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OFFICE ■ W ORKERS salaries hours of work supplementary benefits Bulletin No. 988 MEMPHIS, TENN. FEBRUARY 1950 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR • BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. - Price 15 cents UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Maurice J. Tobin - Secretary BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS Ewan Clague - Commissioner CONTENTS Pag© Number Introduction •••••••...... ..................•............•....... •.................. Salaries of Memphis Office Workers, February 1950 ........ •••••••••..............•...... Supplementary Wage Practices ..... •••••.••••• Tables: 1 1 1 1. Salaries and weekly hours of work, by industry division 2. Percentage distribution, by weekly salaries ................ ••......... 3• Scheduled weekly hours •••••••••••...... .............. ..•••••••........... k. Scheduled days in workweek ......... ...................................... 5. Vacations with pay ....... •.............••.......10 6. Paid holidays ............ ............................... ...•••••••....... 7. Formal provisions for paid sick leave ............................... ...... 8. Nonproduction bonuses ••••••.... ................... 9• Insurance and pension plans ........................... •••••.............. 3 6 9 9 10 11 12 12 Appendix A: Scope and method of s u r v e y ...... ................••••••••...... 13 Appendix B: Descriptions of occupations studied ...................................•••••••• 15 INTRODUCTION Surveys of office worker salaries were conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in more than a score of large cities during 19^8-^9. The survey program provides for annual resurveys In a major city in each of 5 broad geographic areas. These cities are Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. Initial surveys will be conducted each year in another 5 important cities. To the extent that resources permit, salary data will also be brought up-to-date in a few cities last covered 2 or 3 years earlier. These surveys are designed to provide salary data for selected office occupations on a cross-industry basis. Data are also obtained on supplementary benefits, such as vacations, holi days, sick leave, and insurance and pension plans. Salary and related data are provided Wherever possible for individual industry divisions. The Memphis study was prepared in the Bureau* s Division of Wage Statistics by Harry H. Hall, Regional Wage Analyst, Region III, Atlanta, Georgia. The planning and central direction of the program was the responsibility of Toivo P. Kanninen and Louis E. Badenhoop under the general supervision of Harry Ober, Chief of the Branch of Industry Wage Studies. SALARIES OF OFFICE WORKERS IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, FEBRUARY 1950 l/ Salaries Average weekly salaries of women office workers in Menqphis varied among 21 occupational groups from $ 32.50 far routine file clerks and office girls to $50.50 far hand bookkeepers (table 1). In more than half the occupations included in the February 1950 study, salary levels of women ranged from $39*50 to $ M u 5 0 a week. General stenographers, representing almost a fourth of the women clerical workers in the occupations studied, averaged $U2.50. Weekly pay of the second largest group, clerk-typists, averaged $ 37 *50 . Men*s salary levels were similar in the various clerk occupational categories with levels of pay varying from $53 for general clerks to $58 for accounting clerks. Among the limited number of jobs studied in which men were employed, however, salaries ranged from $33 for office boys to $71 for hand bookkeepers. Average salaries within the various industries covered were somewhat different from the all-industry averages. Inter-industry comparisons of w o m e n s salaries indicated that their weekly pay levels in manufacturing and wholesale trade were generally slightly above the all-industry levels; in retail trade and in finance, insurance, and real estate offices, the opposite was typi cal. Although differences in average weekly scheduled hours by industry seldom amounted to more than 2 hours, in some instances shorter workweeks compensated, in part, for lower salary levels. Women pay-roll clerks, for example, averaged $3 more a week in wholesale than in retail trade offices, but their average workweek was also 3 hours longer. On an hourly basis, they aver aged $1 in both types of offices. Weekly salaries were converted to hourly averages for each oc cupation to permit such comparisons, although clerical worker salaries are commonly expressed in amounts paid weekly or monthly. Salaries of individual women workers In the jobs studied varied from a low of $20 to a high of about $80 a week. There was, however, a considerable concentration of workers within a narrow salary range in most occupations studied, particularly in salaries of women. Thus, over half of the women general stenographers earned between $37*50 and $^7*50 weekly, and nearly threefifths of the women performing clerical and typing tasks earned between $30 and $k0 (table 2). SUPPLEMENTARY WAGE PRACTICES Work schedules The tO-hour week was the most common work schedule in Memphis offices. More than twothirds of the women office workers were employed in establishments having this schedule although weekly hours varied from industry to industry (table 3). In transportation, communication, and other public utility offices, more than half the women were working 37? hours, whereas a third of the women in wholesale trade establishments worked at least kk hours. l/ See Appendix A for discussion of scope and method of survey - 2 - A 5-day week was the schedule for three-fifths of the women in Memphis offices (table *v). This schedule