[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 84 (Monday, May 3, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 23531-23532]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10959]
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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
5 CFR Part 532
RIN 3206-AI68
Prevailing Rate Systems; Change in Survey Cycle for the
Southwestern Michigan Appropriated Fund Wage Area
AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.
ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing an interim rule
to change the full-scale survey cycle of the Southwestern Michigan
appropriated fund Federal Wage System wage area from odd to even-
numbered fiscal years. This change is being made to help even out the
local wage survey workload of the Department of Defense (DOD), which
recently assumed responsibility for conducting all Federal Wage System
surveys.
DATES: This interim rule is effective on June 2, 1999. Comments must be
received on or before June 2, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Donald J. Winstead, Assistant
Director for Compensation Administration, Workforce Compensation and
Performance Service, Office of Personnel Management, Room 7H31, 1900 E
Street NW., Washington, DC 20415, FAX: (202) 606-0824, or email to
payleave@opm.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Hopkins, (202) 606-2848, FAX:
(202) 606-0824, or email to jdhopkin@opm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Defense has requested that
the Office of Personnel Management change the survey cycle for full-
scale wage surveys in the Southwestern Michigan wage area from odd to
even-numbered fiscal years. Under Sec. 532.207 of title 5, Code of
Federal Regulations, the scheduling of wage surveys takes into
consideration the best timing in relation to wage
[[Page 23532]]
adjustments in the principal local private enterprise establishments,
reasonable distribution of workload of the lead agency, timing of
surveys for nearby or selected wage areas, and scheduling relationships
with other pay surveys.
This request was made to even out DOD's wage survey workload and
stems from DOD's recent acquisition of lead agency responsibility for
23 Federal Wage System (FWS) wage areas from the Department of Veterans
Affairs. In October 2000 (FY 2001), DOD's Central Regional Office will
conduct full-scale wage surveys in the Ft. Wayne-Marion, IN,
Indianapolis, IN, and St. Louis, MO, wage areas. In the St. Louis wage
area, the same office will also conduct a special printing and
lithographic survey. In October 1999 (FY 2000), that office will
conduct full-scale wage surveys in the Davenport and Dubuque, IA, wage
areas. DOD requested that a full-scale wage survey for the Southwestern
Michigan wage area be conducted in October 1999. A wage change survey
would be conducted in October 2000. This change will help balance the
number of full-scale wage surveys conducted each year. The timing of
the Southwestern Michigan wage survey relative to private sector wage
adjustments would remain unchanged.
The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee, the national labor-
management committee responsible for advising OPM on matters concerning
the pay of FWS employees, recommended by consensus that we change the
full-scale survey cycle for the Southwestern Michigan wage area from
odd to even-numbered fiscal years.
Waiver of Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Delayed Effective Date
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), I find that good cause exists
for waiving the general notice of proposed rulemaking. The notice is
being waived because of the urgent need for administrative procedures
and planning to be completed by DOD and the local wage survey committee
for the Southwestern Michigan wage area before a full-scale wage survey
begins in October 1999 in the Southwestern Michigan wage area. Planning
for the full-scale wage survey in the Southwestern Michigan wage area
must begin by June 1999.
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.
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.
Appendix A to Subpart B of Part 532--[Amended]
2. Appendix A to Subpart B is amended by revising under the State
of Michigan the listing of fiscal year of full-scale survey from
``odd'' to ``even'' for the Southwestern Michigan wage area.
[FR Doc. 99-10959 Filed 4-30-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-01-P
