99-32067. Prevailing Rate Systems; Changes in Federal Wage System Survey Jobs

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 237 (Friday, December 10, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 69183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32067]



[[Page 69183]]

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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AH81


Prevailing Rate Systems; Changes in Federal Wage System Survey 
Jobs

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing a final rule 
that will change the Helper (Trades) WG-5 appropriated fund Federal 
Wage System (FWS) survey job from required to optional, add the word 
``Heavy'' to the name of the Janitor WG-2 FWS survey job, change the 
title of the Warehouseman WG-5 survey job to Warehouse Worker WG-5, and 
remove the Boiler Plant Operator WG-9 survey job from the list of 
optional survey jobs. These changes are being made to make FWS survey 
jobs more useful survey tools for local wage surveys.

DATES: This regulation is effective on January 10, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark A. Allen, [phone], FAX: 
[phone], or email to [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 26, 1999, the Office of Personnel 
Management (OPM) published a proposed rule (64 FR 20221) to make 
changes in four Federal Wage System (FWS) survey jobs. The FWS is the 
pay system for the Federal Government's blue-collar workforce. OPM is 
engaged in an ongoing project to review the survey job descriptions 
used by Federal agencies during FWS local wage surveys to determine 
prevailing rates of pay for FWS employees.
    In the past, the Helper (Trades) WG-5 survey job has produced 
adequate data for use in calculating FWS pay rates in only about one-
quarter of the appropriated fund FWS wage areas. Because of this, we 
are making its use optional rather than required. Also, we are adding 
the word ``Heavy'' to the title of the Janitor WG-2 appropriated fund 
FWS survey job. This will better distinguish the Janitor WG-2 survey 
job from the Janitor (Light) WG-1 survey job. The Warehouseman WG-5 
survey job title is changing to Warehouse Worker WG-5 to modernize the 
Warehouseman WG-5 survey job title.
    Finally, we are removing the Boiler Plant Operator WG-9 survey job 
from the list of optional survey jobs. The Boiler Plant Operator WG-10 
survey job will remain an optional survey job. This change is being 
made because only 0.5 percent of FWS employment in WG-9 positions is 
represented by this survey job, and matching private sector jobs only 
at the WG-10 journey level will be more consistent with the other 
survey jobs used in FWS wage surveys.
    The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee, the national labor-
management committee responsible for advising OPM on matters concerning 
the pay of FWS employees, has reviewed and concurred by consensus with 
these changes. The proposed rule provided a 30-day public comment 
period. We received no comments during this period.

E.O. 12866, Regulatory Review

    This rule has been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget 
in accordance with E.O. 12866.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    I certify that these regulations will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because they 
will affect only Federal agencies and employees.

List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 532

    Administrative practice and procedure, Freedom of information, 
Government employees, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Wages.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Janice R. Lachance,
Director.

    Accordingly, the Office of Personnel Management is amending 5 CFR 
part 532 as follows:

PART 532--PREVAILING RATE SYSTEMS

    1. The authority citation for part 532 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5343, 5346; Sec. 532.707 also issued under 5 
U.S.C. 552.


Sec. 532.217  [Amended]

    2. In Sec. 532.217, the table in paragraph (a) is amended by adding 
the word ``(Heavy)'' after the Job title ``Janitor'', by removing the 
Job title Warehouseman and replacing it with ``Warehouse Worker'', by 
removing the Job title and Job grade for ``Helper (Trades)'' and adding 
it to the table in paragraph (c) after ``Light Vehicle Operator'' and 
the table in paragraph (c) is also amended by removing the Job title 
``Boiler Plant Operator'' and Job grade ``9''.

[FR Doc. 99-32067 Filed 12-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-01-P