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superior, the duties of the other clerks therein, and see that they are faithfully performed. (R. S., sec. 173; 5 U. S. C., sec. 23.)

20. Distribution of duties.-Each chief clerk shall take care, from time to time, that the duties of the other clerks are distributed with equality and uniformity, according to the nature of the case. He shall revise such distribution from time to time, for the purpose of correcting any tendency to undue accumulation or reduction of duties, whether arising from individual negligence or incapacity, or from increase or dimunition of particular kinds of business. And he shall report monthly to his superior officer any existing defect that he may be aware of in the arrangement or dispatch of business (R. S., sec. 174; 5 U. S. C., sec. 24.)

21. Duty of chief on receipt of report.-Each head of a Department, chief of a Bureau, or other superior officer, shall, upon receiving each monthly report of his chief clerk, rendered pursuant to the preceding section, examine the facts stated therein, and take such measures, in the exercise of the powers conferred upon him by law, as may be necessary and proper to amend any existing defects in the arrangement or dispatch of business disclosed by such report. (R. S., sec. 175; 5 U. S. C., sec, 25.)

22. Saturday, half holiday.-That on and after the effective date of this Act four hours, exclusive of time for luncheon, shall constitute a day's work on Saturdays throughout the year, with pay or earnings for the day the same as on other days when full time is worked, for all civil employees of the Federal Government and the District of Columbia, exclusive of employees of the Postal Service, employees of the Panama Canal on the Isthmus, and employees of the Interior Department in the field, whether on the hourly, per diem, per annum, piecework, or other basis: Provided, That in all cases where for special public reasons, to be determined by the head of the department or establishment having supervision or control of such employees, the services of such employees cannot be spared, such employees shall be entitled to an equal shortening of the workday on some other day: Provided further, That the provisions of this Act shall not deprive employees of any leave or holidays with pay to which they may now be entitled under existing laws. (Mar. 3, 1931; 46 Stat. 1482; 5 U. S. C., sec. 26a.)

23. Recording clocks.-No money appropriated by this Act shall be used for expense of repairing recording clocks used for recording time of clerks or other employees in any of the Executive Departments at Washington, nor shall there hereafter be used in any of the Executive Departments at Washington, any such recording clocks. (Feb. 24, 1899, sec. 1, 30 Stat. 864; 5 U. S. C., sec. 27.)

24. Closing departments on decease of ex-official. That hereafter the Executive Departments of the Government shall not be closed as a mark to the memory of any deceased ex-official of the United States. (Mar. 3, 1893, sec. 4, 27 Stat. 715; 5 U. S. C., sec. 28.)

25. Legal holidays in the District of Columbia.-The following days in each year, namely, the first day of January, commonly called New Year's Day; the twenty-second day of February, known as Washington's Birthday; the Fourth of July; the thirtieth day of May, commonly called Decoration Day; the first Monday in September, known as Labor's Holiday; the twenty-fifth day of December, com

monly called Christmas Day; any day appointed or recommended by the President of the United States as a day of public fasting or thanksgiving, and the day of the inauguration of the President, in every fourth year, shall be holidays in the District for all purposes. Whenever any day set apart as a legal holiday shall fall on Sunday, then and in such case the next succeeding day shall be a holiday. (Mar. 3, 1901, sec. 1389, 31 Stat. 1404; June 30, 1902, 32 Stat. 543; Mar. 3, 1931, 46 Stat. 1482.)

26. Hours of labor in executive departments.-Hereafter it shall be the duty of the heads of the several Executive Departments, in the interest of the public service, to require of all clerks and other employees, of whatever grade or class, in their respective Departments, not less than seven hours of labor each day, except Sundays and days declared public holidays by law or Executive order: Provided, That the heads of the Departments may, by special order, stating the reason, further extend the hours of any clerk or employee in their Departments, respectively; but in case of an extension it shall be without additional compensation. (Mar. 3, 1893, sec. 5, 27 Stat. 715; Mar. 15, 1898, sec. 7, 30 Stat. 316, 5 U. S. C., sec. 29.)

27. Leaves of absence. That where some member of the immediate family of a clerk or employee is afflicted with a contagious disease and requires the care and attendance of such employee, or where his or her presence in the Department would jeopardize the health of fellow-clerks, and in exceptional and meritorious cases, where a clerk or employee is personally ill, and where to limit the annual leave to thirty days in any one calendar year would work peculiar hardship, it may be extended, in the discretion of the head of the Department, with pay, not exceeding thirty days in any one case or in any one calendar year. This section shall not be construed to prevent the head of any Executive Department from granting thirty days' annual leave with pay in any one year to a clerk or employee, notwithstanding such clerk or employee may have had during such year not exceeding thirty days' leave with pay on account of sickness.

