[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 176 (Tuesday, September 10, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 47661-47662]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-23041]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 176 / Tuesday, September 10, 1996 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 47661]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AH60


Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Marion, IN, 
Nonappropriated Fund Wage Area

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing interim 
regulations to abolish the Marion, IN, nonappropraited fund (NAF) 
Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area and redefine the six counties 
having continuing FWS employment as areas of application to nearby NAF 
wage areas for pay-setting purposes.

DATES: This interim rule becomes effective on September 10, 1996. 
Comments must be received by October 10, 1996. Employees currently paid 
rates from the Marion, IN, NAF wage schedule will continue to be paid 
from that schedule until their conversion to the schedules of the wage 
areas to which their counties of employment are being redefined by this 
rule on December 13, 1996, the date that the next Marion, IN, wage 
schedule would have been effective.

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, or FAX: (202) 606-0824.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Derby, (202) 606-2848.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Defense recommended to OPM 
that the Marion, IN, FWS NAF wage area be abolished and that the six 
counties having continuing FWS employment be redefined as areas of 
application to nearby NAF wage areas. Marion County, Grant County, 
Miami County and Allen County, IN, are being redefined to the Greene-
Montgomery, OH, wage area. Martin County, IN, is being redefined to the 
Hardin-Jefferson, KY, wage area, and Vermilion County, IL, is being 
redefined to the Lake, IL, wage area. This change is necessary because 
the pending closure of Ft. Benjamin Harrison leaves the Marion, IN, 
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.
    The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee reviewed this 
recommendation and by majority vote recommended approval. The Committee 
defeated the labor members' motion that the original management 
recommendation be amended to redefine Allen, Grant, and Miami Counties 
to the Lake, IL, wage area and thereby avoid placing an estimated two 
employees on pay retention. Allen, Grant, and Miami Counties have 
greater similarities to the Lake, IL, wage area in an overall 
population and employment comparison. However, the degree to which 
those factors favor Lake, IL, is not strong enough to be determinative 
given the significant distance of Allen and Grant Counties from Lake, 
IL, as well as the general homogeneity of the counties in their 
relationship to the Greene-Montgomery, OH, wage area.
    Differences in commuting patterns were found to be insignificant 
for all county redefinitions. The remaining factors favored the 
redefinition of Vermilion County to the Lake, IL, wage area. Martin 
County is far closer to the Hardin-Jefferson, KY, wage area than to the 
very distant Lake, IL, wage area, which offsets the greater 
similarities to the latter in employment and population. Similarly, 
Marion County is significantly closer to the Green-Montgomery, OH, wage 
area than to the Hardin-Jefferson, KY, wage area, which, on balance, 
offsets the employment and population numbers that favored the latter.

Waiver of Notice of Proposed Rule Making and Delay in Effective 
Date

    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 so that preparations otherwise required for the 
October 1996 Marion, IN, NAF wage area survey may be canceled.

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 Indiana 
is amended by removing the entry for Marion.


Appendix D to Subpart B of Part 532  [Amended]

    3. Appendix D to subpart B is amended by removing the wage area 
listing for Marion, IN, and by revising the listings for Greene-
Montgomery, OH; Hardin-Jefferson, KY; and Lake, IL, to read as follows:

[[Page 47662]]

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
    Vermilion (Effective date December 13, 1996)
Michigan:
    Dickinson
    Marquette
Wisconsin:
    Dane
    Milwaukee
* * * * *

Kentucky

* * * * *

Hardin-Jefferson Survey Area

Kentucky:
    Hardin
    Jefferson

Area of application. Survey area plus:

Indiana:
    Jefferson
    Martin (Effective date December 13, 1996)
Kentucky:
    Fayette
    Madison
    Warren
* * * * *

Ohio

* * * * *

Greene-Montgomery Survey Area

Ohio:
    Greene
    Montgomery

Area of application. Survey area plus:

Indiana:
    Allen (Effective date December 13, 1996)
    Grant (Effective date December 13, 1996)
    Marion (Effective date December 13, 1996)
    Miami (Effective date December 13, 1996)
Ohio:
    Clinton
    Franklin
    Hamilton
    Licking
    Ross
West Virginia:
    Raleigh
    Wayne
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 96-23041 Filed 9-9-96; 8:45 am]
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