Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-25
Pay Bill Signed,
AgenciesGoon
48-Hour Week
Trunsit Facilities
To Be Adjusted to
FulI-Doy Saturdays
Nv ]. A. FOX.


4 standard in the Government, to-
morrow goes into the discard, as the
first result OF the war pay legisla-
ton signed yesterday by the Presi-
dent, and the initial step toward
putting the departmental and field
service on a uniform 48-hour week.
War and Navy Departments have
been operating 48 hours, and other
agencies generally, A, since the
outbreak of the war, so the addi-
tional hours will be woven into the
work schedule by the several units
with relatively little change, other
than simply holding their forces
on duty Saturday afternoon.
AS such as the President signed
the joint resolution providing alter
native overtime and flat-pay raises,
the Budget Bureau authorized the
executive establishments to make
their schedules conform to the
Presidents order frightening the
work week, and announced that
transportation facilities here would
be adjusted accordingly.
Shifts Load to Evening.
A spokesman for the Capital
Transit Co., said the only effect OF
the change would be to shift the
peak load of travel on Saturday
from midday to evening.
The President still is to issue the
regulations for administration Of the
new pay program, which provides
time and one-half overtime for per
annum employees for service over
40 hours weekly, and a 10 per cent
fiat increase for groups whose work
does not lend itself to an overtime
schedule. These regulations have
been prepared, and are expected to
be promulgated in the next day
or so. Until they are in hand, the
Treasury said it would not be pos
sible to say when the pay raises will
become available. The changed
rates are effective, retroactively as
Of December /.
White collar workers who never
have received overtime will be the
principal beneficiaries of the pre-
MUM compensation. Postal workers
who have been paid overtime at
straight time rates will get the
higher rate. Legislative and jul
dicial employees, and some units in
the executive agencies will receive
the fiat increase, which, like the
overtime, is based on the first $4,000
earned by an individual, with a
5000 ceiling" on the total straight
pay and extra compensation any
beneficiary may receive.
For Some in d. c. Government.
District employes-except police
men, firemen and teachers, come
under the new law. Excluded are all
per diem workers whose wage is
fixed by wage board or other au-
thorities; elected officials, and all
persons receiving more than $4,000
annually.
In ordering the 48-hour week, the
President also directed all agencies
to hold personnel needs to mini
mum, and cut out unnecessary and
duplicating activities. This was in
line with a provision in the pay
resolution, and the Budget Bureau,
which is to get reports quarterly
from each agency on what has been
accomplished, moved quickly to
follow the Presidents order, and at
the same time to give effect to the
statutory provision requiring a re-
port from all agencies within 80
days, justifying their personnel ex-
penditures.
Data Asked on Is Points.
In all, the Budget Bureau called
for information on Is points.
Major questions were these:
what functions, activities, serv-
Ices, facilities, procedures and re-
ports of your agency do you recon-
mend be eliminated, reduced or
postponed during the war? Give
the estimated annual saving in man
years for each recommendation in
the departmental and field services
respectively, and indicate which OF
your recommendations would re-
uuire changes in law. Give special
attention to the elimination Of pos
sible duplication of activities within
your agency.
"What activities or work which is
carried on in other agencies do you
believe duplicates work of YOU
agency in whole or in part? What
methods would you recommend to
eliminate such duplication?
what number of authorized de-
partmental and field positions car
be eliminated in each of the majol
subdivisions of your organization by
reason of the 48-hour work week
What number of departmental ane
field employees will be available
thereby for transfer to other agen-
cies, and on what date or dates!
Give an explanation of reduction!
not proportionate to the increase ir
the hours of the work week"
Question on Economies.
Other questions bear on the econ
omies effected since the outbreak Of
the war, and on the amount of turn
over in personnel.
In his statement directing the
longer work week, the President en-
phasized that agencies should be
able to trim their personnel require.
ments, and that surplus employees
should be made available for duty
elsewhere.
The Budget Bureau also called TO,
suggestions as to improved methods
of administration.
Several important points are to be
cleared up by the Presidents regula.
tons. Technical leave problems
always sure to arise when schedules
sre changed, are expected to be
eliminated to a great extent by the
regulations, as the advice of the
controller generals office was So
licited when they were drawn up.
The President also is expected to
clarity the status of the Govern
ment Printing ONCE employees, an
ambiguity In the law concerning