This section shall not be construed to mean that so long as a clerk or employee is borne upon the rolls of the Department in excess of the time herein provided for or granted that he or she shall be entitled to pay during the period of such excessive absence, but that the pay shall stop upon the expiration of the granted leave. (Mar. 3. 1893, sec. 5, 27 Stat. 715; Mar. 15, 1898, sec. 7, 30 Stat. 316; July 7, 1898, sec. 1, 30 Stat. 653; June 30, 1932, sec. 215, 47 Stat. 407; 5 U. S. C., sec. 30.)

28. Monthly reports as to condition of business; extension of hours of service of employees.-Hereafter it shall be the duty of the head of each Executive Department to require monthly reports to be made to him. as to the condition of the public business in the several bureaus or offices of his Department at Washington; and in each case where such reports disclose that the public business is in arrears, the head of the Department in which such arrears exist shall require, as provided herein, an extension of the hours of service to such clerks or employees as may be necessary to bring up such arrears of public busi(Mar. 3, 1893, sec. 5, 27 Stat. 715; Mar. 15, 1898, sec. 7, 30 Stat. 317; 5 U. S. C., sec. 31.)

ness.

29. Quarterly reports as to condition of business.-Hereafter it shall be the duty of the head of each Executive Department, or other Government establishment at the seat of government, not under an Executive Department, to make at the expiration of each quarter of the fiscal year a written report to the President as to the condition of the public business in his Executive Department or Government establishment, and whether any branch thereof is in arrears. (Mar. 15, 1898, sec. 7, 30 Stat. 316; 5 U. S. C., sec. 32.)

30. Leave with pay reduced.-Hereafter no civilian officer or employee of the Government who receives annual leave with pay shall be granted annual leave of absence with pay in excess of fifteen days in any one year, excluding Sundays and legal holidays: Provided, That the part unused in any year may be cumulative for any succeeding year: Provided further, That nothing herein shall apply to officers and employees of the Panama Canal and Panama Railroad Company on the Isthmus of Panama, or to officers and employees of the United States (including enlisted personnel) holding official station outside the continental United States or in Alaska: Provided further, That nothing herein shall be construed as affecting the period during which pay may be allowed under existing laws for socalled sick leave of absence: Provided further, That the so-called sick leave of absence, within the limits now authorized by law, shall be administered under such regulations as the President may prescribe so as to obtain, so far as practicable, uniformity in the various executive departments and independent establishments of the Government. (June 30, 1932, sec. 215, 47 Stat. 407; Mar. 3, 1933, sec. 6 (a), 47 Stat. 1515; Mar. 20, 1933, sec. 4 (c), 48 Stat. 13; 5 U. S. C., sec. 30a.)

31. Women clerks.-Women may, in the discretion of the head of any Department, be appointed to any of the clerkships therein authorized by law, upon the same requisites and conditions, and with the same compensations, as are prescribed for men. (R. S., sec. 165; 5 U. S. C., sec. 33.)

32. Restoration to position of certain employees called into active military service.-That all officers and enlisted men of the National Guard and of the Medical Reserve Corps of the Army who are Government employees and who respond to the call of the President for service shall, at the expiration of the military service to which they are called, be restored to the positions occupied by them at the time of the call. (Aug. 29, 1916, sec. 1, 39 Stat. 624; 5 U. S. C., sec. 34.)

33. Government employees who are members of Officers' Reserve Corps to be restored to positions when relieved from duty.-That members of the Officers' Reserve Corps who are in the employ of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia and who are ordered to duty by proper authority shall, when relieved from duty, be restored to the positions held by them when ordered to duty. (May 12, 1917, 40 Stat. 72.)

34. Reinstatement of Government employees drafted or enlisted in the military service in the war with Germany.-That all former Government employees who have been drafted or enlisted in the military service of the United States in the war with Germany shall be reinstated on application to their former positions, if they have received

an honorable discharge and are qualified to perform the duties of the position. (Feb. 25, 1919, sec. 1, 40 Stat. 1164.)

35. Reinstatement of Government employees who entered armed service during the war with Germany.-That all former Government employees who have entered the military or naval service of the United States in the war with the German Government shall be reinstated on application to their former positions if they have received an honorable discharge and are qualified to perform the duties of the position. (July 11, 1919, 41 Stat. 142.)

36. Preference for appointments to persons disabled in military or naval service.-Persons honorably discharged from the military or naval service by reason of disability resulting from wounds or sickness incurred in the line of duty, shall be preferred for appointments to civil offices, provided they are found to possess the business capacity necessary for the proper discharge of the duties of such offices. (R. S., sec. 1754; 5 U. S. C., sec. 35.)

37. Preference in appointments to honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, and marines, and their widows and wives.-That hereafter in making appointments to clerical and other positions in the executive branch of the Government in the District of Columbia or elsewhere preference shall be given to honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, and marines, and widows of such, and to the wives of injured soldiers, sailors, and marines, who themselves are not qualified, but whose wives are qualified, to hold such positions. (July 11, 1919, sec. 1, 41 Stat. 37 June 18, 1929, sec. 3, 46 Stat. 21; 5 U. S. C., sec. 35.)

