[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 23, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-28856]


  Federal Register / Vol. 59, No. 225 / Wednesday, November 23, 1994 /
  
[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 23, 1994]


                                                   VOL. 59, NO. 225

                                       Wednesday, November 23, 1994

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AG44

 

Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Cook, IL, Nonappropriated 
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 interim 
regulations to abolish the Cook, IL, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal 
Wage System wage area and add Cook County, IL, as an area of 
application to the Lake, IL, NAF wage area for pay-setting purposes. No 
employee's wage rate will be reduced as a result of this change.

DATES: This interim rule becomes effective on November 23, 1994. 
Comments must be received by December 23, 1994. Employees paid rates 
from the Cook, IL, NAF wage schedule will continue to be paid from that 
schedule until their conversion to the Lake, IL, NAF wage schedule 
effective on December 5, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Donald J. Winstead, Acting 
Assistant Director for Compensation Policy, Personnel Systems and 
Oversight Group, U.S. 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 Cook, IL, NAF wage area be 
abolished and that Cook County be assigned to another wage area. With 
the scheduled 1995 closing of the host installation, Naval Air Station, 
Glenview, IL, there will no longer be a local activity with the 
capability to do the survey. There will, however, still be about 44 NAF 
employees in Cook County.
    The provisions of 5 CFR 532.219 list the following criteria for 
consideration when two or more counties are to be combined to 
constitute a single wage area:
    (1) Proximity of largest activity in each county;
    (2) Transportation facilities and commuting patterns; and
    (3) Similarities of the counties in:
    (i) Overall population;
    (ii) Private employment in major industry categories; and
    (iii) Kinds and sizes of private industrial establishments.
    These criteria are discussed in turn below.
    Lake County, IL, is much closer to Cook County than any other NAF 
wage area. Distances from Naval Air Station, Glenview, IL, to the host 
activities of the surrounding wage areas are as follows: Great Lakes 
Naval Training Center, Lake County, 35 km (22 miles); Rock Island 
Arsenal, Rock Island County, 285 km (177 miles); Fort Benjamin 
Harrison, Marion County, IN, 325 km (202 miles); and Scott Air Force 
Base, St. Clair County, 509 km (316 miles).
    Transportation facilities and commuting patterns show Cook County 
to be much more closely associated with Lake County than the other NAF 
wage areas. Transportation facilities consist of interstate highways 
providing access from Glenview to each of the surrounding wage areas. 
An analysis of 1990 commuting patterns data indicates that 2,356,264 
workers live in Cook County. Of these, 2,148,226 (91 percent) also work 
in Cook County. Of the counties under consideration, more Cook 
residents (39,585) commute to work in Lake County than any of the 
others. Only 211 Cook County residents commute to Marion County, IN, 
and none commute to Rock Island or St. Clair Counties.
    The overall populations of Marion County (797,159) and Lake County 
(516,418) are much smaller than Cook County (5,105,067) but are more 
similar to Cook County than either Rock Island County (148,723) or St. 
Clair County (262,852).
    In terms of private industry employment in major industry 
categories and kinds and sizes of private industry establishments, Cook 
County more closely resembles Marion County, followed by Lake County, 
and least resembles Rock Island and St. Clair Counties.
    In summary, proximity, transportation facilities, and commuting 
patterns strongly favor assigning Cook County to the Lake, IL, NAF wage 
area. In terms of population, employment, and industry, none of the 
candidate areas is very similar to Cook County. However, Marion County, 
with the largest population and employment of the areas reviewed, is 
the most similar, and Lake County is the next most similar. On balance, 
evaluation under the criteria favor the definition of Cook County to 
the Lake, IL, NAF wage area.
    The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee reviewed this 
recommendation and by consensus recommended approval.
    Employees paid rates from the Cook, IL, NAF wage schedule will be 
converted to the Lake, IL, NAF wage schedule on December 5, 1994, the 
date the current Cook, IL, NAF wage schedule would have been superseded 
were the Cook wage area not abolished.
    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 October 1994 Cook survey 
must otherwise 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 
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.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
James B. King,
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.


Appendix D to Subpart B of Part 532  [Amended]

    2. In Appendix B to the subpart B, the listing for the State of 
Illinois is amended by removing the entry for Cook.
    3. Appendix D to subpart B is amended by removing the wage area 
list for Cook, Illinois, and by revising the list for Lake, Illinois, 
to read as follows:

Appendix D to Subpart B of Part 532--Nonappropriated Fund Wage and 
Survey Areas
* * * * *

                                Illinois                                
                                                                        
                                  Lake                                  
                                                                        
                               Survey area                              
                                                                        
Illinois:                                                               
Lake                                                                    
                                                                        
                 Area of application. Survey area plus:                 
                                                                        
Illinois:                                                               
Cook\1\                                                                 
Wisconsin:                                                              
Dane                                                                    
Milwaukee                                                               
                                                                        
                                                                        
\1\Effective date December 5, 1994.                                     

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[FR Doc. 94-28856 Filed 11-22-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-01-M