An Act to provide for the payment and Collection of wages in the District of Columbia.
PL 84-953 (S.938), enacted 08/03/1956

976 
PUBLIC LAW 953-AUG. 3, 1956 
[70 S T A T . 
August 3, 1956 
[S. 938] 
Public Law 953 
CHAPTER 924 
AN ACT 
To provide for the payment and collection of wages in the District of Columbia. 
ITOUS**"} Cages' 
^^ *^ enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
D. c. 
' United States of America in Congress assembled, 
DETINITIONS 
Whenever used in this Act, (a) "employer" includes every individ-
ual, partnership, firm, association, corporation, the legal representative 
of a deceased individual, or the receiver, trustee, or successor of an 
individual, firm, partnership, association, or corporation, employing 
any person in the District of Columbia: Provided, That the word 
"employer" shall not include the Government of the United States, 
the government of the District of Columbia, or any agency of either 
of said governments, or any employer subject to tne Railway Labor 
Act. 
(b) "Employee" shall include any person suffered or permitted to 
work by an employer except any person employed in a bona fide execu-
tive, administrative, or professional capacity (as such terms are 
defined and delimited by regulations promulgated by the Commis-
sioners of the District of Columbia). 
(c) "Wages" mean monetary compensation after lawful deduc-
tions, owed by an employer for labor or services rendered, whether 
the amount is determined on a time, task, piece, commission, or other 
basis of calculation. 
(d) "Commissioners" means the Commissioners of the District of 
Columbia or their designated agent or agents. 
(e) "Working day" means any day exclusive of Saturdays, Sun-
days, or legal holidays. 
SEMIMONTHLY PAYDAY 
SEC. 2. Every employer shall pay all wages earned to his employees 
at least twice during each calendar month, on regular paydays desig-
nated in advance by the employer: Provided, however, That an inter-
val of not more than ten working days may elapse between the end of 
the pay period covered and the regular payday designated by the 
employer, except where a different period is specified in a collective 
agreement between an employer ana a bona fide labor organization: 
Provided further. That where, by contract or custom, an employer has 
paid wages at least once each calendar month, he may lawfully con-
tinue to do so. Wages shall be paid on designated paydays in lawful 
money of the United States, or checks on banks payable upon demand 
by the bank upon which drawn. 
EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SEPARATED FROM THE PAYROLL BEFORE A REGULAR 
PAYDAY 
SEC. 3. Unless otherwise specified in a collective agreement between 
an employer and a bona fide union representing his employees— 
(a) Wnenever an employer discharges an employee, the employer 
shall pay the employee's wages earned not later than the working 
day following such discharge: Provided, however, That in the 
instance of an employee who is responsible for monies belonging to 
the employer, the employer shall be allowed a period of four days from 
70 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 9 5 3 - A U G . 3, 1956 
977 
the date of discharge or resignation for the determination of the 
accuracy of the employee's accounts, at the end of which time all 
wages earned by the employee shall be paid. 
(b) Whenever an employee (not having a written contract of 
employment for a period in excess of thirty days) quits or resigns, 
the employer shall pay the employee's wages due upon the next 
regular payday or within seven days from the date of quitting or 
resigning, whichever is earlier. 
(c) When work of an employee is suspended as a result of a labor 
dispute, the employer shall pay to such employee not later than the 
next regular payday, designated under section 2 of this Act, wages 
earned at the time of suspension. 
(d) If an employer fails to pay an employee wages earned as 
required under subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section,,such 
employer shall pay, or be additionally liable to, the employee, as 
liquidated damages, 10 per centum of the unpaid wages for each 
working day during which such failure shall continue after the day 
upon which payment is hereunder required; or an amount equal 
to the unpaid wages, whichever is smaller: Provided, however, That 
for the purpose of such liquidated damages such failure shall not 
be deemed to continue after the date of the filing of a petition in 
bankruptcy with respect to the employer if he thereafter shall have 
been adjudicated bankrupt upon such petition. 
UNCONDITIONAL PAYMENT OF WAGES CONCEDED TO BE DUE 
SEC. 4. In case of a bona fide dispute concerning the amount of 
wages due, the employer shall give written notice to the employee 
of the amount of wages which he concedes to be due, and shall pay 
such amount, without condition, within the time required by sections 
2 and 4 of this Act: Provided, 
however, That acceptance by the 
employee of any payment made hereunder shall not constitute a 
release as to the balance of his claim. Payment in accordance with 
this section shall constitute payment for the purposes of complying 
with sections 2 and 4 of this Act, only if there exists a bona fide 
dispute concerning the amount of wages due. 
PROVISIONS OF LAW MAY NOT BE WAIVED BY AGREEMENT 
SEC. 5. Except as herein provided, no provision of this Act shall 
in any way be contravened or set aside by private agreement. 
ENFORCEMENT, RECORDS, AND SUBPENAS 
SEC. 6. (a) The Commissioners shall enforce and administer the 
provisions of this Act and may hold hearings and otherwise investi-
gate any violations of this Act and institute actions for penalties pro-
vided hereunder. 
Any and all prosecutions of violations of this Act 
shall be conducted in the name of the District of Columbia and by 
the Corporation Counsel or his assistants. 
(b) The Commissioners shall have power to administer oaths and 
examine witnesses under oath, issue subpenas, compel the attendance 
of witnesses, and the production of papers, books, accounts, records, 
payrolls, documents, and testimony and to take depositions and 
affidavits in any proceedings before them. 