applied to about 80 percent of the women employed in manufacturing offices and 85 percent in offices of transportation, communication, and other public utility concerns. A longer schedule was more common in finance, insurance, and real estate offices; over half the women em ployed in these offices worked 6 days a week. Paid vacations All Memphis offices included in the survey had provisions for paid vacations. Nearly all offices provided vacations of 1 week or more to workers with a year*s service. Over two-thirds of the workers were employed in offices providing a vacation of 2 weeks after service of 1 year, and, after 5 years, practically all workers were allowed 2 weeks or more (table 5)* Paid holidays More than 90 percent of the Memphis office workers included in the study received at least 5 paid holidays annually. Holiday practices, however, varied among industry groups. Almost 95 percent of the office workers in retail trade establishments received 5 paid holidays, whereas over a third of the workers in finance, insurance, and real estate offices were provided 12 paid holidays each year (table 6). Paid sick leave A fifth of the workers were in offices that had formal provisions for paid sick leave applying to workers with a year of service. The number of days of sick leave allowed annually varied among industry groups, and many firms had more liberal provisions for workers with longer service (table 7). Nonproduction bonuses About two-fifths of the workers were employed in offices that paid some form of nonpro duction bonus (table 8). Usually these extra payments were made at Christmas or the year-end. Over 85 percent of the finance, insurance, and real estate employees were in offices that paid bonuses. On the other hand, such payments were rare in transportation, communication, and other public utilities. Insurance and pension plans Nine out of 10 office workers studied were in establishments providing some form of in surance or pension plan with premiums paid at least in part by the firm (table 9 ). Eight out of 10 workers benefited from plans providing life insurance, and over half were employed in offices with retirement pension plans that were in addition to Federal Old Age and Survivors insurance. TABLE 1,-— Salaries 2/ and weekly scheduled hours of work for selected office occupations in Memphis, Term., by industry division, February 1950 Sex, occupation, and industry division 2/ Estimated number of workers Weekly salary Average Weekly scheduled hours Hourly *rate weekly salary Salary range of mi ddle 50 percent of workers Median 2/ Men $71*00 68.50 40.5 41.0 $1.75 1.67 $71.00 70.00 $ 57.50 - $78.00 57.50 - 75.00 32 IS 42.00 41.00 40.5 40.5 1.04 1.01 39.50 39.00 36.00 - 43.00 36.00 - 41.50 2H 65 133 58.00 57.00 60.50 40.5 41.0 1.43 1.43 1.48 56.00 56.00 57.50 42.00 - 69.00 53.00 - 64.00 46.00 - 75.00 QJ.erks, .geqeraj, £ / .............. Finance, insurance, and real estate ....... ............. 87 54.00 40.5 1.33 53.00 44.00 - 63.50 20 53.00 42.0 1 .2 6 53.50 4 4 .0 0 Clerks, order L f ................... ........................ Wholesale trad# ....... .. 119 53.50 54.00 4 2 .0 95 42.5 1.27 1.27 54.00 54.00 4 3 .5 0 5 0 .0 0 - 57.50 57.50 Clerks, nay roll U ............ .. Manufacturing ♦ . „ « . « .... .. 46 33 55.00 56.00 40.5 40.5 1.36 1.38 48.50 48.50 4 8 .0 0 4 8 .5 0 - 6 0 .0 0 6 6 .5 0 Office boy^ L j ..... .. ......... Manufacturing Wholesale trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 33 #00 33.50 33.00 40.5 IS 4 3 .5 4 1 .0 .81 .81 .80 33.00 33.00 33.00 29.50 3 0 .0 0 32.50 - 3 6 .0 0 .9 9 Bookkeepers, .hs^nd 4/ ............. Manufacturing ........ Bookkeeping-machine operators. clasj B Lj .............«*••*••• Wholesale trade •••••••••••.•• Clerks, accounting 4/ ...... . Manufacturing ........ . Wholesale trade ........... u 22 25 40.0 ■ 6 0 .5 0 34.50 34.50 Women Billers, machine (billing M SM sg) y ................. .................................... Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wholesale trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B ille r s . Machine (bookkeeping machine) .................... . Bookkeepers. hand U . . . . . . . . . . . . . Manufacturing .............. ............ 41.00 44.00 1.07 .96 4 1 .0 0 a . 50 4 0 .0 0 37.50 41.50 - 4 0 .0 0 41*5 41.0 41*5 - 44*00 49.00 43.50 25 35.00 39.5 .89 37.00 29.50 - 40.50 72 50.50 53.50 41.Q 1.23 1.34 50.00 51.00 45.50 - 20 57.50 57.50 235 21 93 40.50 39.50 43.00 42.5 42 .C 43.5 .95 .94 39.50 36.50 3 8 .0 0 39,50 .9 9 36.50 - 4 2 ,0 0 3 8 .0 0 a . 00 107 37.50 41.5 .90 3 8 .0 0 34.50 - 41.50 344 91 133 95 42.50 43.50 46,50 37.00 40.5 1.05 1.09 1.11 .93 4 2 .0 0 37.00 - 48.50 4 0 .0 4 2 .0 4 0 .0 43.50 48.50 4 0 .0 0 4 0 .0 0 - 4 4 .0 0 3 8 .0 0 30.00 - 4 2 ,0 0 131 21 99 4 0 .0 3 6 .0 0 5 0 .0 0 - Bookkeeping-machine operators. sA&s&Jl y ....... ......................... . Manufacturing Wholesale trade Finance, insurance, and real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calculating-machine operators (Comptometer type) i+J . . . . . . . . . . Manufacturing . f , Wholesale trad© . . . . . . . . . . . . . , Retail trade See footnotes at end of table. 5 0 .0 0 53*00 TABLE 1.— Salaries 1/ and weekly scheduled hours of work for selected office occupations in Memphis, Tenn#, by industry division, February 1950 - Continued Hourly rate Median y weekly salary Salary range of middle 50 percent of workers Weekly salary Average Weeklyscheduled hours 53 $36.50 42.0 $0.S7 $36.50 $ 35.00 - $39.50 24 36.50 42.5 .86 36.50 35.50 - 40.00 Clerks, accounting 4/ •*•••...... Manufacturing .............. . Wholesale trade .••••••.... •• Retail t r a d e ........... .. Finance, insurance, and real estate •.... . 288 55 64 35 39.50 39.50 44.50 38.50 40.0 41.5 41.0 41.5 .99 .95 1.09 .93 38.00 39.50 42.00 38 35.50 39.5 Clerks, file. class_A £/ ........ Manufacturing «............ .. Finance, insurance, and real e s t a t e .... ••••••••...... 48 16 39.50 37.00 17 Clerks, file, class B U ........ Wholesale trade ........ Retail trade ................. Finance, insurance, and real estate Sex, occupation, and industry division 7j Estimated number of workers Women - Continued Calculating-machine onerators (other than Conrotometer type) U Finance, insurance, and real estate ............ ....... 40.00 35.50 35.50 37.50 31.00 - 42.00 42.00 48.00 44.50 .90 34.50 31.00 - 38.00 40.5 40.0 .98 .93 38.00 34.00 35.00 34.00 - 44.50 36.00 40.50 41.0 .99 40.00 36.00 - 45.50 184 74 56 32.50 34.50 29.00 41.5 42.5 40.0 .78 .81 .73 33.00 34.00 29.00 30.00 33.00 - 34.00 35.00 25.00 - 33.00 27 33.00 41.0 .80 33.50 30.00 - 33.50 Clerks, general U .............. Manufacturing •••«•••••..... . Wholesale trade .......... . Retail t r a d e ........... .. Finance, insurance,.and real estate •..•••••••••••..... . 217 53 77 27 44.00 43.50 46.50 40.00 40.0 40.0 1.10 1.09 1.16 1.00 44.50 44.00 46.00 40.00 37.50 36.00 40.50 35.00 - 50.50 50.50 51.00 46.00 45 42.50 40.0 1.06 42.50 37.00 - 46.00 Clerks, order U ............... . Wholesale trade ..•••••••••••• u 25 36.50 37.50 40.5 41.0 .90 .91 36.00 33.00 31.00 30.50 - 43.00 46.00 m jaUL U ............. Manufacturing .... Wholesale t r a d e ...... ....... Retail t r a d e .............. . 129 52 34 27 42.50 44.00 43.00 40.00 41.0 41.0 43.0 40.0 1.04 1.07 1.00 1.00 42.00 46.00 39.50 40.50 36.00 40.00 36.50 35.00 - 46.00 48.00 46.50 44.00 411 107 88 21 37.50 42.50 36.50 30.50 41.0 40.5 42.5 40.0 .91 1.05 .86 .76 36.50 43.50 35.00 30.00 32.50 33.00 34.50 25.00 - 40.50 48.00 38.50 36.50 129 36.00 41.0 .88 36.50 32.50 - 39.00 16 50 37.50 35.00 38.5 40.5 .95 .86 37.50 34.50 35.50 30.00 - 38.50 38.00 CJterk-typlptfi ................... Manufacturing........ . Wholesale trade ............ . Retail trade Finance, insurance, and real e s t a t e ...... ........... . Transportation, communication, and other public utilities . S e r v i c e s .... ................ See footnotes at end of table• 40.0 40.0 TABLE 1.— Salaries i j and weekly scheduled hours of work for selected office occupations in Memphis, Tenn., by industry division, February 1950 - Continued Sex, occupation, and industry division 2/ Estimated number of workers Weekly salary Average Weekly scheduled hours Median Hourly rate weekly galarr Salary range of middle 50 percent of workers $30.00 - $33.00 2/ Women - Continued Office girls ..................... 42 $32.50 40.5 $0.80 $32.00 Stenographers. general .......... Manufacturing ................ Wholesale trade ..... ....... . Retail trade .••••..•••...... Finance, insurance, and real estate •••••••••••••....... Transportation, communication, and other public utilities . Services ..... . 801 167 356 54 42.50 44.00 43.50 40.00 a.o 41.0 41.5 41.0 1.04 1.07 1.05 .98 41.50 42.50 41.50 41.00 37.50 40.00 37.50 39.00 - 46.00 46.00 49.00 45.00 135 40.00 40.5 .99 40.50 34.50 - 44.00 30 59 43.50 38.50 40.0 a.o 1.09 .94 43.50 39.00 a .00 34.50 - 46.00 Stenographers, technical ......... 39 44.50 a.5 1.07 40.50 34.50 - 49.00 Switchboard operators U ........ Wholesale trade Finance, insurance, and real estate ..................... 96 32 40.00 42.50 a.o 40.5 .98 1.05 40.00 43.50 35.00 37.00 - 45.00 46.00 17 34.50 44.0 .78 37.00 27.00 - a.50 Switchboard operatorreceptionists U .... .......... Manufacturing ........... Wholesale trade ......... .. 119 40 52 38.00 39.00 38.00 42.0 a.5 43.5 .90 .94 .87 37.00 37.50 34.00 33.00 32.50 33.00 - 42.50 a.50 44.00 Transcrlbipg-maehlne operators. geperql U .................... Manufacturing ............... . 55 25 44.00 37.50 40.0 40.0 1.10 .94 40.00 38.00 36.50 33.50 - 53.00 39.50 Typists, class A ................ 57 46.50 a.o 1.13 45.00 42.00 - 51.50 Typists, class B j j ............. Manufacturing ................ 95 39 36.50 35.00 40.5 40.5 .90 .86 34.00 32.00 32.00 - 32.00 - 42.00 a.oo 1/ 42.00 Excludes pay for overtime. 2/ The study covered representative manufacturing and retail trade establishments and trans portation (except railroads), communication, heat, light and power companies with over 100 workers; and establishments with more than 25 workers in wholesale trade, finance, real estate, insurance and selected service industries (business service; such professional services as engineering, architectural, accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping firms; motion pictures; and nonprofit membership organizations). 2/ Value above and below which half of workers* salaries fell. lj Includes data for industry divisions not shown separately. - 6 - TABLE 2.— Percentage distribution of workers in selected office occupations by weekly salaries 1/ in Memphis, Tenn,, February 1950 Percent of men Weekly salaries 1/ $20.00 *£22.49 ...........o...... $22.50 - $24.99 ................. $25.00 - $27.49 ................. Percent of women Bookkeep ingBook keepers, machine hand operators, class B Billers, Clerks, Clerks, Clerks, Office 3machine account general order boys (billing ing ]machine) - - - 1.5 1.5 - _ - - 0.8 3.8 13.0 6.9 4.2 18.3 22.0 1.4 6.9 1.3 6.0 13.6 14.4 21.2 21.2 5.6 8.3 5.6 20.7 2.8 11.1 7.7 1.3 .9 5.1 4.3 - 13.9 1.4 8.3 1.4 2.8 •4 2.6 — .. — - $27.50 $30.00 $32.50 $35.00 $37.50 $40.00 - $29.99 $32.49 $34.99 $37.49 $39.99 $42.49 ................. ................. .................. .................. ............ . ................. 7.5 .5 17.4 3.4 2.3 4.6 1.7 6.7 •8 5.0 $42.50 $4-5.00 $47.50 $50.00 $52.50 $55.00 - $44.99 $47.49 $49.99 $52.49 $54.99 $57.49 ................. ................. ................. ................. ................. ................. .9 3.7 12.7 5.6 4.2 15.0 3.4 9.2 11.5 9.2 2.3 7.6 2.5 4.2 6.7 18.5 18.5 $57.50 $60.00 $62.50 $65.00 $67.50 $70.00 - $59.99 $62.49 $64.99 $67.49 $69.99 $72.49 ................. ............... . ................. ............ . ................. ................. 7.9 3.7 6.5 2.8 6*5 2.3 4.6 3.4 12.7 15.0 « - 5.9 8.5 — 5.9 .8 - — — - .8 .8 — - $72.50 $75.00 $80.00 $85.00 — - $74.99 $79.99 $84.99 $89.99 .................. .......... ....... .................. ................. 4.7 5.6 7.5 3.4 - 5.0 1.7 - - - 100.0 100.0 100.0 Total .............. . Estimated number of workers ...... Average weekly salary 3/ ••»•••••« See footnote at end of table, 214 $58.00 87 £54.00 22.3 17.9 41.8 7.5 3.0 3.0 1.5 _ - 100.0 12j2 10.7 5.3 - 4.6 .8 100.0 119 67 131 $53.50 $33.00 $ 41.00 - 5.6 ~ _ mm ~ - - 100.0 72 $50.50 100.0 235 j $40.50 TABLE 2,— Percentage distribution of workers in selected office occupations by weekly salaries 3/ in Memphis, Tenn., February 1950 - Continued Weekly salaries 3/ ♦20,00 - $22.49 .................. ♦22.50 - $24.99 .................. $25.00 - $27.49 ................ . Percent of women CalculatingCalculatingmachine Clerks, Clerks, machine operators Clerks, Clerks, account file operators general pay roll (other than class B ing (Comptometer Comptometer type) type) . _ 0.9 3.2 3.8 0.7 0*5 6.5 5.4 - 0.8 14.7 19.6 35.4 7.1 4.3 2.2 0.5 .9 9.2 10.1 10.6 8.3 10.0 4.7 18.5 7.0 10.1 13.1 17.7 4.7 3.1 1.6 $27.50 $30.00 $32.50 $35.00 $37.50 $40.00 - $29.99 $32.49 $34.99 $37.49 $39.99 $42.49 .................. .................. .................. .................. .............. . .................. 2.6 2.9 3.1 8.7 3.2 21.5 9.4 3.8 5.7 41.5 22.6 9.4 3.8 9.7 8.7 18.8 20.9 16.0 $42.50 $45.00 $47.50 $50.00 $52.50 $55.00 - $44.99 $47.49 $49.99 $52.49 $54.99 $57.49 ................... ................... ............... . ................... .......... ........ .......... ........ 15.7 5.5 5.8 7.0 6.1 4.1 _ 3.8 -* - 4.5 5.2 4.5 1.0 1.0 .7 4.3 — 13.9 14.8 4.1 12.9 10.6 3.2 $57.50 $60.00 $62.50 $65.00 $67.50 $70,00 - $59.99 $62.49 $64.99 $67.49 $69.99 $72.49 ................... ................... ................... .... ........... . ....... ........... ................... 4.4 .3 - _ - _ 2.8 1.0 .7 — — $72.50 $75.00 $80.00 $85.00 - $74.99 $79.99 $84.99 $89.99 ................... ................... ................... ................... .. - - _ - — - .9 - Total ••••••••••••..... . 100.0 Estimated number of workers ....... Average weekly salary 3/ «.•*•••»•» See footnote at end of table, 883041 0 - 50 - 2 344 $42.50 100.0 53 $36.50 • - 4.7 .8 1.6 1.6 - 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 288 184 217 129 $39.50 ?32.50 $44.00 $42.50 - 8 - TABLE 2.— Percentage distribution of workers in selected office occupations by weekly salaries in Memphis, Term., February 1950 - Continued Weekly salaries 3/ $20.00 - $22.4-9.............. $22.50 - $24.99 .............. $25.00 - $27.49 .............. Percent of women — TranSwitch Switch board scribing- Typists, Typists, Clerlo- Stenog board machine typists raphers, opera operatorclass A class B general tors reception operators, general ists 0.5 1.2 0.2 2.1 5.2 — - - 1.8 — - - $27.50 $30.00 $32.50 $35.00 $37.50 $40.00 - $29.99 $32.49 $34.99 $37.49 $39.99 $42.49 .............. .............. .............. ............. . .............. .............. 10*9 11.7 17.3 15.8 12.2 8.3 2.7 4.2 7.0 9.0 10.6 21.6 4.2 6.3 6.3 9.4 10.3 15.6 2.5 19.3 24.5 16.0 4*2 7.6 3.6 10.9 1.8 10.9 21.9 3.6 1.8 10.5 1.8 15.8 3.2 33.7 15.8 8.4 4.2 20.0 $42.50 $45.00 $47.50 $50.00 $52.50 $55.00 - $44.99 $47.49 $49.99 $52.49 $54.99 $57.49 .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. 5.8 1.0 10.7 3.9 .2 - 15.1 7.7 7.7 3.1 4.4 3.6 15.6 7.3 7.3 7.3 1.0 9.2 6.7 2.5 .8 6.7 - 5.6 1.8 14.6 3.6 3.6 3.5 24.5 5.2 15.8 10.5 - 10.5 2.1 2.1 - $57.50 $60.00 $62.50 $65.00 $67.50 $70.00 - $59.99 $62.49 $64.99 $67.49 $69.99 $72.49 .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. .............. .5 — — - .9 .9 .9 — .4 - — 10.9 3.6 1.8 — 2.1 - — — - _ _ — - - $72.50 $75.00 $80.00 $85.00 - $74.99 $79.99 $84.99 $89.99 .............. .............. .............. .............. T o t a l ......... ..... - - - — - 100.0 Estimated number of workers ,M 411 801 96 119 55 Average weekly salary 2/ ...... $37.50 $42.50 $40.00 $38.00 $44.00 Excludes pay for overtime, 100.0 mm - 100.0 1/ 100.0 3.6 — 3.5 — 100.0 mm mm mm - 3.5 100.0 57 $46.50 — mm « 100.0 95 $36.50 TABLE 3.— Scheduled weekly hours of women in Memphis offices, February 1950 Weekly hours All offices employing women .... 35 hours ............ ........... 37-§- h o u r s ..... ................. Over 37‘a and under 40 h o u r s .... 40 hours ............ ........... Over 40 and under 44 hours ..... 44 h o u r s .......... ............. Over 44 and under 4# hours ...... 4$ hours ........................ Over 48 hours ••••••••••••••••.•. Percent of workers emrloved in offices in Transpor tation, Finance, communi All Manu Whole indus factur sale Retail insurance, cation, Services and real and other ing trade trade tries estate public utilities 100.0 100.0 0.2 5.3 5.9 67.4 3.3 11.4 5.4 .4 .7 1.0 84.1 5.9 3.7 5.3 — 100.0 - 66.8 26.5 4.2 2.5 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 0.2 92.1 3.0 4.7 — 3.4 5.8 67.9 8.2 12.6 2.1 — 55.8 3.4 36.4 4.4 — 37.9 37.4 24.7 — TABLE A.--Scheduled days in workweek of women in Memphis offices, February 1950 Percent Days in week All offices employing w o m e n .... 5 days .....••..... ............. days ......................... 