38. Employment of wives of soldiers and sailors.-The wife of a soldier or sailor who served in the World War shall not be disqualified for any position under the Government because she is a married woman. (Aug. 31, 1918, sec. 5, 40 Stat 956; 5 U. S. C. 36.)

39. Diminution or increase of number of clerks.-That in making any reduction of force in any of the executive departments, the head of such department shall retain those persons who may be equally qualified who have been honorably discharged from the military or naval service of the United States, and the widows and orphans of deceased soldiers and sailors. (Aug. 15, 1876, sec. 3, 19 Stat. 169; 5 U. S. C., sec. 37.)

40. Personnel reductions; Married persons.-In any reduction of personnel in any branch or service of the United States Government or the District of Columbia, married persons (living with husband or wife) employed in the class to be reduced, shall be dismissed before any other persons employed in such class are dismissed, if such husband or wife is also in the service of the United States or the District of Columbia. In the appointment of persons to the classified civil service, preference shall be given to persons other than married persons living with husband or wife, such husband or wife being in the service of the United States or the District of Columbia. (June 30, 1932, sec. 213, 47 Stat. 406; 5 U. S. C., sec. 37a.)

41. Distribution of clerks.-Each head of a Department may, from time to time, alter the distribution among the various bureaus and offices of his Department, of the clerks and other employees allowed by law, except such clerks or employees as may be required by law to be exclusively engaged upon some specific work, as he may find it necessary and proper to do, but all details hereunder shall be

made by written order of the head of the Department, and in no case be for a period of time exceeding one hundred and twenty days: Provided, That details so made may, on expiration, be renewed from time to time by written order of the head of the Department, in each particular case, for periods of not exceeding one hundred and twenty days. All details heretofore made are hereby revoked, but may be renewed as provided herein. (R. S., sec. 166; May 28, 1896, sec. 3, 29 Stat. 179; U. S. C., sec. 38.)

42. Detail of officers, clerks, or other employees outside District for duty in District of Columbia.-Hereafter it shall be unlawful to detail civil officers, clerks, or other subordinate employees who are authorized or employed under or paid from appropriations made for the military or naval establishments, or any other branch of the public service outside of the District of Columbia, except those officers and employees whose details are now specially provided by law, for duty in any bureau, office, or other division of any Executive Department in the District of Columbia, except temporary details for duty connected with their respective offices. (Aug. 5, 1882, sec. 4, 22 Stat. 255; June 22, 1906, sec. 6, 34 Stat. 449; 5 U. S. C., sec. 39.)

43. Employment of clerks and other employees; authority.-There is authorized to be employed in each executive department, independent establishment, and the municipal government of the District of Columbia, for services in the District of Columbia or elsewhere, such number of employees of the various classes recognized by the Classification Act of 1923, as amended (U. S. C., title 5, ch. 13), as may be appropriated for by Congress from year to year: Provided, That the head of any department or independent establishment may delegate to subordinates, under such regulations as he may prescribe, the power to employ such persons for duty in the field. services of his department or establishment. (R. S., sec. 169, June 26, 1930, 46 Stat. 817; 5 U. S. C., sec. 43.)

44. Appointment of disbursing clerks; bond; compensation.-The disbursing clerks authorized by law in the several Departments shall be appointed by the heads of the respective Departments, and shall each give a bond to the United States for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office according to law in such amount as shall be directed by the Secretary of the Treasury, and with sureties to the satisfaction of the General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury; and shall from time to time renew, strengthen, and increase his official bond, as the Secretary of the Treasury may direct.1 (R. S., sec. 176, Mar. 3, 1883; sec. 1, 22 Stat. 553; May 10, 1934, sec. 512 (b) 48 Stat. 759, 5 U. S. C., sec. 44.)

45. Officers, clerks, and employees. That no civil officer, clerk, draughtsman, copyist, messenger, assistant messenger, mechanic,

1 The function of disbursement of moneys of the United States exercised by any agency is transferred to the Treasury Department and, together with the Office of Disbursing Clerk of that Department, is consolidated in a Division of Disbursement, at the head of which shall be a Chief Disbursing Officer.

The Division of Disbursement of the Treasury Department is authorized to establish local offices, or to delegate the exercise of its functions locally to officers or employees of other agencies, according as the interests of efficiency and economy may require.

The Division of Disbursement shall disburse moneys only upon the certification of persons by law duly authorized to incur obligations upon behalf of the United States. The function of accountability for improper certification shall be transferred to such persons, and no disbursing officer shall be held accountable therefor. (Executive Order No. 6166, sec. 4: June 10, 1933.)

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