[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 6, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46213-46214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21904]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each
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Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 6, 1995 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 46213]]
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
5 CFR Part 532
RIN 3206-AG53
Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Certain Special Wage
Schedules for Printing Positions
AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.
ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing interim
regulations to abolish the Federal Wage System special wage schedules
for printing positions in the Los Angeles, California; San Diego,
California; San Francisco, California; and Seattle-Everett-Tacoma,
Washington, wage areas. Printing and lithographic employees in these
wage areas will now be paid rates from the regular wage schedule for
their respective wage area.
DATES: This interim rule becomes effective on September 6, 1995.
Comments must be received by October 6, 1995. Employees paid rates from
special wage schedules for printing positions in these areas will
continue to to paid rates from those schedules until their conversion
to the regular wage schedules for their respective wage areas effective
on the first day of the first full pay period beginning on or after
September 6, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Donald J. Winstead, Assistant
Director for Compensation Policy, Human Resources Systems Service,
Office of Personnel Management, Room 6H31, 1900 E Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20415.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Shields, (202) 606-2848.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Defense recommended to the
Office of Personnel Management that the Los Angeles, San Diego, San
Francisco, and Seattle-Everett-Tacoma Printing and Lithographic wage
schedules be abolished and that the regular wage schedule for each area
apply to printing employees. Federal employment in printing and
lithographic occupations in these wage areas has declined in recent
years. Only a small number of employees are now paid from these special
wage schedules, and only a few of these employees actually benefit by
being paid from the special schedule rather than the regular wage
schedule. Most of the covered employees are paid ``floor rates''
established under the 5 CFR 532.279 provision that no maximum rate on a
special printing schedule may be less than the maximum rate for the
corresponding grade on the regular wage schedule for the wage area. In
addition, with the reduced number of employees, it has been difficult
to comply with the requirement that workers paid from the special
printing schedule participate in the special wage survey process.
Los Angeles, California: Federal employment in printing and
lithographic occupations in the Los Angeles wage area declined from 49
in 1993 to a current total of 16 in 1995. The special printing and
lithographic wage schedule for the Los Angeles wage area now applies to
15 Defense Printing Service employees and 1 Department of Agriculture
employee. The last full-scale survey involved the substantial work
effort of contacting 72 printing establishments spread over Los Angeles
County. Upon abolishment of the Los Angeles special printing schedule,
three employees will become entitled to pay retention when converted to
the regular wage schedule. The remaining 13 employees will benefit upon
conversion by receiving higher regular wage rates.
San Diego, California: Federal employment in printing and
lithographic occupations in the San Diego wage area declined from 46 in
1993 to a current total of 23 in 1995. The special printing and
lithographic wage schedule for the San Diego wage area now applies to
23 Defense Printing Service employees. The last full-scale survey
involved the substantial work effort of contracting 65 printing
establishments spread over San Diego County. Upon abolishment of the
San Diego special printing schedule, six employees will become entitled
to pay retention when converted to the regular wage schedule. The
remaining 17 employees will benefit upon conversion by receiving higher
regular wage rates.
San Francisco, California: Federal employment in printing and
lithographic occupations in the San Francisco wage area declined from
55 in 1993 to a current total of 16 in 1995. The special printing and
lithographic wage schedule for the San Francisco wage area now applies
to seven General Services Administration employees, five Defense
Printing Service employees, two National Aeronautics and Space
Administration employees, one Department of Agriculture employee, and
one United States Coast Guard employee. The last full-scale survey
involved the substantial work effort of contacting 71 printing
establishments spread over 8 counties in the San Francisco metropolitan
area. Upon abolishment of the San Francisco special printing schedule,
two employees will become entitled to pay retention when converted to
the regular wage schedule. The remaining 14 employees will benefit upon
conversion by receiving higher regular wage rates.
Seattle-Everett-Tacoma, Washington: Federal employment in printing
and lithographic occupations in the Seattle-Everett-Tacoma wage area
declined from 45 in 1994 to a current total of 19 in 1995. The special
printing and lithographic wage schedule for the Seattle-Everett-Tacoma
wage area now applies to 11 Defense Printing Service employees and 8
General Services Administration employees. The last full-scale survey
involved the substantial work effort of contacting 100 printing
establishments spread over 4 counties. Upon abolishment of the Seattle-
Everett-Tacoma special schedule, all 19 employees will benefit when
converted to the regular wage schedule by receiving higher regular wage
rates.
Upon abolishment of these special printing schedules, the printing
and lithographic employees will be converted to the regular schedule
for their wage area on a grade-for-grade basis. Their new rate of pay
will be set at the applicable step of the regular schedule that equates
to the employees' existing scheduled rate of pay. When the existing
rate falls between two steps, the employee's new rate will be set at
the rate of the higher of those two steps.
[[Page 46214]]
This conversion does not constitute an equivalent increase for within-
grade increase purposes. In accordance with the OPM Operating Manual,
The Guide to Processing Personnel Actions, this pay plan change will be
processed as a ``Pay Adjustment,'' Nature of Action Code 894, authority
code ZLM, citing this Federal Register notice as authority. Pay
retention provisions will apply for employees not receiving increases
upon conversion.
The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee has reviewed this
recommendation and by consensus has recommended approval.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), I find that good cause exists
for waiving the general notice of proposed rulemaking. Also, pursuant
to section 553(d)(3) of title 5, United States Code, I find that good
cause exists for making this rule effective in less than 30 days. The
notice is being waived and the regulation is being made effective in
less than 30 days because preparations for the September 1995 wage
surveys in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle-Everett-
Tacoma must begin immediately.
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.
Lorraine A. Green,
Deputy Director.
Accordingly, OPM 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. 532.279 [Amended]
2. In Sec. 532.279, paragraphs (j) (5) through (8) are removed.
[FR Doc. 95-21904 Filed 9-5-95; 8:45 am]
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