An Act to provide an equitable system for the classification of certain positions under the House of Representatives, and for other purposes
PL 88-652 (H.R.12318), enacted 10/13/1964

78 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 88-652-OCT. 13, 1964 
1079 
Public Law 88-652 
AN A C T 
October 13, 1.964 
To provide an equitable system for the classification of certain positions under 
[H. R. 12318] 
the House of Representatives, and for other purposes. 
Be it encwted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled. 
House Empioy-
' 
^ 
' 
ees Position Clas-
sification Act. 
SHORT TITLE 
SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the "House Employees Posi-
tion Classification Act". 
PURPOSE 
SEC. 2. It is the purpose of this Act to provide a classification sys-
tem for the equitable establishment and adjustment of rates of com-
pensation for, and for the efficient utilization of personnel in, certain 
positions under the House of Representatives to which this Act applies, 
through— 
(1) the creation and maintenance of orderly and equitable 
compensation relationships for such positions— 
(A) in accordance with the principle of equal pay for 
substantially equal work, and 
(B) with due regard to (i) differences in the levels of 
difficulty, responsibility, and qualification requirements of the 
work, (li) the kind of work performed, (iii) satisfactory per-
formance, and (iv) length of service; 
(2) the application of appropriate position standards and posi-
tion descriptions for such positions; and 
(3) the adoption of organization and position titles in the House 
which accurately reflect the respective functions, duties, and 
responsibilities of those organizations and positions in the House 
to which this Act applies. 
APPLICATION 
SEC. 3. This Act shall apply to— 
(1) all positions under the Clerk, the Sergeant at Arms, the 
Doorkeeper, and the Postmaster, of the House of Representatives, 
except the positions of telephone operator and positions on the 
United States Capitol Police force j 
(2) the position of minority pair clerk in the House; 
(3) all positions under the House Recording Studio; and 
(4) all positions under the House Radio and Television Cor-
respondents' Gallery and the House Periodical Press Gallery. 
COMPENSATION SCHEDULES 
SEC. 4. (a)(1) The Committee on House Administration of the 
House of Representatives (hereinafter referred to as the "committee") 
shall establish and maintain, and, from time to time, may revise, for 
positions to which this Act applies (other than positions within the 
purview of subsection (b) of this section the compensation for which 
is fixed and adjusted from time to time in accordance with prevailing 
rates), a compensation schedule of per annum rates, which shall be 
known as the "House Employees Schedule" and for which the symbol ee's"° hed^3'°^' 
shall be "HS", subject to the following provisions: 
(A) Such schedule shall be composed of such number of com-
pensation levels as the committee deems appropriate. 
31-667 0-65—71 
1080 
PUBLIC LAW 88-652-OCT. 13, 1964 
[78 STAT. 
(B) Each compensation level shall consist of twelve compen-
sation steps. 
(C) The per annum rate of compensation for each compen-
sation step of each compensation level shall be in such amount as 
the committee deems appropriate, except that the per annum rate 
of compensation for the maximum compensation step of the 
highest compensation level shall not exceed the maximum rate 
of compensation authorized by the Classification Act of 1949, as 
Ante, p. 400. 
amended. 
(2) The rates of compensation for such positions shall be in accord-
ance with such schedule. 
(b) The committee shall establish and maintain, and, from time 
to time, may revise, for positions under the Clerk, the Sergeant at 
Arms, the Doorkeeper, and the Postmaster, of the House of Repre-
sentatives, the compensation for which, in the judgment of the com-
mittee, should be fixed and adjusted from time to time in accordance 
with prevailing rates, a compensation schedule providing for per 
annum or per hour rates, or both, established in accordance with 
J
prevailing rates and consisting or such number of compensation 
evels and steps as the committee deems appropriate, which shall be 
sch"dide^'»'^^^^ 
known as the "House Wage Schedule" and for which the symbol 
shall be "HWS". The rates of compensation for such positions shall 
be in accordance with such schedule. 
