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or other examination as he shall deem necessary to determine the facts relative to the nature and degree of disability of any employee retired on an annuity under this section.

Fees for examinations made under the provisions of this section by physicians or surgeons who are not medical officers of the United States shall be fixed by the Commissioner of Pensions, and such fees, together with the employee's reasonable traveling and other expenses incurred in order to submit to such examinations, shall be paid out of the appropriations for the cost of administering this Act.

In all cases where the annuity is discontinued under the provisions of this section before the annuitant has received a sum equal to the total amount of his or her contributions with accrued interest, the difference shall be paid to the retired employee, or to his or her estate, upon application therefor in such form and manner as the Commissioner of Pensions may direct. No person shall be entitled to receive an annuity under the provisions of this Act, and compensation under the provisions of the Act of September 7, 1916, entitled "An Act to provide compensation for employees of the United States suffering injuries while in the performance of their duties, and for other purposes," covering the same period of time; but this provision shall not be so construed as to bar the right of any claimant to the greater benefit conferred by either Act for any part of the same period of time.

SEC. 6. That all employees to whom this Act applies shall, upon the expiration of ninety days next succeeding its passage. if of retirement age, or thereafter on arriving at retirement age as defined in section 1 hereof, be automatically separated from the service, and all salary, pay, or compensation shall cease from that date, and it shall be the duty of the head of each department, branch, or independent office of the Government to notify such employees under his direction of the date of such separation from the service at least sixty days in advance thereof: Provided, That no person employed in the executive departments within the District of Columbia, retired under the provisions of this Act during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1921, shall be replaced by additional employees, but if the exigencies of the service so require, places made vacant by such retirement may be filled by promotion or transfer of eligible employees already in the service: Provided, That if within sixty days after the passage of this Act or not less than thirty days before the arrival of an employee at the age of retirement, the head of the department, branch, or independent office of the Government in which he or she is employed certifies to the Civil Service Commission that by reason of his or her efficiency and willingness to remain in the civil service of the United States the continuance of such employee therein would be advantageous to the public service, such employee may be retained for a term not exceeding two years upon approval and certification by the Civil Service Commission, and at the end of the two years he or she may, by similar approval and certification, be continued for an additional term not exceed

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ing two years, and so on: Provided, however, That at the end of ten years after this Act becomes effective no employee shall be continued in the civil service of the United States beyond the age of retirement defined in section 1 hereof for more than four years.

SEC. 7. That every employee who is or hereafter becomes eligible for retirement because of age as provided in this Act, shall, within sixty days after its passage or thirty days before reaching the retirement age, or at any time thereafter, file with the Commissioner of Pensions, in such form as he may prescribe, an application for an annuity, supported by a certificate from the head of the department, branch, or independent office of the Government in which the applicant has been employed, stating the age and period or periods of service of the applicant and salary, pay, or compensation received during such periods, as shown by the official records: Provided, however, That in the case of an employee who is to be continued in the civil service of the United States beyond the retirement age as provided in section 6 hereof, he or she may make application for retirement at any time within such period of continuance in the service; but nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to prevent the compulsory retirement of such employee when in the judgment of the head of the department, branch, or independent office in which he or she is employed such retirement would promote the best interests of the service.

Upon receipt of satisfactory evidence the Commissioner of Pensions shall forthwith adjudicate the claim of the applicant, and if title to annuity be established, a proper certificate shall be issued to the annuitant under the seal of the Department of the Interior.

Annuities granted under this Act for retirement on account of age shall commence from the date of separation from the service on or after the date this Act shall take effect, and shall continue during the life of the annuitant. Annuities granted for disability under the provisions of section 5 hereof shall be subject to the limitations specified in said section.

SEC. 8. That beginning on the first day of the third month next following the passage of this Act and monthly thereafter there shall be deducted and withheld from the basic salary, pay, or compensation of each employee to whom this Act applies a sum equal to 24 per centum of such employee's basic salary, pay, or compensation. The Secretary of the Treasury shall cause the said deductions to be withheld from all specific appropriations for the particular salaries or compensation from which the deductions are made and from all allotments out of lump-sum appropriations for payments of such salaries or compensation for each fiscal year, and said sums shall be transferred on the books of the Treasury Department to the credit of a special fund to be known as "the civil-service retirement and disability fund," and said fund is hereby appropriated for the payment of annuities, refunds, and allowances as provided in this Act.

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The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby directed to invest from time to time, in interest-bearing securities of the United States, such portions of the "civil-service retirement and disability fund" hereby created as in his judgment may not be immediately required for the payment of annuities, refunds, and allowances as herein provided, and the income derived from such investments shall constitute a part of said fund for the purpose of paying annuities and of carrying out the provisions of section 11 of this Act.

The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and empowered in carrying out the provisions of this Act to supplement the individual contributions of employees with moneys received in the form of donations, gifts, legacies, bequests, or otherwise, and to receive, invest, and disburse for the purposes of this Act all moneys which may be contributed by private individuals or corporations or organizations for the benefit of civil-service employees generally or any special class of employees.

SEC. 9. That every employee coming within the provisions of this Act shall be deemed to consent and agree to the deductions from salary, pay, or compensation as provided in section 8 hereof, and payment less such deductions shall be a full and complete discharge and acquittance of all claims and demands whatsoever for all regular services rendered by such employee during the period covered by such payment, except the right to the benefits to which he or she shall be entitled under the provisions of this Act, notwithstanding the provisions of sections 167, 168, and 169 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, and of any other law, rule, or regulation affecting the salary, pay, or compensation of any person or persons employed in the civil service to whom this Act applies.