6 days ........... o£ wor'kers emr>loved in offices in Transpor tation, Finance, All Manu Whole communi Retail insurance, indus factur sale cation, Services and real trade tries trade and other ing estate public utilities 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 60.5 25.5 14.0 79.5 17.3 3.2 63.7 35.3 1.0 67.3 16.9 15.8 35.3 12.1 52.6 85.0 12.1 2.9 U.9 58.1 10 TABLE 5•— Vacations with pay in Memphis offices, February 1950 Vacation policy All offices stud i e d.... ......... Percent of workers emuloved in offices in .. Transpor tation, Finance, communi All Manu Whole indus factur sale Retail insurance, cation, Services and real and other ing tries trade trade estate public utilities 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 58.0 54.3 2.6 1.1 42.0 55.6 46.3 7.3 2.0 44.4 48.3 41.7 4.2 2.4 51.7 25.9 25.9 85.4 85.4 - 74.1 74.4 74.4 25.6 14.6 67.2 67.2 32.8 99.4 30.0 67.5 1.9 .6 100.0 38.2 59.8 2.0 - 98.1 26.6 66.8 4.7 1.9 100.0 73.6 26.4 - 100.0 100.0 - 100.0 68.0 30.0 2.0 - 100.0 9.9 90.1 100.0 2.1 .5 94.3 3.1 100.0 3.7 100.0 1.8 100.0 100.0 — 100.0 100*0 2.9 5.8 85.4 5.9 100.0 5.2 6 months of service Offices with paid vacations ..... 1 week ...................... Over 1 and under 2 weeks .... 2 weeks ................. . Offices with no paid vacations ... - - 1 year of service Offices with paid vacations .... . 1 week .................... . 2 w e e k s .... .............. .. Over 2 weeks ............... . Offices with no paid vacations ... - - 5 years of service Offices with paid vacations ...... 1 w e e k .... .............. . Over 1 and under 2 weeks .... 2 weeks ...•••••............ Over 2 weeks •••••••••••••••• - - 94.3 2.0 90.2 8.0 - 100.0 — - 94.8 TABLE 6.— >Paid holidays in Memphis offices, February 1950 Percent of worlcers Number of paid holidays All offices studied ....... Offices providing paid holidays .. Number of holidays: 2 ........................ 3 ....................... 4 ........................ 5 ........ ............... 5§- ....................... 6 ....................... 7 ............. ....... 7 £ ...................... 8 ........................ 11 ........................ 12 .................. . Offices providing no paid holidays ....................... Information not available .......f em>loved in offices in Transpor tation, Finance, All Manu Whole communi Retail insurance, indus factur sale cation, Services trade and real tries ing trade and other estate public utilities 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100,0 100.0 98.4 96.6 99.6 97.0 97.9 100.0 100.0 1.2 1.1 4.2 37.7 2.2 25.9 11.0 2.3 3.0 1.7 8.1 - 5.6 3.2 36.5 32.9 6.5 11.9 — - 7.1 20.4 7.9 37.2 27.0 - .4 1.7 94.9 - 4.0 22.2 17.1 8.0 8.0 38.6 17.5 63.1 19.4 - • — 1.4 .2 2.4 1.0 .4 - 3.0 2.1 — • - - - - - 10.2 5.0 69.9 3.6 11.3 TABUS 7*“— Formal provisions for paid sick leave in Memphis offices, February 1950 Provisions for paid sick leave All offices studied Percent of wos*kers employed in offices ItxTranspor tation, Finance, All communi Manta- Whole Retail insurance* cation, Services indus factor sale and real trade tries and other trade ing estate public utilities 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100*0 6 months of service Offices with formal provisions for paid sick leave 5 days 6 days ••••••«••••••»«••###••# 7 days ,........ ............. IX) days ............ 12 days ..................... 15 days Over 20 days 12.6 1.3 1.9 .2 2.8 1.4 3.6 1.4 12.0 5.3 4.7 - 23.6 5.4 8.6 1.7 « 5.3 - - 7.9 a* - 7.3 - " 24.4 3.4 4.0 17.0 - Offices with no formal provisions for paid sick leave •*•«••••••*•« 87*4 88.0 94.7 76.4 75.6 100.0 92.0 20.9 4.7 12.0 18.6 34.5 9.5 19.4 19.4 12.7 4.8 2 .2 .2 4.7 26.1 5.4 11.1 1.7 - - - 4.0 - 7.9 — — 1 year of service Offices with formal provisions for paid sick leave 5 days 6 days 7 days 10 days 12 days 15 days 20 days Over 20 days Offices with no formal provisions for paid sick leave 5 years of service Offices with formal provisions for paid sick leave 5 days 6 days 7 days ........................................ 10 days 12 days 14 days 15 days ........................................ 20 days Over 20 days ............... .. Offioes with no formal provisions for paid sick leave ..... - — 1.2 1.4 1.0 4.3 5.9 — 3.4 15.2 7.3 - 79.1 88.0 32.2 6.4 .9 .2 4.7 2.5 1.6 1.0 1 .0 mm - - 100.0 • 100.0 8.0 ‘- - 3.7 4.3 - - - - mm 3.6 4.3 — _ - 21.0 81.4 73.9 65*5 80.6 87.3 12.0 18.6 - - 86.4 5.4 34.5 3.4 75.2 54.8 12.7 4.8 - - - 2.8 15.8 7.3 3.4 9.9 5.3 67.8 88.0 81.4 mm mm 1.7 _ 10.4 8.7 mm 10.1 - <*• — - 3.6 4.3 60.2 21.0 20.4 •*» - 13.6 65.5 24.8 87.3 - mm TABUS 8#— Nonproduction bonuses in Memphis offices, February 1950 Type of bonus All offices studied #•••*.«•••••.•• Percerit of workers employed in offices in Transpor tation, Finance, communi All Manu Whole Retail insurance, indus factur sale trade and real cation, Servioes other tries ing trade estate and public utilities 100.0 100.0 100*0 100*0 100.0 100.0 100*0 4*4 4*4 23.9 33.7 10.2 Offices with nonproductlon bonuses J/ •••••*•****••••••••••• Christmas or year-end *••...*• Profit-sharing ••••••••••••**« Other •••*•»••••*•»••.••*••*•• 42.9 30.0 9.4 4.7 42.1 38.9 7.7 - 30.7 10.7 20.0 - 42.4 29.8 9.4 3.2 85.6 67.0 - - 20.7 - Offices with no nonporoduction bonuses ••*•**••••*••**•••##*•*•« 57.1 57.9 69.3 57.6 14.4 95*6 mm 76.1 j/ Unduplioated total* TABUS 9«— 'Insurance and pension plans in Memphis offices, February 1950 Type of plan Transpor tation, Finance, communi All Manu Whole Retail insurance, indus factur sale trade and real cation, Services other tries ing trade estate and public utilities 100.0 100*0 100.0 100.0 100.0 56.0 66.4 91.4 85.5 51.6 55.1 41.0 92.2 83.6 13.8 70.3 25.1 91.6 79.3 6.0 43.2 69.9 100.0 99.0 68.0 55.8 37.8 73.3 69a 57.3 53.1 58.1 5.9 8.6 7.8 8*4 All offices studied...... .... 100*0 100*0 Offioes with insurance or pension planS Life insurance Health insurance Retirement pension *••••*•*•#* Hospitalisation *••••#••«••••• 90.7 82.4 37.7 54.3 52.0 94^ 81.2 Offioes with no insurance or pension piaw *»***.**.*.»•....