[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 246 (Tuesday, December 23, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 66973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-33435]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 23, 1997 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 66973]]


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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AI10


Prevailing Rate Systems; Removal of Umatilla County, OR, From 
Spokane, WA, 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 (OPM) is issuing an interim 
rule to remove Umatilla County, OR, from the area of application of the 
Spokane, WA, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage System (FWS) wage 
area.

DATES: This interim rule becomes effective on January 1, 1998. Comments 
must be received by January 22, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Donald J. Winstead, Assistant 
Director for Compensation Administration, Workforce Compensation and 
Performance Service, Office of Personnel Management, Room 7H31, 1900 E 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20415, or FAX: (202) 606-4264.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Allen at (202) 606-2848, or send 
an e-mail message to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Spokane wage area is presently composed 
of one survey area county (Spokane, WA) and three area of application 
counties (Adams County, WA; Walla Walla County, WA; and Umatilla 
County, OR). The removal of Umatilla County from the area of 
application of the Spokane wage area is appropriate because there are 
no NAF FWS employees stationed in Umatilla County and no Federal agency 
anticipates future employment in the county. Under section 
5343(a)(1)(B)(I) of title 5, United States Code, NAF wage areas ``shall 
not extend beyond the immediate locality in which the particular 
prevailing rate employees are employed.''
    The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee, the statutory 
national-level labor-management committee responsible for advising OPM 
on matters concerning the pay of FWS employees, has reviewed and 
concurred by consensus with this change.
    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 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), 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 it is 
not in the public interest for Umatilla County to remain in the Spokane 
wage area after December 31, 1997. Under section 532.205 of title 5, 
Code of Federal Regulations, the highest minimum wage applicable within 
a wage area must be applied to the entire wage area. The current 
Federal minimum wage is $5.15 an hour, and the minimum wage in the 
State of Oregon will increase to $6.00 an hour on January 1, 1998. If 
Umatilla County is not removed from the Spokane wage area by January 1, 
1998, the pending increase in the minimum wage for the State of Oregon 
would require that pay rates for NAF FWS employees who are stationed in 
Adams, Spokane, and Walla Walla Counties, WA, be increased to account 
for the higher minimum wage in the State of Oregon even though none of 
the NAF FWS employees who are stationed in the Spokane wage area work 
in Oregon.

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.
Janice R. Lachance,
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.

    2. Appendix D to subpart B of part 532 is amended by revising the 
wage area listing for the Spokane, Washington, nonappropriated fund 
Federal Wage System wage area to read as follows:

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

* * * * *
Washington
* * * * *
Spokane

Survey Area

Washington:
    Spokane

Area of Application. Survey Area Plus

Washington:
    Adams
    Walla Walla
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 97-33435 Filed 12-22-97; 8:45 am]
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