(c) In case of failure of any person to comply with any subpena 
lawfully issued, or on the refusal of any witness to testify to any 
69225 O -57 - 66 (Vol. 70) 
978 
PUBLICLAW953-,AUG. 3, 1956 
[70 S T A T , 
matter regarding which he may be lawfully interrogated, it shall be 
the duty of the Municipal Court for the District of Columbia or any 
judge thereof, on application by the Commissioners, to compel 
obedience by attachment proceedings for contempt, as in the case 
of disobedience of the requirements of a subpena issued from such 
court or a refusal to testify therein. 
PENALTIES 
SEC. 7. Any employer who, having the ability to pay, willfully 
violates any provisions of section 2 or section 4 of this Act or who 
fails to comply with any other provisions of this Act, shall be guilty 
of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall for the first 
offense be punished by a fine of not more than $300, or by imprison-
ment' of not more than thirty days, or in the discretion of the court, 
by both such fine and imprisonment; and for any subsequent offense 
shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or more than 
ninety days, or in the discretion of the court, by both such fine and 
imprisonment. 
EMPLOYEES' REMFJDIES 
SEC. 8. (a) Action by an employee to recover unpaid wages and 
liquidated damages may be maintained in any court of competent 
jurisdiction by any one or more employees for and in behalf of him-
self or themselves and other employees similarly situated, or such 
employee or employees may designate an agent or representative to 
maintain such action for and on behalf of all employees similarly 
situated. Any employee, or his representative, shall have the power 
to settle and adjust his claim for unpaid wages. Whenever the Com-
missioners determine that wages have not been paid, as herein pro-
vided and that such unpaid wages constitute an enforceable claim, 
the Commissioners may, upon the request of the employee, take an 
assignment in trust for the assigning employee of such wages, and 
of any claim for liquidated damages, without being bound by any 
of the technical rules respecting the validity of any such assignments, 
may bring any appropriate legal action necessary to collect such 
claim and may join in one proceeding or action such claims against 
the same employer as the Commissioners deem appropriate. 
Upon 
any such assignment the Commissioners shall have power to settle 
and adjust any such claim or claims on such terms as they may deem 
just. 
Court costs, etc. 
^j^)) The court in any action brought under this section shall, in 
addition to any judgment awarded to the plaintiff or plaintiffs, allow 
costs of the action, including costs or fees of any nature, and reasonable 
attorney's fees, to be paid by the defendant. 
Such attorney's fees in 
the case of actions brought under this subsection by tKe Commissioners 
shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States to the credit 
of the District of Columbia. The Commissioners shall not be required 
to pay the filing fee or other costs or fees of any nature or to file bond 
or other security of any nature in connection with any action or 
proceeding under this Act. 
DELEGATION OF FUNCTIONS 
SEC. 9. The Commissioners are authorized to delegate to any agency 
of the government of the District of Columbia any function, power, or 
duty vested in or imposed upon them by this Act. 
70 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 954-AUG. 3, 1956 
979 
SEPABABILITY OF PROVISIONS 
SEC. 10. If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof 
to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the 
Act, and the application of such provision to other persons or cir-
cumstances shall not be affected thereby. 
SEC. 11. This Act shall take effect sixty days after its approval. 
Approved August 3, 1956. 
Effective date. 
Public Law 954 
CHAPTER 925 
^ 
ACT 
August 3, 1956 
To provide for a President's Advisory Commission on Presidential Office Space. 
[S. 4228] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled. That there is hereby „ir«l,Vn«,.«i-»i„« 
, , - , . • , , 
' 
. 
. 
.
1
1 
i
-
T
-
»
'
T
^
»
i
'
*
^ 
v i s o r y C o m m l « s . l o n 
established a commission to be known as the Presidents Advisory onPresidentiaiof-
Commission on Presidential Office Space (hereinafter referred to as "*^* space, 
the "Commission"). 
It shall be the duty of the Commission (a) to 
study the problem of providing more adequate office space for the 
White House Office and the other agencies of the Executive Office of 
the President, and (b) within six months after the approval of this 
Act to report to the President such findings and recomipendations as 
it deems appropriate. 
SEC. 2. (a) The Commission shall be composed of seven members 
as follows: 
(1) Two Senators appointed by the President of the Senate; 
(2) Two Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives; 
(3) Three persons appointed by the President of the United States 
from the executive branch or from private life. 
(b) A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers but 
shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was 
made. 
(c) The Commission shall elect a Chairman and a Vice Chairman 
from among its members. 
(d) Commission members appointed from the Congress and the 
executive branch shall serve without additional compensation. 
Com-
mission members appointed from private life shall receive $50 per diem 
when engaged in the performance of Commission duties. 
AH Com-
mission members shall receive reimbursement for necessary traveling 
and subsistence expenses incurred by them in the performance of 
Commission duties. 
(e) Within the limits of its appropriations, the Commission is 
authorized to appoint such personnel, without regard to the civil-
service laws and the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, and to 
make such expenditures as, in its discretion, it deems necessary. 
(f) The Commission is authorized to request and secure the advice 
or assistance of any Federal agency. 
Any Federal agency furnish-
ing advice or assistance to the Commission may expend its own funds 
for this purpose, with or without reimbursement from the Commis-
sion, as may be agreed upon between the Commission and the agency. 
(g) Thirty days after the submission of its final report the Com-
mission shall cease to exist. 
SEC. 3. Appropriations to the President for "Expenses of manage-
ment improvement" shall be available for necessary expenses of the 
Commission, and there are hereby authorized to be appropriated 
such additional sums as may be necessary for such expenses. 
Approved August 3, 1966. 
63 Stat. 954. 
5 u s e 1071 note. 
Termination. 
Funds available.