Evening star., 1949-10-06
Social Security Provisions

Here is a summary of the pro-
visions of the bill, passed by the
House yesterday and sent to the
Senate. to expand the Federal So
cial security program:
Old-age and survivors insurance:
/. Extension of coverage-Old-
age and survivors insurance COW
erage would be extended to add
approximately 100000 new per-
sons to the 35,00o.o00 persons now
covered during an average week.
The groups added to the system
under the bill are:
(A) 4,500,000 non-farm, self
employed persons other than ply
sicians, lawyers. dentists. osteo-
paths, veterinarians, chiropractors,
Christian Science practitioners,
and aeronautical, chemical, civil.
electrical, mechanical. metallurgi-
cal or mining engineers.
CD 100000 employees of State
and local governments, II the
State enters into voluntary COM
pact with the Federal Security
Agency-provided that such en-
ployes who are under an exist
ing retirement shall be covered
only If such employees and adult
beneficiaries of the retirement
system shall so elect by two
thirds majority.
Co 100000 domestic servants
in a private home whose casn
earnings are $25 or more IN three
months and who work rs days
or more in three months. unless
employed on a farm operated Tor
profit.
Cd 100000 employees OF non
profit institutions other than min
listers and members Of religious
orders. However, the employer IN
this category could elect not to
pay the employers tax. IN WHICH
event the employe would receive
only one-half as much benefit on
retirement.
CE) 100000 agricultural rro-
cessing workers off the farm and
certain other types OF essentially
commercial or industrial border
line agricultural labor; incl1o1ng
employees Of non-profit agricul-
tural and horticultural organiza-
tions and of farm loan and farm
credit institutions.
60 100000 Federal employees not
covered under any retirement sys-
tenn except temporary workers.
elective officials. "dollar-a-year
employees. etc.
(g) 100000 Americans employed
outside the United States and en-
ployes on American aircraft out
side the United States. /
(h) Employees and self-eniployed
in the Virgin Islands (about $1,000
and, If requested by the territorial
legislature, in Puerto Rico (about
$50, 10000.
Cd 500, 900 statesmen. taxi drivers.
industrial home workers. contract
loggers, mine lessees and other
persons technically not employees
at common law. who were defined
as not being employees by the So
called Gearhart resolution passed
by the 8oth Congress. |
2. Liberalization Of benefits: l
Co About 2,60oo,000 persons
currently receiving old-age and
survivors insurance benefits would
have their monthly benefit in-
creased on the average by about
10 per cent. The average benefit
of approximately $26 a month TOR
a retired insured would be In
creased to nearly $45.
(b) Persons who retire in the
future would have their benefits
computed under . new formula
with resulting benefits approxi-
mately double the average bene-
Ats payable today.
8. Limitation on earnings OF
beneficiaries. - The amount .
beneficiary may earn in covered
employment without loss OF bene-
fits would be increased from
$14.99 to $50 per month. After
age rs. benefits are payable re-
gardless of amount Of earnings
from employment.
Permanent and total disability
insurance:
All persons covered by the old
age and survivors insurance pro-
gram would have available protec-
ton against the hazard Of en-
forced retirement and loss Of
earnings caused by permanent
and total disability. Permanently
and totally disabled workers
would have their benefits and
average wage computed on the
basis as for old-age benefits, but
no payments would be available
for dependents Of disabled work.
erS.
Veterans:
World War II veterans would be
given wage credits under the old
age, survivors, and disability in
surance program Of $50 per
month for the time spent in mill
tary service between September
16, 1910, and July "a, 1947.
Financing Of old age. survivors.
and disability insurance:
/. Taxable wage base-the total
annual earnings on which bene-
fits would be computed and con-