Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Certain Special Wage Schedules for Printing Positions

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]

BILLING CODE 6325-01-M