the $1,000 level, but it was not be-
lieved that many persons would be
affected.
Inspectional services which work
under special overtime schedules
would be exempt, as would the
vast majority of employees paid
on daily or hourly basis who
likewise receive overtime compen-
sation. Where the rate these lat
ter groups now receive is less than
time and one-half, however, it
would be raised to that figure. The
skilled trades generally get time
and one-half.
The measure also is intended to
apply to District government en-
ployes, but they are not specifically
mentioned and James B. Burns,
president of the American Fedora
ton of Government Employees, said
today that in view of rulings by the
Controller General it would be
necessary to make it clear that this
group was included. The A. F. G.. E.
will urge this be done.
Would End Inequalities.
The legislation, the commission
said, would eliminate all of the Sc
rlous inequalities surrounding over
time pay which have developed be-
cause of the different-and limited
conditions under which it now
may be given.
In addition to eliminating inequah-
ties, it was amplified. the legisla-
ton would serve to bring about an
increase in earnings for the lower
paid employees commensurate with
the increase in the cost of living.
Industrial pay rates have been
changed to take living costs into
consideration in the past two years,
the commission said, but there has
been no corresponding increase in
the Federal service.
May Sidetrack Some Bills.
1t was emphasized also that the
plan is not intended to be a sub
stitute for pending legislation, sup
ported by the administration. to
raise substandard pay in the Gus
todial service, fixing a minimum of
$1,000 for adult workers. It prob
ably would sidetrack other pay bills
that have been introduced, how
ever.
Paw RaStS Confipuad
The established practice of COM
putting days pay on the basis of
1850 of the annual rate of paw
would be continued, as would the fix
ing of the hourly rate at Il of the
daily rate. The commission point
ed out in this connection that the
fact that basic pay rates are not
being changed implies a return to
standard rates and hours after the
war.
Citing some examples of the man.
ner in which the proposal would
operate, the commission said that
81 440 employe on a 44-hour week
would receive SO weekly for over
time; for 48-hour week, the figure
would be s6. At the other end of
the scale, a $500 employe could be
paid only 5000 overtime.
In the First World War CONGRESS
gave s120 bonus and then a s24o
bonus to employees receiving less
than S2,500. Later the arrange
ment was changed to hermit an