** 9.3 1/ Unduplioated totals 40.8 26.7 - 13 - APPENDIX A Scope and Method of Survey The infonnation presented in this "bulletin was collected by visits of field representa tives of the Bureau to representative offices in the city surveyed. In classifying workers hy oc cupation, uniform job descriptions were used; they are presented in Appendix B. No attempt was made to study all office occupations and, in general, the jobs surveyed were those that are found in a large proportion of offices and that involve duties that are more or less uniform from firm to firm. The jobs studied are more representative of the salaries of women than of men office workers. The study covered six broad industry divisions and in each division only establishments above a certain size were studied. Office employment in smaller establishments was not considered sufficiently great to warrant inclusion of such establishments in the survey. A greater proportion of large than of small establishments was studied in order to maximize the proportion of office workers that could be surveyed with available resources. Each group of establishments of a certain size, however, was given only its proper influence on the infonnation presented. The industries included in the study together with' the minimum size of establishments and the number of establish ments surveyed are summarized below. Establishments and workers in major industry divisions in Memphis, and number studied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 1950 Item Number of Minimum size of establishments establish Estimated ment Studied total ____ 1/ Employment Estimated total 2/ In establishments studied Total Office Industry division All divisions ................... Manufacturing ................. Wholesale trade .... .......... Retail trade ............... Finance, insurance, and real estate .................••••• Transportation, communication, and other public utilities 3 / Services k / ................ . 8,700 36,600 17,820 2 ,7^0 7,950 7,910 1,^30 1,050 1,320 18 2,600 2,130 2,130 11 13 5,900 l,i*00 ^,9^0 960 1,020 108 20 21 27 58,000 25,200 10,900 1^,800 36,600 23,550 7,290 3,930 bO 7,100 316 88 137 18 108 58,000 101 26 101 25 28 13 30,U00 9,000 26 30 101 26 19 2k 1,020 Size of establishment All size groups ••••..••••.... . 501 and over .................. 2 5 1 . 5 0 0 ...... .............. 101 - 250 .................... 26 - 100 .................... l/ 316 23 33 102 158 1,830 7,910 3,110 2,080 1,^50 1,270 Number of plant and office workers. 2/ Plant and office employment in the Memphis Metropolitan Area (Shelby County). 3 / Excludes railroads. f/ Business service; such professional services as engineering, architectural, accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping firms; motion pictures; and nonprofit membership-organizations. - Ik - The information on weekly salaries excludes overtime pay and nonproduction "bonuses "but includes incentive earnings. The weekly hours data refer to the work schedules for which these salaries are paid. Hourly rates were obtained "by dividing these weekly salaries "by scheduled hours. The number of workers presented refers to the estimated total employed in all establishments with in the scope of the study and not to the number actually surveyed. t)ata are shown only for full-time workers, defined as those who are hired establishment* s full-time schedule for the occupational classification. to work the Information on wage practices refers to all office worleers except in the tabulations of scheduled weekly hours and days in workweek for women workers. It is presented in terms of the proportion of workers employed in offices with the practice in question. Because of eligibility requirements, the proportion actually receiving the benefits in question may be smaller. The summary of vacation and sick leave plans is limited to formal arrangements and ex cludes informal plans whereby time off with pay may be granted at the discretion of the employer or other supervisor. Sick leave plans are further limited to those providing full pay for at least some amount of time off and exclude health insurance even though paid for. by employers. In evaluating information on variations in salaries with size of establishment, in the few cities in which the coverage justifies such a summary, it should be remembered that this fac tor may be related to others. There is frequently an important relationship between size and in dustrial classification in the broad industry groups used in these surveys. - 15 - APPENDIX B Descriptions of Occupations Studied The primary purpose of the Bureau’s job descriptions is to assist its field staff in classifying workers who are employed under a variety of pay-roll titles and different work arrangements from office to office and from, area to area, into appropriate occupations. This is essential in order to permit the grouping of occupational wage rates representing comparable job content. Be cause of this emphasis on interoffice and interarea comparability of occupation al content, the Bureau’s job descriptions differ significantly from those in use in individual establishments or those prepared for other purposes. In view of these special characteristics of the Bureau’s job descriptions, their adop tion without modification by any single establishment or for any other purpose than that indicated herein is not recommended. Where office workers regularly perform duties classified in more than one occupation, they are generally clas sified according to the most skilled or responsible duties that are a regular part of their job and that are significant in determining their value to the firm.' BILLER, MACHINE A worker who prepares statements, bills, and invoices on a machine other than an ordinary typewriter. May also keep records as to billings or shipping charges or perform other clerical work incidental to billipg operations. Should be designated as working on billing machine or bookkeeping machine as described below. Billing Machine - A worker who uses a special billing machine (Moon