Shevlin Pine Sales Gompany

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48-Hour !(/orkweekfor Five Southern Standard OPA Uniform Adjustable California Counties Pricing Provision

The War Manpower Commission has ordered that the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino and Riverside go on a 48-hour workweek by August 22, 1943.

Lumber yards where less than eight employees are employed, including both full-time and part-time employees, are exempt. Branch yards having less than eight employees are exempt, each branch yard is considered a separate establishment. Individuals who are under 16 years of age, or individuals who are not available for full-time employment because of factors such as other employment, household responsibilities, or physical limitations, are also exempt from the order.

The order stated that an employer could request a minimum wartime workweek of less than 48 hours for specific establishments, or for certain departments or occupations therein, if the 48-hour week:

(1) Would be impossible in view of the nature of the operations of the establishment.

(2) Would not reduce the present labor force or reduce the future labor requirements of the establishment.

(3) Would conflict with Federal, State, or local la'iv or regulation limiting hours of work.

If an exemption is granted for any of these three reasons. the workweek shall be the maximum number of hours (less than 48) that is feasible.

Requests for exemption should have been made by a separate letter for each establishment (specific place of business) and filed in duplicate with the War Manpower Commission, Wartime Workweek Section, 1100 South Flower Street, Los Angeles 15, not later than August 7, 1943.

An order inserting the standard OPA uniform adjustable pricing provision in all 35 price regulations for lumber and lumber products was issued by the Office of Price Administration.

The order is titled Supplementary Order No. 50 on Adjustable Pricing in Certain Maximum Price Regulations on Lumber and Lumber Products, and became effective July 27,1943.

"There are two kinds of adjustable pricing," OPA said, explaining the standard procedure. "The first permits a buyer and seller to agree that a price in a sale shall be adjusted up to the ceiling price in effect at time of delivery if the maximum price is increased between the time of sale and delivery. No special permission from OPA is required in adjustable pricing of this kind.

"The second kind of adjustable pricing relates to readjustment of prices to the ,ceiling in effect at some time after delivery is completed. This type of adjustable pricing cannot be used without special permission from OPA.

"One situation in which OPA might approve adjustable pricing after delivery is that which exists when an industry knows that a price increase for its products is under discussion in OPA, and when shipments, as a result, might be in a state of suspense as sellers await outcome of the price discussion."

Supplementary Order 50, effective July n, 1943.

According to the order, all of the establishments within an industry could file their requests for exemption together to facilitate processing.

Further information on this program can be obtained by telephoning or writing the United' States Employment Service Office which serves you.