POSITION STANDARDS AND DESCRIPTIONS 
SEC. 5. (a) (1) It shall be the duty of the committee to prescribe, 
revise, and (on a current basis) maintain position standards which 
shall apply to positions (in existence on, or established after, the effec-
tive date of this Act) under the House of Representatives to which 
this Act applies. 
(2) The position standards shall— 
(A) provide for the separation of such positions into appro-
priate classes for pay and personnel purposes on the basis of 
reasonable similarity with respect to types of positions, qualifica-
tion requirements oi positions, and levels of difficulty and respon-
sibility of work, and 
(B) govern the placement of such positions in their respective 
appropriate compensation levels of the appropriate compensation 
schedule. 
(b)(1) Subject to review and approval by the committee, the Clerk, 
the Sergeant at Arms, the Doorkeeper, and the Postmaster of the 
House of Representatives, shall prepare, revise, and (on a current 
basis) maintain, at such times and in such form as the committee 
deems appropriate, position descriptions of the respective positions 
(in existence on, or established after, the effective date of this Act) 
under the House of Representatives to which this Act applies which 
are under their respective jurisdictions, including— 
(A) with respect to the Clerk, positions under the House 
Recording Studio, 
(B) with respect to the Sergeant at Arms, the position of 
minority pair clerk in the House, and 
(C) with respect to the Doorkeeper, positions under the House 
Radio and Television Correspondents' Gallery and the House 
Periodical Press Galler^jr. 
(2) The position descriptions shall— 
(A) describe in detail the actual duties, responsibilities, and 
qualification requirements of the work of each of such positions, 
CB) provide a position title for such position which accurately 
reflects such duties and responsibilities, and 
78 STAT. ] 
PUBUC LAW 88-652-OCT. 13, 1964 
1081 
(C) govern the placement of such position in its appropriate 
class. 
(c) The Clerk, the Sergeant at Arms, the Doorkeeper, and the 
Postmaster, of the House of Kepresentatives, shall transmit to the 
committee, at such times and in such form as the committee deems 
appropriate, all position descriptions required by subsection (b) of 
this section to be prepared, provided, and currently maintained by 
them, together with such other pertinent information as the com-
mittee may require, in order that the committee shall have, at all 
times, current information with respect to such position descriptions, 
the positions to which such descriptions apply, and related personnel 
matters within the purview of this Act. 
Such information so trans-
mitted shall be kept on file in the committee. 
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the com-
mittee shall have authority, which may be exercised at any time in 
its discretion, to— 
(1) conduct surveys and studies of all organization units, and 
the positions therein, to which this Act applies; 
(2) ascertain on a current basis the facts with respect to the 
duties, responsibilities, and qualification requirements of any 
position to which this Act applies; 
(3) prepare and revise the position description of any such 
position* 
(4) place any such position in its appropriate class and com-
pensation level; 
(5) decide whether any such position is in its appropriate 
class and compensation level; 
(6) change any such position from one class or compensation 
level to any other class or compensation level whenever the facts 
warrant; and 
(7) prescribe such organization and position titles as may be 
appropriate to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
All such actions of the committee shall be binding on the House 
officer and organization unit concerned and shall be the basis for 
payment of compensation and for other personnel benefits and trans-
actions until otherwise changed by the committee. 
PLACEMENT OF POSITIONS I N COMPENSATION SCHEDULES 
SEC. 6. The committee shall place each position (in existence on, 
or established after, the effective date of this Act) under the House of 
Representatives to which this Act applies in its appropriate class, and 
in its appropriate compensation level of the appropriate compensation 
schedule, in accordance with the position standards and position 
descriptions provided for in section 5 of this Act. The committee is 
authorized, when circumstances so warrant, to change any such posi-
tion from one class or compensation level to another class or compen-
sation level. All actions of the committee under this section shall be 
binding on the House officer and organization unit concerned and shall 
be the basis for payment of compensation and for other personnel 
benefits and transactions until otherwise changed by the committee. 
STEP INCREASES 
SEC. 7. (a) Each employee in a compensation level of the House 
Employees Schedule (HS), who has not attained the highest scheduled 
rat« of comj^ensation for the compensation le^^l (HS level) in which 
his position is placed, shall be advanced successively to the next higher 
step of such H S level, as follows: 
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PUBLIC LAW 88-652-OCT. 13, 1964 
[78 STAT. 