Hopkins, Elliott Fisher, Burroughs, etc., which are combination typing and adding machines) to prepare bills and invoices from customers* purchase orders, internally prepared orders, shipping memoranda, etc. Usually involves application of predetermined discounts and shipping charges and entry of nec essary extensions, which may or may not be computed on the billing machine, and totals which are automatically accumulated by machine. The operation usually involves a large number of car bon copies of the bill being prepared and Is often done on a fan-fold machine. Bookkeeping Machine - A worker who uses a bookkeeping machine (Sundstrand., Elliott Fisher, Remington Band, etc., which may or may not have typewriter keyboard) to prepare cus tomers* bills as part of the accounts receivable operation. Generally involves the simultaneous entry of figures on a customer’s ledger record. The machine automatically accumulates figures on a number of vertical columns and computes and usually prints automatically the debit or credit balances. Does not involve a knowledge of bookkeeping. Works from uniform and standard types of sales and credit slips. BOOKKEEPER, HAND A worker who keeps a set of books far recording business transactions and whose work in volves most of the following: posting and balancing subsidiary ledgers, cash books or journals, journalizing transactions where judgment is involved as to accounts affected; posting general ledger; and taking trial balances. May also prepare accounting statements and bills; may direct work of assistants or accounting clerks. - 16 - B OOKKEEPING-MACHINE OPERATOR A worker who operates a Bookkeeping machine (Remington Rand, Elliott Fisher, strand, Burroughs, National Cash Register) to keep a record of business transactions* Sund- Class A - A worker who uses a bookkeeping machine with or without a typewriter key board to keep a set of records of business transactions usually requiring a knowledge of and experience in basic bookkeeping principles and familiarity with the structure of the particular accounting system used. Determines proper records and distribution of debit and credit items to be used in each phase of the work. May prepare consolidated reports, balance sheets, and other records by hand. Class B - A worker who uses a bookkeeping machine with or without a typewriter key board to keep a record of one or more phases or sections of a set of records pertaining to busi ness transactions usually requiring some knowledge of basic bookkeeping. Phases or sections include accounts payable, pay-roll, customers* accounts (not including simple type of billing described under Biller, Machine), cost distributions, expense distributions, inventory control, etc. In addition, may check or assist in preparation of trial balances and prepare control sheets for the accounting department. CALCULATING-MACHINE OPERATOR A worker whose primary function consists of operating a calculating form mathematical computations other than addition exclusively. machine to per Comptometer type Other than Comptometer type CLERK, ACCOUNTING A worker who performs one or more accounting operations such as preparing simple Jour nal vouchers, accounts payable vouchers5 coding invoices or vouchers with proper accounting dis tributions; entering vouchers in voucher registers; reconciling bank accounts; posting and bal ancing subsidiary ledgers controlled by general ledger, e.g., accounts receivable, accounts payable, stock records, voucher Journal. May assist in preparing*Journal entries. For workers whose duties include handling the general ledger or a set of books, see Bookkeeper, Hand. CLERK, FILE Class A - A worker who Is responsible for maintaining an established filing system and classifies and indexes correspondence or other material; may also file this material. May keep records of various types in conjunction with files or supervise others in filing and lo cating material In the files. May perform incidental clerical duties. Class B - A worker who performs routine filing, usually of material that has already been classified, or locates or assists in locating material in files. May perform incidental clerical duties. C ItEKK, GENERAL A worker who is typically required to perform a variety of office operations. This requirement may arise as a result of impracticability of specialization In a small office or because versatility is essential in meeting peak requirements in larger offices. The work generally involves the use of independent Judgment In tending to a pattern of office work from day to day, as well as knowledge relating to phases of office work that occur only occasionally. For example, the range of operations performed may entail all of some combination of the fol lowing: answering correspondence, preparing bills and invoices, posting to various records, preparing pay rolls, filing, etc. May also operate various office machines and type as the work requires. (See Clerk-Typist.) 