Evening star., 1943-03-15

provision was made for calculating
the overtime on a 260-day work
year, which would have given actual
time and one-half and would have
meant an increase of approximately
30 per cent for the beneficiaries
who for the most part are the clas-
sifled employees of Federal and Dis
trict governments.
Takes OFF Temporary Ceiling.
The bill approved by the commit
tee takes of the ceiling Of the tenn
porary bill which limits the total
amount OF base pay and overtime
that may be received by an indi-
vldual to $4,000. 1t continues
the present arrangement, however.
under which the extra war pay Is
calculated on the first $4,000 of SAL
ary.
Another provision fixes the mini
mum overtime payable to any en-
ploye at $500. This will benefit all
workers below the $500 level.
An amendment offered by Senator
LANCER. Republican. of North Da-
kota, withholds benefits of the bill
from the members of any union
which are guilty of racial discrimi-
nation. At the Senate hearings on
the legislation, Edgar G. Brown,
president of the United Government
Employees a colored group. said that
the skilled trades unions of the
American Federation of Labor dis
eliminated against members of his
race.
The full committee also Topped
out provision of the bill approved
by the subcommittee which first
considered it, which would have
limited overtime payments to time
actually worked" Under decisions
by the Controller General. the over
time payment, adopted as war
time expedient for the principal
benefit of white collar" workers.
has been held to be part of the
base compensation, and workers
consequently are able to get some
extra pay even though they may
work no more than 40 hours
Bureau Studies Reports.
The committee also amended the
bill to require agencies to report
quarterly to the Budget Bureau and
to Congress, iustifying the number
of persons in their employ This
provision. sponsored by Senator
Byrd, Democrat, of Virginia and
Senator LANCER, is designed TO give
Congress greater control over the
size of Government agencies, and Is
an amplified version of a require
ment in the present law for such a
report to the Budget Bureau. The
Bureau, incidentally, now is study
ing the first reports submitted by
approximately so agencies to de-
termine If the forces can be reduced
or functions abandoned.
The new bill puts employees of the
Library of Congress and the Botanic
Gardens on an overtime basis. Un-
der the present law they received
fiat 10 per cent increase. Employees
of the architect of the Capital who
work 46 hours weekly also 60 on
an overtime basis.
The committee also inserted a pro-
vision urged by the War and Navy
Departments which will permit the
Civil Service Commission to make
pay adjustments for skilled trades
men who are promoted to super
visory capacities. At present. such
promotions are at sacrifice OF
salary.
Considered Compromise.
The committee put in more than
four hours on the new pay bill and
the result was looked upon in some
quarters as compromise, as there
has been some sentiment for SUBJ
stituting fiat bonus for the over
time, although the administration is
known to be opposed to the bonus
plan.
The legislative and judicial EN-.
tSee WAR PAY, Page Ak