Prevailing Rate Systems; Change in Survey Cycle for the Southwestern Michigan Appropriated Fund Wage Area

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: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing a final rule to

change the full-scale survey cycle for 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.

DATE: This final rule is effective on November 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Hopkins, (202) 606-2848, FAX:

(202) 606-0824, or e-mail to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 3, 1999, the Office of Personnel

Management (OPM) published an interim rule (64 FR 23531) to change the

full-scale survey cycle for the Southwestern Michigan wage area from

odd to even-numbered fiscal years. The interim regulation had a 30-day

public comment period, during which OPM received no comments. The

interim rule is therefore being made final. Under section 532.207 of

title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, the scheduling of wage surveys

takes into consideration the best timing in relation to wage

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 change is being made to help even out the Department of

Defense's (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. DOD requested

that a full-scale wage survey for the Southwestern Michigan wage area

be conducted in October 1999 and that a wage change survey be conducted

in October 2000. The timing of the Southwestern Michigan wage survey

relative to private sector wage adjustments will 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, reviewed and concurred by consensus with this

change.

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.

Accordingly, under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 5343, the interim rule

(64 FR 23531) amending 5 CFR part 532 published on May 3, 1999, is

adopted as final with no changes.

Office of Personnel Management.

Janice R. Lachance,

Director.

[FR Doc. 99-25610 Filed 9-30-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325-01-P