96-13682. Allowances and Differentials; Separate Maintenance Allowance for Duty at Johnston Island  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 106 (Friday, May 31, 1996)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 27243-27244]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-13682]
    
    
    
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    OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
    5 CFR Part 591
    
    RIN 3206-AH17
    
    
    Allowances and Differentials; Separate Maintenance Allowance for 
    Duty at Johnston Island
    
    AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final 
    regulations to change the method for setting separate maintenance 
    allowance (SMA) rates for duty at Johnston Island. Under this method, 
    SMA rates for Johnston Island are set at the same amount and adjusted 
    at the same time as SMA rates established by the Department of State 
    for employees who receive SMA's in foreign areas.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 1996.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Roger M. Knadle, (202) 606-2858, or FAX: (202) 606-0824.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 17, 1995, the Office of Personnel 
    Management published proposed regulations (60 FR 53716) to set and 
    adjust the SMA rates for Johnston Island (a non-foreign area) at the 
    same time and in the same manner as SMA rates for employees in foreign 
    areas. The 60-day public comment period ended on December 18, 1995. We 
    received one comment from one agency supporting the regulations as 
    proposed. Therefore, OPM is issuing final regulations that are the same 
    as the proposed regulations.
        An SMA is paid to employees assigned to Johnston Island to help 
    meet the additional expense of maintaining family members elsewhere who 
    would normally reside with the employee. Johnston Island is a 
    possession of the United States in the Pacific Ocean and is a non-
    foreign post of duty. Much of the island is devoted to chemical weapon 
    storage and disposal facilities. Because of hazardous conditions (toxic 
    waste) and the lack of facilities, family members are not allowed on 
    the island.
        Civilian employees assigned to foreign areas who are precluded from 
    establishing a residence because of local living conditions or Federal 
    policy are authorized an SMA established by the Department of State 
    that is periodically updated based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) 
    and budgetary considerations. The final regulations abolish the current 
    SMA rates established by OPM regulations and provide that SMA rates for 
    Johnston Island will be set and adjusted at the same time and in the 
    same amount as SMA rates established by the Standardized Regulations 
    (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas) of the Department of State for 
    employees in foreign areas. This maintains equity between civilian 
    employees assigned to foreign and non-foreign areas. The final 
    regulations apply only to Federal civilian employees assigned to 
    Johnston Island.
        The SMA rates will be adjusted on the first day of the first pay 
    period beginning on or after the effective date of these regulations. 
    Subsequently, the SMA rates will be adjusted on the first day of the 
    first pay period beginning on or after the effective date of SMA rate 
    adjustments under the Department of State's Standardized Regulations 
    (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas). This change in methodology for 
    setting SMA rates is not retroactive.
    
    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.
    
    [[Page 27244]]
    
    List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 591
    
        Government employees, Travel and transportation expenses, Wages.
    
    Office of Personnel Management.
    James B. King,
    Director.
        Accordingly, OPM is amending part 591 of title 5, Code of Federal 
    Regulations, as follows:
    
    PART 591--ALLOWANCES AND DIFFERENTIALS
    
    Subpart D--Separate Maintenance Allowance for Duty at Johnston 
    Island
    
        1. The authority citation for subpart D of part 591 is revised to 
    read as follows:
    
        Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5942a(b); E.O. 12822, 3 CFR, 1992 Comp., p. 
    325
    
        2. In Sec. 591.401, paragraph (a) is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 591.401  Purpose and applicability.
    
        (a) Purpose. This subpart prescribes the regulations required by 
    section 5942a of title 5, United States Code, to authorize payment of a 
    separate maintenance allowance to assist an employee assigned to 
    Johnston Island to meet the additional expenses of maintaining family 
    members elsewhere who would normally reside with him or her because 
    they cannot accompany the employee to Johnston Island. This subpart 
    provides rules for determining which employees are eligible to receive 
    the separate maintenance allowance, who qualifies as family members 
    under the program, the method of payment, and payment amounts.
    * * * * *
        3. Section 591.402 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 591.402  Definitions.
    
        Adult, a term used in the Department of State Standardized 
    Regulations (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas), means a family 
    member who is 21 years of age or older.
        Family member means one or more of the following relatives of an 
    employee who would normally reside with the employee except for 
    circumstances warranting the granting of a separate maintenance 
    allowance, but who does not receive from the Government an allowance 
    similar to that granted to the employee and who is not deemed to be a 
    family member of another employee for the purpose of determining the 
    amount of a separate maintenance allowance or similar allowance:
        (1) Children who are unmarried and under 21 years of age or, 
    regardless of age, are incapable of self-support, including natural 
    children, step and adopted children, and those under legal guardianship 
    or custody of the employee or the spouse when they are expected to be 
    under such legal guardianship or custody at least until they reach 21 
    years of age and when dependent upon and normally residing with the 
    guardian;
        (2) Parents (including step and legally adoptive parents) of the 
    employee or of the spouse when such parents are at least 51 percent 
    dependent on the employee for support;
        (3) Sisters and brothers (including step or adoptive sisters and 
    brothers) of the employee or of the spouse, when such sisters and 
    brothers are at least 51 percent dependent on the employee for support, 
    unmarried and under 21 years of age, or regardless of age, are 
    incapable of self-support; or
        (4) Spouse, excluding a spouse independently entitled to and 
    receiving a similar allowance.
        Johnston Island, also called Johnston Atoll, is a possession of the 
    United States located 717 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii.
        Separate maintenance allowance means an allowance to assist an 
    employee assigned to Johnston Island who is compelled by reason of 
    dangerous, notably unhealthful, or excessively adverse living 
    conditions at Johnston Island, or for the convenience of the 
    Government, to meet the additional expense of maintaining family 
    members at a location other than Johnston Island.
        4. Section 591.403 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 591.403  Amount of payment.
    
        (a) The annual rate of the separate maintenance allowance paid to 
    an employee shall be determined by the number of individuals, including 
    a spouse and/or one or more other family members, that are maintained 
    at a location other than Johnston Island.
        (b) The annual rates for the separate maintenance allowance paid to 
    employees assigned to Johnston Island shall be the same as the annual 
    rates for the separate maintenance allowance established by the 
    Department of State in its Standardized Regulations (Government 
    Civilians, Foreign Areas). The annual rates shall not vary by location 
    of the separate household.
        (c) The annual rates of the separate maintenance allowance shall be 
    adjusted on the first day of the first pay period beginning on or after 
    July 1, 1996 and, subsequently, on the first day of the first pay 
    period beginning on or after the effective date established for 
    adjustment of annual rates for the separate maintenance allowance in 
    the Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas).
        5. Section 591.405 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 591.405  Responsibilities of agencies.
    
        Agencies with employees stationed at Johnston Island may require 
    reasonable verification of relationship and dependency.
    
    [FR Doc. 96-13682 Filed 5-30-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6325-01-M
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
7/1/1996
Published:
05/31/1996
Department:
Personnel Management Office
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
96-13682
Dates:
July 1, 1996.
Pages:
27243-27244 (2 pages)
RINs:
3206-AH17: Separate Maintenance Allowance for Duty at Johnston Island
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/3206-AH17/separate-maintenance-allowance-for-duty-at-johnston-island
PDF File:
96-13682.pdf
CFR: (4)
5 CFR 591.401
5 CFR 591.402
5 CFR 591.403
5 CFR 591.405