Evening star., 1945-06-20
D. {. Employees
To Start 5-Day
Week October |
Commissioners Plan
4O-Hour Schedule
Without Overtime
BY BAINBRIDGE CRIsT.

In anticipation of passage of the
Federal pay bill, affecting $500
classified employees of the District
Government, the Commissioners to-
day informed department heads
that they intend to establish the
flve-day, 40-hour work week start
ing October /.
At present, District employees work
"A hours in a f1ve-and-a-half- day
week. Before the war emergency
they worked 80 hours during
flve-and-a-half-day week.
Budget Omcer Walter L. Fowler
estimated 63 per cent of the classi-
fled employees would receive as
much for 40 hours, if the pay in
crease bill passes, as they are now
receiving for A hours. Employees
receive overtime pay for work over
40 hours.
Virtually No Pay Cut.
He pointed out that 6.3 per cent
Of the employees would realize only
a IS to $40 year salary cut-ap-
proximately IS cents a week less
on the 40-hour week than on the A.
hour week. Those whose salaries will
remain the same on the 40-hour
week, he said, today receive 81 800
to 81, 300 year. Those who will re-
ceive as high as $40 year less if
the change is effected now receive
$500, $500, $4,000 and $500 an
nually.
In memorandum to department
heads the Commissioners said or
ders extending the work week in
excess of A hours were Cancelled
and that requests and justifications
for work week requiring overtime
pay would have to be submitted to
the District Personnel Board by
June 26.
Mr.. Fowler said, I'VE want to
find out how the departments feel
about this change" and added that
the ability of departments to go
entirely on 40-hour week would
depend to some extent on how many
vacancies were filled in the Dis
trict. The pay bill now before Con-
gress, it was pointed out, calls for
an official order for work in excess
of 40 hours.
Work Monday Through Friday.
. The Commissioners said they con-
templated setting Monday through
Friday as the basic administrative
work week. They said, however, that
II department heads desire to es-
tablish other days of the week for
work they must indicate their re-
quest in report to the Personnel
Board.
Mr.. Fowler said his office under
stood that majority of the en-
ployes involved would rather work
40 hours than get overtime pay
ment. If the legislation passes, it
was indicated that night workers
and overtime workers would get in
creases. Department heads must
submit list of employees required
to work between the hours of s pm. Il
and 6 am.
Separate legislation has been in
troduced for increasing the salary of
teachers and police and firemen.
Per diem employees have a separate
scale of pay.
Some Get Pay Increases.
Mr.. Fowler said that 81 per cent
OF the workers, those receiving $4,000
year, would get $40 a year more
on the 40-hour week than they are
receiving with overtime, IL per cent
will get $12 more, per cent, $18;
3 per cent, $25; ~ per cent, s25
to 500 a year more; IL per cent,
s1oo to 5000 more; OF per cent of
the classified employees would re-
ceive 5000 to $500 more a year, and
OIL per cent would get $500 to $40O
a year more. The Commissioners
salaries may be raised from $4,000
to $500.
Mr.. Fowler said the Personnel
Board thought that the philosophy
of the pay bill was built on a 40
hour week and that it was felt that
as much work could be accomplished
in straight five-day work week of
40 hours as in the previous 39-
hour week, covering five and one
half days.
Mr. Fowler explained it would
have been impossible to survey the
departments in time to make the
change by the beginning of the
fiscal year on July l. He said, in
addition. that many of the employees
In hospitals and institutions would
have to work 48 or more hours.