20
Over the Editor's Desk
CIVIL SERVICE UPS PAY RATE
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14 — The
civil service commission Monday rec
ommended hikes in the basic pay rates
of federal employees to "compensate for
increases in cost of living.”
Basic rates for most salaried positions
have not been increased since the start
of the war, the commission said in its
annual report. Although pay increases
of about 15 per cent have been made,
the commission said that overtime
compensation is based on rates which
have been in effect in most instances
for more than ten years.
The report was brief, omitting a
summary of the year’s work with the
explanation that "a nation in the midst
of war does not have time to review
its accomplishments.” It also said that
"government agencies strive to set an
example when it comes to conserva
tion of the nation’s paper shortages.”
— TAe Oregonian
Dec. 12, 1944
ILLINOIS PENSION PLAN
A pension plan which became effec
tive Jan. 1, 1944, for Illinois state em
ployees was passed by the general as
sembly and signed by Governor Green.
All employees in the state service with
the exception of members of the state
legislature, elected officials, employees
appointed under the civil administra
tive code, and members of other re
tirement plans, are eligible to become
participants under the system. State
employees entering service after Jan.
1, 1944, will participate after one year
of service.
Prior service credit will be allowed
employees for all service prior to estab
lishment of th eplan. Credit will be
granted state employees for all time
spent in the armed service.
The normal age of retirement pro
vided by the plan is 65 years with 15
years of service. Compulstory retirement
is set at 70. A board of five trustees
including the director of finance, audi
tor of public accounts, two members of
the system with at least 10 years’ ex
perience appointed by the governor, and
one trustee from without state service
appointed by the governor will admin
ister the fund.
PORTLAND ADJUSTS
SALARY RATES
There will be something in the
Christmas stockings of city employees
this year as the result of the action of
the city council Monday in deciding
to adjust pay schedules for some em
ployees and to freeze other salaries
which might otherwise have been cut.
The council, at a conference in the
office of Mayor Earl Riley, decided on
a three-point program to take care of
those employees who do not now get
the minimum pay which the salary
schedule calls for their job. This will
be on a regular basis.
Those employees whose salaries did
not entitle them to the full $17 a
month cost of living allowance of 1941
and who got only part or even none of
it, will now get that $17, for the dur
ation. The council since has granted
an additional $17, which is regarded
not as a cost of living allowance but
as an effort to place city salaries on
some comparable basis with other time
salaries.
All of the adjustments will be effec
tive as of July 1, when the budget was
in force, because the council could not
get the program worked out in time to
get it in the budget. The program will
cost about $20,000, it is estimated.