Evening star., 1945-02-22
15% Pay Boost
For j. 5. Aides
Asked in Bill
Downey Measure
Would Garry Out
Civil Service Plans

A Is per cent boost in the basic
pay of classified Federal employees
was proposed in a bill placed before
the Senate today by Chairman Dow
ney of the Senate Civil Service Com
mittee.
His bill was designed to carry out
other recommendations submitted
to Congress yesterday by the Civil
Service Commission, but went fur
ther by calling specifically for the
is per cent base pay increase.
Senator Downey explained that
large groups not covered by the pro-
visions Of his bill are postal en-
ployes, Capitol Hill workers and
those who are subject to wage board
determination as to their pay scales
The Civil Service Commission's
proposals called for true time and
a-half overtime, 10 per cent night
differentials and merit awards
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
plete their study shortly.
The Civil Service Commission bill,
which has the approval of the
administration, would grant true
time-and-a-half overtime to Fed
eral 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 SO 300.
Employees in the higher brackets
would not receive time-and-a- 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 permanent nature,
according to the bill. Present over
time provisions expire June 30.
Approximately 1,250,000 Govern
ment employees are affected by the
bill, including employees of the Dis
trict 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
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 pm. and am.
Though the bill provides for gen.
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 differential,
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-half payment for work on
holidays, but it is stipulated that
this 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 commission also recommend
ed that the waiting periods for pc
riodic within-grade wage increases
under the salary advancement
amendment of August /, 1941, be
reduced to II months in the lower
brackets and 18 months in the up
per brackets. At present they are
18 and 30 months reSnectiyeIv