B-173976, MAY 10, 1972
Highlights
CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES - ECONOMIC STABILIZATION ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1971 - APPLICABILITY TO LONGEVITY INCREASES CONCERNING THE APPLICABILITY OF THE ECONOMIC STABILIZATION ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1971 TO LONGEVITY INCREASES IN COMPENSATION OF CERTAIN SENATE EMPLOYEES WHICH WERE SUSPENDED DURING THE WAGE-PRICE FREEZE. ARE CLOSELY ANALAGOUS TO THE SCHEME SET OUT FOR WITHIN -GRADE INCREASES FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE EMPLOYEES PRESCRIBED IN 5 U.S.C. 5335. TO LONGEVITY INCREASES IN COMPENSATION OF CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE WHICH WERE SUSPENDED DURING THE PERIOD AUGUST 14. SINCE THE LONGEVITY COMPENSATION INCREASES DELINEATED IN 2 U.S.C. 60J ARE CLOSELY ANALOGOUS TO THE SCHEME SET OUT FOR WITHIN-GRADE INCREASES FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE EMPLOYEES PRESCRIBED IN 5 U.S.C. 5335.
B-173976, MAY 10, 1972
CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES - ECONOMIC STABILIZATION ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1971 - APPLICABILITY TO LONGEVITY INCREASES CONCERNING THE APPLICABILITY OF THE ECONOMIC STABILIZATION ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1971 TO LONGEVITY INCREASES IN COMPENSATION OF CERTAIN SENATE EMPLOYEES WHICH WERE SUSPENDED DURING THE WAGE-PRICE FREEZE. THE COMP. GEN. WOULD AGREE THE LONGEVITY COMPENSATION INCREASES AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 106 OF THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATION ACT OF 1963, 2 U.S.C. 60J, ARE CLOSELY ANALAGOUS TO THE SCHEME SET OUT FOR WITHIN -GRADE INCREASES FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE EMPLOYEES PRESCRIBED IN 5 U.S.C. 5335. ACCORDINGLY, SUCH INCREASES MAY PROPERLY BE GIVEN RETROACTIVE EFFECT.
TO MR. WILLIAM A. RIDGELY:
YOUR LETTER DATED APRIL 19, 1972, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTS OUR VIEW AS TO THE APPLICABILITY OF THE ECONOMIC STABILIZATION ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1971, PUBLIC LAW 92-210, APPROVED DECEMBER 22, 1971, TO LONGEVITY INCREASES IN COMPENSATION OF CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE WHICH WERE SUSPENDED DURING THE PERIOD AUGUST 14, 1971, THROUGH NOVEMBER 13, 1971, DUE TO THE WAGE-PRICE FREEZE.
IN OUR DECISION IN B-173976, FEBRUARY 23, 1972, WE HELD, INTER ALIA, THAT RETROACTIVE EFFECT COULD BE GIVEN TO STATUTORY AND WAGE BOARD WITHIN-GRADE INCREASES UNDER SECTION 203(C)(3) OF THE 1971 AMENDMENTS, SUCH INCREASES ALSO HAVING BEEN SUSPENDED FROM AUGUST 14, 1971, BECAUSE OF THE WAGE-PRICE FREEZE. YOU REFER TO THAT DECISION AND ASK WHETHER WE AGREE WITH YOUR INTERPRETATION THAT (LONGEVITY) INCREASES FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 106 OF THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATION ACT OF 1963, PUBLIC LAW 87-730, APPROVED OCTOBER 2, 1962, AS AMENDED, NOW CODIFIED IN 2 U.S.C. 60J, ET SEQ., MAY LIKEWISE BE MADE RETROACTIVE.
SINCE THE LONGEVITY COMPENSATION INCREASES DELINEATED IN 2 U.S.C. 60J ARE CLOSELY ANALOGOUS TO THE SCHEME SET OUT FOR WITHIN-GRADE INCREASES FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE EMPLOYEES PRESCRIBED IN 5 U.S.C. 5335, WE AGREE WITH YOUR INTERPRETATION.