This Day in Norwood History-April 2, 1943-Selectmen Approve Year-Round Pay Plan For Public Works Employees

A vote of Norwood selectmen has adopted a plan submitted by General Manager Francis W Smith which will give full time employees in the town’s Public Works department a fixed weekly salary, 52 weeks of the year.

Employees of the Public Works and Cemetery departments are being sent full explanation of the new system. It follows:

The Board of Selectmen, after careful consideration, have voted to adopt a method of payment which will give each full time employee a fixed weekly salary under ordinary conditions.

The Selectmen have voted to increase most of the basic hourly rates and have, with a few exceptions, set 40 hours as the standard week This standard weekly wage will be paid each employee for 62 weeks each calendar year under the following conditions.

1. All time lost because of stormy weather, holidays and time taken off for reasons not covered by the sick leave regulations will be accumulated on the time cards for each employee for the calendar year Holiday time will not be deducted from those foremen and men who for some years have been paid for holidays. Employees must show a willingness to make up lost time by working extra hours when they are requested to do so.
2. Work on stormy days will be handled as it is now. That is, if it storms in the morning and clears by noon the men will work in the afternoons. Every effort will be made to find work on rainy days. Men must report for work on stormy days, otherwise, they will be considered to be taking a day off on their own time and a deduction will be made from the standard weekly wage.
3. 3 All time worked outside of regular hours will be accumulated on the time cards for the calendar year Except in the case of a few men who do not lose time because of stormy weather, this overtime will not be paid for in the week in which it is earned. At the end of the calendar year, the time worked outside of regular hours in excess of the time lost will be paid for in a lump sum at each man’s hourly rate. The other men will be paid for overtime in the week in which they earn it except that tíme lost because of holidays and that lost except for sick leave reasons will be deducted from the standard weekly wage.
4. The purpose of this plan is to pay a fixed wage each week for 52 weeks and the yearly earnings for a full year will not be less than that except for lost time in cases where a man, beyond doubt, refuses to work overtime when called on The amount of lost time which could have been made up will be deducted.
5. This plan does not limit the hours per week which can be worked anymore than the present method limits them.
6. It should not be forgotten that the adjusted compensation voted by the citizens at the March Town Meeting provides for each man a guaranteed additional weekly wage for 1943 of approximately $6.00.
7. 7 This plan will become effective April 4, 1943, and any work performed before that date will be disregarded. The plan will remain in effect as long as it is not abused or until conditions make it impossible to continue.

Each man can learn his standard weekly wage from Mr. Gahagan, Acting Superintendent of Public Works or Mr. D’Espinosa, Superintendent of the Cemetery Any questions as to the working of the new payment of wages will be gladly answered on request.

Francis W Smith, General Manager