SEC. 10. That upon the transfer of any employee from an unclassified to a classified status, or upon the reinstatement of a former employee, credit for past service rendered subsequent to the date this Act shall take effect, or for any part thereof, shall be granted only upon deposit with the Treasurer of the United States of the amount of such deductions with interest as provided in this Act as would have been made for the periods of actual service, or part thereof, for which credit is to be given, but such interest shall not be computed for periods of separation from the service: Provided, That failure to make such deposit shall not deprive the employee of credit for any past service rendered prior to the date this Act shall become operative, and to which he or she would otherwise be entitled.

SEC. 11. That in the case of an employee in the classified civil service of the United States who shall be transferred to an unclassified position, and in the case of any employee to whom this Act applies who shall become absolutely separated from the service before becoming eligible for retirement on an annuity, the total amount of deductions of salary, pay, or compensation with accrued interest computed at the rate of 4 per centum per annum, compounded on June 30 of each fiscal year, shall, upon application, be returned to such employee: Provided, That all money so returned to an employee must be redeposited with

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interest before such employee may derive any benefit under the provisions of this Act, upon reinstatement or retransfer to a classified position; and in case an annuitant shall die without having received in annuities an amount equal to the total amount of the deductions from his or her salary, pay, or compensation, together with interest thereon at 4 per centum per annum compounded as herein provided up to the time of his or her death, the excess of the said accumulated deductions over the said annuity payments shall be paid in one sum to his or her legal representatives upon the establishment of a valid claim therefor; and in case an employee shall die without having reached the retirement age or without having established a valid claim for annuity, the total amount of deductions with accrued interest as herein provided shall be paid to the legal representatives of such employee: Provided, That if in case of death the amount of deductions to be paid under the provisions of this section does not exceed $300, and if there has been no demand upon the Commissioner of Pensions by a duly appointed executor or administrator, the payment may be made, after the expiration of three months from date of death, to such person or persons as may appear in the judgment of the Commissioner of Pensions to be legally entitled to the proceeds of the estate, and such payment shall be a bar to recovery by any other person.

SEC. 12. That annuities granted under the terms of this Act shall be due and payable monthly on the first business day of the month following the month or other period for which the annuity shall have accrued, and payment of all annuities, refunds, and allowances granted hereunder shall be made by checks drawn and issued by the disbursing clerk for the payment of pensions in such form and manner and with such safeguards as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with the laws, rules, and regulations governing accounting that may be found applicable to such payments.

SEC. 13. That it shall be the duty of the head of each executive department and the head of each independent establishment of the Government not within the jurisdiction of any executive department to report to the Civil Service Commission in such manner as said commission may prescribe, the name and grade of each employee to whom this Act applies in or under said department or establishment who shall be at any time in a nonpay status, showing the dates such employee was in a nonpay status, and the amount of salary, pay, or compensation lost by the employee by reason of such absence. The Civil Service Commission shall keep a record of appointments, transfers, changes in grade, separations from the service, reinstatements, loss of pay, and such other information concerning individual service as may be deemed essential to a proper determination of rights under this Act, and shall furnish the Commissioner of Pensions such reports therefrom as he shall from time to time request as necessary to the proper adjustment of any claim hereunder, and shall prepare and keep all needful tables and records required for carrying out the provisions of this Act, including data showing the mortality experience of the employees in the service and the percentage of

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withdrawal from such service, and any other information that may serve as a guide for future valuations and adjustments of the plan for the retirement of employees under this Act.

The Commissioner of Pensions shall make a detailed comparative report annually showing all receipts and disbursements on account of refunds, allowances, and annuities, together with the total number of persons receiving annuities and the amounts paid them.

SEC. 14. That none of the moneys mentioned in this Act shall be assignable, either in law or equity, or be subject to execution, levy, or attachment, garnishment, or other legal process.

SEC. 15. That there is hereby authorized to be appropriated, from any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $100,000 for salaries and for clerical and other services, the purchase of books, office equipment, stationery, and other supplies, and all other expenses necessary in carrying out the provisions of this Act, including traveling expenses and expenses of medical and other examinations as provided in section 5 hereof.

The Secretary of the Interior shall submit annually to the Secretary of the Treasury estimates of the appropriations necessary to continue this Act in full force and effect.

SEC. 16. That the Commissioner of Pensions, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, is hereby authorized and directed to select three actuaries, one of whom shall be the Government actuary, to be known as the Board of Actuaries, whose duty it shall be to annually report upon the actual operations of this Act, with authority to recommend to the Commissioner of Pensions such changes as in its judgment may be deemed necessary to protect the public interest and maintain the system upon a sound financial basis. It shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Pensions to submit with his annual report to Congress the recommendations of the Board of Actuaries. It shall be the duty of the Board of Actuaries to make a valuation of the "civil-service retirement and disability fund" at the end of the first year following the passage of this Act and at intervals of every five years thereafter, or oftener, if deemed necessary by the Commissioner of Pensions. The compensation of the members of the Board of Actuaries, exclusive of the Government actuary, shall be fixed by the Commissioner of Pensions with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior.

SEC. 17. That all laws and parts of laws inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed.

Approved, May 22, 1920.

[230, A. G. O.]