Evening star., 1943-01-05
Overtime Scale
Assured GP0
Yearly Workers
Kiess Act Invoked
After Adverse Ruiino
Under New Act

6UlplOyeS Ol JIle government
Printing Office are barred from
the benefits of the new war pay
legislation under a ruling by
Controller General Lindsay C.
Warren, announced today.
The exclusion affects 1000 per an
mum workers and 1000 paid on an
hourly basis, but it was said at the
printing Office that Public Printer
A. E. Giegengack would use the au-
thority he has under another law
to inaugurate overtime payments for
the per annum employees, and thus
make their scale conform to that
of the new law which provides for
time and one-half for hours over
40 for groups which previously have
not received overtime.
The hourly employees were not ex-
pected by officials to benefit under
the new law. They work from 40 to
4s hours and already receive over
time. The per annum employees now
are on a 48-hour week, and there
raise will be retroactive to Decem-
Der /.
Kiess Act Applies.
The pay scales at the GPO are
regulated by the public printer
under the Kiess Act, and Mr.. War
rem said the new legislation docs
not repeal, modify or amend" this
act. He added that the new law,
which grants either the overtime
or a fiat 10 per cent raise to groups
whose work does not lend itself to
an overtime schedule, has no ap-
plication Ito those employees of the
Government Printing Office whose
wages are fixed and adjusted from
time to time" by the Kiess Act.
1t presumably was an oversight in
the pay law that acted to exclude
the per annum employees who have
been working overtime without COM
pensation. and logically would have
been entitled to the extra compen-
sation which was intended for all
personnel similarly situated. 1t was
because he felt that Congress meant
the law to be so interpreted that
the public printer will use his wage
fixing authority to establish the
overtime rates, it was explained.
The public printer, however, has
taken the stand that the hourly en-
ployes were excluded from coverage
by the provision barring per hour
and per diem employees generally.
At the same time, it was conceded
that the law was ambiguous in its
reference to Legislative" personel,
as the GPO staff is classed
Meanwhile the Treasury Depart
ment reported today that the dis
tribution of the increased pay is be-
ginning in the departmental service.
The War Production Board, War
Department and Federal Home
Loan Bank Board already have
made the added payments under
the overtime provision. The In
terror Department is expected to pay
off today and the Maritime Com
mission roll is being handled by the
Treasury now. Congressional en-
ployes also received the increase
yesterday.
Congressional Clerks Raised.
In his first ruling on the pay law
announced yesterday, Mr.. Warren
said that congressional clerks are
entitled to the 10 per cent fiat raise
despite the fact that there is a
$4,000 ceiling on their statutory sal
aries. At the same time. laying
down principle that will be uni
form throughout the Government
service. the Controller General said
it was permissible to incur def
cheney to pay the raise.
South Trimple, clerk of the House,
raised the questions decided by the
Controller General. He had pointed
out that employees above the So 900
level in the House would be denied
the raise if the $4,000 ceiling could
not be exceeded, Mr.. Warren said,
however, that the new law super
ceded the old, and that he House
group was entitled to the same 10
Ger cent increase on the first $4,000
of salary applicable to other EN-,
ployes below the $1,000 bracket. The
maximum for the $1,000 employees
now will be $4,190, the Controller
General added.
Mr.. Warren said also that Capitol
employees get the raise without re-
gard to the roll on which they are
carried. This will extend its benefits
to all special committees.