(1) to steps 2, 3, and 4, respectively—at the beginning of the 
first pay period following the completion, without break in service 
of more than thirty months, of one year of satisfactory service in 
the next lower step; 
(2) to steps 5, 6, and 7, respectively—at the beginning of the 
first pay period following the completion, without break in service 
of more than thirty months, of two years of satisfactory service in 
the next lower step; 
(3) to steps 8, 9, and 10, respectively—at the beginning of the 
first pay period following the completion, without break in service 
of more than thirty months, of three years of satisfactory service 
in the next lower step; and 
(4) to steps 11 and 12, respectively—at the beginning of the 
first pay period following the completion, without break in service 
of more than thirty months, of five years of satisfactory service 
in the next lower step. 
(b) The receipt of an increase in compensation during any of the 
waiting periods of service specified in subsection (a) of this section 
shall cause a new full waiting period of service to commence for fur-
ther step increases under such subsection. 
(c) Any increase in compensation granted by law, or granted by 
reason of an increase made by the committee in the rates of compensa-
tion of the House Employees Schedule, to employees within the pur-
view of subsection (a) of this section shall not be held or considered to 
be an increase in compensation for the purposes of subsection (b) of 
this section. 
(d) The benefit of successive step increases under subsection (a) 
of this section shall be preserved, under regulations prescribed by 
the committee, for employees whose continuous service is interrupted 
by service in the Armed Forces of the LTnited States. 
(e) The committee shall establish and maintain, and, from time to 
time, may revise, a system of automatic advancement, by successive 
step increases in compensation, on the basis of satisfactory service 
performed, without break in service of more than thirty months, for 
employees subject to the House Wage Schedule (HWS). 
In the 
operation of such system of step increases the committee may pre-
scribe regulations to the effect that— 
(1) the receipt of an increase in compensation during any of 
the waiting periods of service required for advancement by step 
increases under such system shall cause a new full waiting period 
of service to commence for further step increases under such 
Bystem; 
(2) any increase in compensation granted by law, or granted 
by reason of an increase made by the committee in the rates of 
compensation of the House Wage Schedule, to employees within 
' 
the purview of such system of step increases shall not be held or 
considered to be an increase in compensation for the purposes of 
subparagraph (1) of this subsection; and 
(3) the benefit of successive step increases under such system 
of step increases shall be preserved, under regulations prescribed 
by the committee, for employees whose continuous service is 
interrupted by service in the Armed Forces of the United States. 
APPOINTMENTS AND RECLASSIFICATIONS TO HIGHER COMPENSATION 
LEVELS 
SEC. 8. (a) Each employee in a compensation level of the House 
Employees Schedule (HS), who is appointed to a position in a higher 
compensation level of such schedule, or whose position is placed in a 
higher compensation level of such schedule pursuant to a reclassifica-
78 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 88-652-OCT. 13, 1964 
1083 
tion of such position, shall be paid compensation in such higher com-
pensation level, in accordance with the following provisions, which-
ever is first applicable in the following numerical order of precedence: 
(1) at the rate of the lowest step for which the rate of com-
pensation equals the rate of compensation for that step, in the 
compensation level from which he is appointed, which is two 
steps above the step in such level which he had attained imme-
diately prior to such appointment; 
(2) at the rate of the low^est step for which the rate of com-
pensation exceeds, by not less than two steps of the compensation 
level from which he is appointed, his rate of compensation im-
mediately prior to such appointment; or 
(3) at the rate of the highest step of such higher compensa-
tion level, or at his rate of compensation immediately prior to 
such appointment, whichever rate is the higher. 
(b) The committee may provide by regulations for the payment 
of compensation, at an appropriate compensation step determined in 
accordance with such regulations, to each employee subject to the 
House Wage Schedule (HWS) who is appointed to a position in a 
higher compensation level of such schedule or whose position is placed 
in a higher compensation level of such schedule pursuant to a reclassi-
fication of such position. 
