[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 160 (Thursday, August 17, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 50127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-20898]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 160 / Thursday, August 17, 2000 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 50127]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AJ22


Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of the Philadelphia, PA, 
Special Wage Schedule for Printing Positions

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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Federal Wage System (FWS) 
special wage schedule for printing positions. Printing and lithographic 
employees in the Philadelphia wage area will now be paid from the 
regular Philadelphia appropriated fund FWS wage area schedule. This 
change is necessary because there are no longer enough printing and 
lithographic employees in the wage area to conduct the local special 
wage survey successfully.

DATES: Effective Date: This regulation is effective on September 18, 
2000. Applicability Date: This regulation applies on the first day of 
the first applicable pay period beginning on or after September 18, 
2000. Comments must be received by September 18, 2000.

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 20415-8200, or FAX: (202) 606-4264.

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: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is 
abolishing the Philadelphia, PA, Federal Wage System (FWS) special wage 
schedule for printing positions. The Department of Defense (DOD) 
recommended that we abolish this special wage schedule because it has 
become extremely difficult for DOD to release adequate numbers of 
employees to conduct the local special wage survey successfully.
    The number of printing and lithographic employees in the wage area 
has declined from 117 employees in 1995 to 5 employees currently. These 
five employees are located at the Defense Logistics Agency in the 
Philadelphia wage area. The decline in employees is expected to 
continue until there are no longer any printing and lithographic 
employees in the wage area. DOD found it increasingly difficult to 
comply with the requirement that employees paid from the special 
printing schedule participate in the local special wage survey process. 
The 1998 full-scale special wage survey required contacting 102 
establishments in 5 counties in Pennsylvania and 3 counties in New 
Jersey.
    Printing and lithographic employees will convert to the 
Philadelphia FWS regular wage schedule. Each employee's new rate of pay 
will be set at the step rate for the applicable grade of the regular 
wage schedule that equals the employee's existing rate of pay. If an 
employee's existing pay rate falls between two steps on the regular 
schedule, the new rate will be set at the higher of the two steps.
    The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee, the national labor-
management committee that advises OPM on FWS pay matters, reviewed and 
concurred by consensus with this change.

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.

    U.S. 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.


Sec. 532.279  [Amended]

    2. In Sec. 532.279, remove paragraph (j)(3).

[FR Doc. 00-20898 Filed 8-16-00; 8:45 am]
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