Evening star., 1943-02-11
Work Questions Answered
48-Hour Week Order Effective at Once
In 81 Labor SHORTAGE Areas of Nation

The tollo,U,no questions and
nnSrers on President RooseUelts
46hour Ueek order mere issued
today by the War ManpoWer
Commission
@. Does this order apply to every
one in this country?
A. At the outset, the War Man
power Commission is making it
mandatory in 80 labor shortage
areas, although other industrial
areas will be added as labor short
ages become acute. The 30 areas
are: Bath, Me; Bridgeport, Conn.
Hartford, Conn; New Britain,
Conn; Portsmouth, N. H: Spring
field. Mass; Waterbury, Conn; Buff
falo, N. Y; Somerville, N. j.; Balti-
more, Md: Elkton. Md: Hampton
Roads, Va; Washington, D. c.:
Akron, Ohio: Dayton, Ohio Detroit,
Mich. Manitowoc. Wis. Sterling,
H.. Brunswick. Ca; Charleston,
S. c.; Macon, Ga; Mobile, Ala;
Panama City. Fla; Pascagoula,
Miss; Wichita, Kans: Beaumont,
Tex: Cheyenne, Wyo.; Ogden,
Utah; Las Vegas. New: Portland,
Greg; San Diego, Calf; Seattle,
Wash.
@. Does it apply to everyone in
these areas?
A. To all full-time employment.
If you don't employ any one but
yourself. it doesn't apply. Such per-
sons. however. have an obligation to
their country and themselves to con-
tribute to the extent of their ability
Part-t time Workers.
@. How about part-time workers?
A. 1t doesn't apply. Here, how
ever, both employer and employe
have the same obligation to produce
as much as they can for the war.
@. Should firms in other areas try
to 60 on the 48-hour week?
A. Yes, if by doing so they can
reduce their labor requirements
and not have to discharge workers
now on their payroll Most war
plants in all areas are expanding
their work-weeks so as to utilize
available labor better. Non-war
plants would be we'll advised to
plan similar action in view of the
drain of their workers into the
armed forces and into war indus
tries.
@. Must time and one-half be
paid for all time over 40 hours in
any and all employment?
A. Yes, with certain exceptions.
The Presidents order provides ex-
pressly that no change is made by
1t in any collective bargaining
agreement as to the rate of over
time pay. The order, of course, alb
rogates labor contracts which re-
strict the work-Week to less than
48 hours in the areas to which the
mandatory order is applied.
Farm and Domestic Help.
G. What about jobs not covered
by the Wage-Hour Act, such as
farm workers, domestic workers?
A. The order does not require
time and one-half for overtime
worked by these people.
@. Should store or Office now
working employees less than 48 hours
60 up to 48 hours at once?
A, Yes, but only if going to 4S
hours would result in more effective
use of employees, or if it would avert
employment of additional employees.
However, the purpose of the order
is to release workers for war and
essential jobs. Mere increase of
hours that will not result in this
was not intended.
Q. Who is putting the order into
effect, and enforcing it?
A.. The War Manpower Commits
sion was directed by the President
to interpret and apply the order,
and to permit longer or shorter
work weeks if they will help win the
war
@. When is the order effective?
Effective at Once.
A. The Presidents order is effec-
tive Immediately in the 80 areas
designated by VINO Chairman Nc
Mutt, and workers should be paid
overtime rates as overtime is insti-
tuted. However. the VINO has an
nounced that employers have until
March 81 to bring their work week
up to 48 hours, or to report how
much longer it will take them to do
so, in these critical areas.
@. Does the order apply to es-
Establishments whose hours are limited
by State laW-bars in most States,
for instance?
A. No. The executive order saws
nothing in this order shall be con-
strued as superseding or in conflict
with any Federal State or local
law limiting hours of work.
G, With whom should local plant
union. and employer problems, ere
ated by the order, be taken up?
A. With area or regional officials
of the VINO. The VINO intends
to decentralize administration of the
order as much as possible, leaving
decisions in the hands of local VINO
officials and their labor
committees
How Enforced?
@. How can the order be enforced
If an employer is recalcitrant?
A. All departments and agencies
Of the Federal Government shall re-
quire their contractors to comply
with the order. The USES which has
control Of hiring in the areas will