Evening star., 1945-02-22
Early Study Due
In Congress for
Federal Raises
Civil Service Bill
To Be introduced
Soon, Romspeck Says
BY JOSEPH YOUNG.

BY JOSEPH YOUNG.
Congressional groups today
promised prompt consideration Of
the Civil Service Commissions pro-
posals for wage increases, true time
and-a-haf overtime, 10 per cent
night dif1erentials and merit awards
for Government employees, which
were sent to the House and Senate
yesterday.
Chairman Ramspeck of the House
Civil Service Committee said today
the commissions draft of a bill
would be formally introduced In the
House in day or so. Then the
committee will take up consideration
OF the proposed legislation on COM
pletion of the study now being made
by its special investigating unit OF
the entire Federal wage scale. The
investigators are expected to COM
piete their study shortly.
In the Senate, Chairman Downey
OF the Senate Civil Service Com
mittee has expressed the view that
Federal employees are entitled to
more money and that he would sup
port pay raise bill
With the activities of the House
investigating unit in mind, the Civil
Service Commission did not make
any specific recommendations for
wage increases, but left it up to
Congress to decide how much the
pay raises should be.
The bill, which has the approval
OF the administration, would grant
true time-and-a-half overtime to
Federal workers for time worked
over 40 hours, instead of the time
and-a-twelfth now in effect. This
provision covers all employees earn
ing annual base salaries UP to $500.
employees in the higher brackets
would not receive time-and-a-half
overtime pay, but would receive
tapered-off overtime compensation,
which at the $500 and higher levels
would be approximately the same
as the overtime pay they now
receive.
Overtime Provisions Expire June 30.
The requested overtime provisions
are to be OF a permanent nature,
according to the bill Present over.
time provisions expire June 80.
Approximately 1,25o,00o Govern
ment employees are affected by the
bill, including employees of the Dis
trlct government whose salaries are
fixed under the Classification Act.
These Federal and District govern
ment employees have not received
wage increases since the start of
the war. Employees not affected are
those whose base pay is fixed and
adjusted by wage boards or similar
administrative authority.
In regard to night work, the meas
ure provides for establishment of a
basic rate of pay for night employ-
ment which is 10 per cent above the
basic rate Of pay for the same work
during the daytime. Night work is
defined as that performed in whole
or part between 6 pm. and 6 am.
Though the bill provides for gem
eral wage increases, the 10 per cent
night differential would have the
effect of reducing the salaries of
more than 5000 clerical and me-
chanical employees in the Bureau of
Engraving and Printing. who now
are receiving Is per cent differ
ential over daytime workers.
This group OF employees had been
granted the Is per cent differentisI
but now face per cent cut as
the commission seeks a uniform 10
per cent night differential for all
Government employees.
Holiday Scale Provided.
Provision also is made for time.
and-a-haf payment for work on
holidays, but it is stipulated that
tnlS extra pay be granted only after
the end of the war or at such earlier
time as the Congress or the Presi-
dent may designate.
The measure also proposes that
the Classification Act of 1928 be
amended in a number of ways To
give the commission more latitude
IN granting promotions and waes
increases to increase the efficiency
OF Government service.
Congress was asked to authorize
the commission to establish classi-
ncatlons within grades based on du-
tles and responsibilities, for which
the commission would establish a
minimum or hiring grade which
could be above the minimum rate of
the grade. In the classes affected.
this would apply to employees all
ready IN the service as well as new
appolntees. At present, all new an
pointments must be made at fine
MINIMUM rate of the grade in which
the position is classified
The commission also recommend.
ed that the waiting periods for pc
rlodic within-grade wage increases
under the salary advancement
amendment of August l, 1941. be
reduced to 10 months in the lower
brackets and Is months in the up-
per brackets. At present they are
IL and 80 months, respectively.
The commission also moved to
obtain authority to reward Govern
ment employees doing superior work.
Under the proposed system en-
ployes doing exceptionally fine work
would be granted within-grade ad-
vancements without any of the time
periods specified in the law Con-
gress was told that the present pro-
visions which allow one additional
salary advancement within each Is
or 80 month period as reward for
especially meritorious services" are
too restrictive
IAirhnoI Aunhoe EunarrI