[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 66 (Wednesday, April 5, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17755-17756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8333]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 66 / Wednesday, April 5, 2000 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 17755]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AI75


Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of the King, WA, 
Nonappropriated Fund Wage Area

AGENCY:  Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION:  Final rule.

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SUMMARY:  The Office of Personnel Management is issuing a final rule 
that will abolish the King, Washington, nonappropriated fund (NAF) 
Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area, establish a new Snohomish, WA, NAF 
FWS wage area, and remove Whatcom County, WA, as an area of 
application. It is necessary to abolish the King wage area and 
establish a new Snohomish wage area because the King wage area's host 
installation, Naval Station Puget Sound, has closed. This closure left 
the Department of Defense without an installation in the survey area 
capable of hosting annual local wage surveys. It is necessary to remove 
Whatcom County because NAF FWS employees no longer work in the county.

DATES:  Effective Date: This regulation is effective on May 5, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Jennifer Hopkins by phone at (202) 
606-2848, by FAX at (202) 606-0824, or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  On November 15, 1999, the Office of 
Personnel Management (OPM) published a proposed rule (64 FR 61793) to 
abolish the King, Washington, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage 
System (FWS) wage area, establish a new Snohomish, WA, NAF FWS wage 
area, and remove Whatcom County, WA, as an area of application. Under 
section 5343 of title 5, United States Code, OPM is responsible for 
defining FWS wage areas. For this purpose, we follow the regulatory 
criteria established in Sec. 532.219(b) of title 5, Code of Federal 
Regulations.
    The King wage area currently has one survey county, King County, 
and four area of application counties, Island, Snohomish, Whatcom, and 
Yakima Counties, WA. The closure of the King wage area's host activity, 
Naval Station Puget Sound, left the Department of Defense (DOD) without 
an activity in the survey area with the capability to conduct annual 
local NAF wage surveys. In July 1996, DOD scheduled a full-scale wage 
survey in the King NAF wage area. The local wage survey committee had 
to conduct the King survey from Naval Station Everett in Snohomish 
County. Because the host installation closed and relocated to Snohomish 
County, we are establishing Snohomish County as a new NAF wage area. 
Snohomish County meets the regulatory requirements for an NAF survey 
area. Approximately 103 NAF FWS employees work at Naval Station 
Everett, and the base has the capability to host annual local wage 
surveys. Also, Snohomish County has more than the required minimum 
number of private enterprise employees in establishments within survey 
specifications.
    We are removing Whatcom County from an NAF wage area definition 
because Blaine Air Force Station has closed, and NAF FWS employees no 
longer work in the county. Under 5 U.S.C. 5343(a)(1)(B)(i), NAF wage 
areas ``shall not extend beyond the immediate locality in which the 
particular prevailing rate employees are employed.'' Therefore, we are 
not defining Whatcom County to an NAF wage area.
    The new Snohomish, WA, NAF wage area will have one survey county, 
Snohomish County, and three area of application counties, Island, King, 
and Yakima Counties, WA. DOD will order full-scale wage surveys in the 
Snohomish, WA, NAF wage area in July of even fiscal years, with the 
first full-scale wage survey for the Snohomish wage area beginning in 
July 2000. The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee, the national 
labor-management committee responsible for advising OPM on matters 
concerning the pay of FWS employees, has reviewed and concurred by 
consensus with these changes. The proposed rule had a 30-day public 
comment period, during which OPM did not receive any comments.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    I certify that this regulation will not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities because it 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.

Office of Personnel Management.
Janice R. Lachance,
Director,
    Accordingly, the Office of Personnel Management amends 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 B to subpart B of part 532 is amended for the State of 
Washington by removing the entry for ``King'' and by adding 
alphabetically a new entry for ``Snohomish'' with a beginning survey 
month of ``July'' and a fiscal year of full-scale survey of ``Even''.

    3. Appendix D to subpart B is amended by removing the wage area 
listing for King, Washington, and by adding alphabetically a new entry 
for Snohomish, Washington, to read as follows:

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

* * * * *

WASHINGTON

* * * * *

SNOHOMISH

Survey Area

Washington:
    Snohomish

Area of Application. Survey area plus:

Washington:
    Island
    King

[[Page 17756]]

    Yakima

[FR Doc. 00-8333 Filed 4-4-00; 8:45 am]
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