[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 21 (Wednesday, January 31, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3175-3176]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1836]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 21 / Wednesday, January 31, 1996 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 3175]]


OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AH29


Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Franklin, OH, 
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 an interim rule 
to abolish the Franklin, OH, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage 
System (FWS) wage area and redefine the five counties having continuing 
FWS employment as areas of application to the Greene-Montgomery, OH, 
NAF wage area for pay-setting purposes. Those five counties include 
three Ohio counties (Franklin, Licking, and Ross) and two West Virginia 
counties (Raleigh and Wayne).

DATES: This interim rule becomes effective on January 31, 1996. 
Comments must be received by March 1, 1996. Employees currently paid 
rates from the Franklin, OH, NAF wage schedule will continue to be paid 
from that schedule until their conversion to the Greene-Montgomery, OH, 
NAF wage schedule 1 day prior to the effective date of the next Greene-
Montgomery, OH, wage schedule.

ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Donald J. Winstead, Assistant 
Director for Compensation Policy, Human Resources Systems Service, U.S. 
Office of Personnel Management, Room 6H31, 1900 E Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20415, or FAX: (202) 606-0824.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Paul Shields, (202) 606-2848.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Defense (DOD) recommended 
to the Office of Personnel Management that the Franklin, OH, FWS NAF 
wage area be abolished and that the five counties having continuing FWS 
employment be added as areas of application to the Greene-Montgomery, 
OH, NAF wage area. Those five counties include three Ohio counties 
(Franklin, Licking, and Ross) and two West Virginia counties (Raleigh 
and Wayne). The remaining Franklin wage area county (Cabell County, WV) 
is being deleted because it has no FWS employment. This change is 
necessary because the pending closure of the wage area host activity, 
Newark Air Force Base, leaves the Franklin wage area without an 
activity having the capability to conduct a wage survey.
    As required in regulation, 5 CFR 532.219, the following criteria 
were considered in redefining these wage areas:
    (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.
    For Franklin County, proximity and transportation facilities and 
commuting patterns strongly favor Greene-Montgomery. The third 
criterion, similarities of the counties, is not definitive. For each of 
the three factors in this criterion, Franklin falls between the more 
populous Allegheny, PA, and the two less populous areas, Greene-
Montgomery and Hardin-Jefferson, KY.
    For Ross County, all three criteria favor Greene-Montgomery.
    For Licking County, proximity and similarities of the counties 
strongly favor Greene-Montgomery. Transportation facilities and 
commuting patterns slightly favor Allegheny (23 commuters to Allegheny 
versus 20 commuters to Greene-Montgomery).
    Raleigh County is a little closer to Allegheny, 372 kilometers (231 
miles), than it is to Greene-Montgomery, 433 kilometers (269 miles). 
With no commuters to the survey areas under consideration, the second 
criterion does not distinguish between them. The third criterion, 
similarities of the counties, strongly favors Greene-Montgomery.
    For Wayne County, both proximity and similarities of the counties 
favor Greene-Montgomery. The transportation facilities and commuting 
patterns criterion does not distinguish among the options because there 
are no commuters to the counties in question.
    The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee reviewed this 
recommendation and by consensus 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 1996 Franklin, OH, NAF 
wage area 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.

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.

Appendix B to Subpart B of Part 532--[Amended]

    2. In Appendix B to subpart B, the listing for the State of Ohio is 
amended by removing the entry for Franklin.
    3. Appendix D to subpart B is amended by removing the wage area 
list for Franklin, Ohio, and by revising the list for Greene-
Montgomery, Ohio, to read as follows:

[[Page 3176]]


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

* * * * *

Ohio

* * * * *

Greene-Montgomery

Survey Area

Ohio:
    Greene
    Montgomery

Area of application. Survey area plus:

Ohio:
    Clinton
    Franklin (Effective date March 8, 1996)
    Hamilton
    Licking (Effective date March 8, 1996)
    Ross (Effective date March 8, 1996)
West Virginia:
    Raleigh (Effective date March 8, 1996)
    Wayne (Effective date March 8, 1996)
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 96-1836 Filed 1-30-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-01-M