17 - CLERK, ORDER A worker who receives customers* orders for material or merchandise hy mail, phone, or personally and whose duties involve any combination of the following: quoting prices to cus tomers, making out an order sheet listing the items to make up the order, checking prices and quantities of items on order sheet, distributing order sheets to respective departments to he filled. May also check with credit department to determine credit rating of customer, acknowl edge receipt of orders from customers, follow-up orders to see that they have been filled, keep file of orders received, and check shipping invoices with original orders. CLERK, PAY-ROLL A worker who computes wages of company employees and enters the necessary data on the pay-roll sheets and whose duties involves calculating worker's earnings based on time or produc tion records; posting calculated data on pay-roll sheet, showing information such as worker's name, working days, time, rate, deductions for insurance, and total wages due. In addition, may make out pay checks and assist the paymaster in making up and distributing the pay envelopes. May use a calculating machine. CLERK-TYPIST A worker who does clerical work requiring little special training but the performance of which requires the use of a typewriter for a major portion of the time and whose work in volves typing letters, reports, and other matter from rough draft or corrected copy and one or more of the following: keeping simple records; filing records and reports; making out bills; sorting and distributing incoming mail. KEY-PUNCH OPERATOR l/ Under general supervision and with no supervisory responsibilities, records account ing and statistical data on tabulating cards by punching a series of holes in the cards in a specified sequence, using a numerical key-punch machine, following written information on rec ords. May be required to duplicate cards by using the duplicating device attached to machine. Keeps files on punched cards. May verify own work or work of others. OFFICE BOY OR GIRL A worker who performs a variety of routine duties such as running errands; minor office machines, such as sealers or mailers; opening and distributing mail, minor clerical work. (Bonded messengers are excluded from this classification.) operating and other SECRETARY l/ A worker who performs secretarial and clerical duties for a superior in an adminis trative or executive position and whose duties involve the following: - making appointments for superior; receiving people coming into office; answering and making phone calls; handling per sonal and important o r ’confidential mail, and writing routine correspondence on own initiative; taking dictation, either in shorthand or by stenotype or similar machine (except where tran scribing machine is used), and transcribing dictation or the recorded information reproduced on a transcribing machine. In addition, may prepare special reports or memoranda for Information of superior. STENOGRAPHER, GENERAL A worker whose primary function is to take dictation from one or more persons, either in shorthand or by stenotype or similar machine, involving a normal routine vocabulary, and to l/ Not surveyed in all cities - 18 - STENOGRAPHER, GENERAL - Continued transcribe this dictation on a typewriter. May also type from written copy. May also set up and keep files in order, keep simple records, etc. Roes not include transcribing-machine work. (See Transcribing-Machine Operator.) STENOGRAPHER, TECHNICAL A worker whose primary function is to take dictation from one or more persons, either in shorthand or by stenotype or similar machine, involving a varied technical or specialized vocabulary such as in legal briefs or reports on scientific research and to transcribe this dictation on a typewriter. May also type from written copy. May also set up and keep files in order, keep simple records, etc. Roes not include transcribing-machine work. (See TranscribingMachine Operator.) SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR A worker who operates a single or multiple position telephone switchboard, and whose duties involve: handling incoming, outgoing, and intraplant or office calls. In addition, may record toll calls and take messages. As a minor part of duties, may give information to per sons who call in, or occasionally take telephone orders. For workers who also do typing or other stenographic work or act as receptionists, see Switchboard Operator-Receptionist. SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR-RECEPTIONIST A worker who in addition to performing duties of operator, on a single position or monitor-type switchboard, acts as receptionist and/or performs typing or other routine clerical work as part of regular duties. This typing or clerical work may take the major part of this worker's time while at switchboard. TRANSCRIBING-MACHINE OPERATOR, GENERAL A worker whose primary function is to transcribe dictation involving a normal routine vocabulary from transcribing-machine records. May also type from written copy and do simple clerical work. A worker who takes dictation in shorthand or by stenotype or similar machine is classified as a Stenographer, General. TRANSCRIBING-MACHINE OPERATOR, TECHNICAL A worker whose primary function is to transcribe dictation involving a varied tech nical or specialized vocabulary such as in legal briefs or reports on scientific research from transcribing-machine records. May also type from written copy and do simple clerical work. A worker who takes dictation in shorthand or by stenotype or similar machine is classified as a Stenographer, Technical. TYPIST A worker who uses a typewriter to make copies of various material or to make out bills after calculations have been made by another person. May operate a teletype machine. Class A - A worker who performs one or more of the following: typing material in final form from very rough and involved draft; copying from plain or corrected copy in which there is a frequent and varied use of technical and unusual words or from foreign language copy; combining material from several sources; or planning lay-out of complicated statistical tables to maintain uniformity and balance in spacing; typing tables from rough draft in final form. May also type routine form letters, varying details to suit circumstances. Class B - A worker who performs one or more of the f o H e w i n g : typing from relatively clear or typed drafts; routine typing of forms, insurance policies, etc.; setting up simple standard tabulations, or copying more complex tables already set up and spaced properly. ☆ u s . GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : O — 1950