REDUCTIONS I N 
COMPENSATION 
LEVEL 
SEC. 9. Each employee in a position of a compensation level of the 
House Employees Schedule (HS) or the House Wage Schedule 
(HWS), whose employment in such position and level is terminated 
and who is reemployed, with or without break in service, in a position 
in a lower compensation level (HS level or HWS level) of such 
schedule, or whose position is placed in a lower compensation level of 
such schedule pursuant to a reclassification of such position, shall be 
placed by the committee in such step of such lower compensation level 
as the committee deems appropriate. 
APPOINTMENTS 
SEC. 10. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, each individual 
appointed to a position subject to the House Employees Schedule 
(HS) or the House Wage Schedule (HWS) shall be placed in the 
minimum step of the appropriate compensation leveil (HS level or 
HWS level) of such schedule. 
ESTABLISHMENT OF POSITIONS 
SEC. 11. The committee may authorize the establishment of addi-
tional positions of the kind to which this Act applies, on a permanent 
basis or on a temporary basis of not to exceed six months' duration, 
whenever, in the judgment of the committee, such action is war-
ranted in the interests of the orderly and efficient operation of the 
House of Representatives. The compensation of each such position 
may be paid out of the contingent fund of the House of Representa-
tives until otherwise provided by law. An additional position of the 
kind to which this Act applies shall not be established without author-
ization of the committee. 
PRESERVATION OF APPOINTING AUTHORITIES 
SEC. 12. This Act shall not be held or considered to change or 
otherwise affect— 
1084 
PUBLIC LAW 88-652-OCT. 13, 1964 
[78 STAT. 
(1) any authority to est'ablish positions under the House of 
Representatives which are not within the purview of this Act, or 
(2) any authority to make appointments to positions under 
the House of Representatives, irrespective of whether such posi-
tions are within the purview of this Act. 
REGULATIONS 
SEC. 13. The committee is authorized to prescribe such regulations 
as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
DUAL COMPENSATION 
SEC. 14. For the purposes of applicable law relating to the payment 
to any employee subject to the House Employees Schedule or the 
House Wage Schedule of compensation from more than one civilian 
office or position, the rate of basic compensation of each employee 
subject to any such schedule shall be held and considered to be that 
rate which, when increased by addition'al compensation then currently 
authorized by law for House employees generally, equals or most 
nearly equals the per annum rate of compensation of such employee 
under such schedule. 
SAVING PROVISIONS 
SEC. 16. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act, the aggre-
gate (gross) rate of compensation of any employee immediately 
prior to the effective date of this Act shall not be reduced by reason 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) For the purposes of applicable law relating to the payment to 
any individual of compensation from more than one civilian office 
or position, each employee of the House to whom this Act applies who, 
immediately prior to the effective date of this Act— 
(1) is receiving basic compensation from more than one civilian 
office or position and 
(2) is m compliance with such law 
shall be held and considered to be in compliance with such law on and 
after such effective date, notwithstanding the enactment of this Act, 
so long as such employee continues to receive, without break in service 
of more than thirty days, the same or lower rate of basic compensa-
tion in a position to which this Act does not apply. 
CHANGES I N EXISTING LAW 
SEC. 16. (a) Section 105(f) of the Legislative Branch Appropria-
tion Act, 1957 (70 Stai. 371; Public Law 624, 84th Congress; 2 U.S.C. 
123b(f)), which relates to compensation of personnel under the House 
Recording Studio, is amended by striking out "and fix the compen-
sation of". 
(b) The proviso under the heading "House of Representatives" 
and under the caption "Office of the Doorkeeper", which relates to 
compensation of pages of the House of Representatives, in the Legis-
lative Branch Appropriation Act, 1949 (62 Stat. 426; Public Law 
641, Eightieth Congress; 2 U.S.C. 88c), is amended by striking out 
"shall be at the basic rate of $1,800 per annum and". 
EFFECTIVE DATE 
SEC. 17. This Act shall become effective on January 1, 1965. 
Approved October 13, 1964.