[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 19, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 79305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32284]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 244 / Tuesday, December 19, 2000 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 79305]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AJ24


Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of the St. Louis, MO, 
Special Wage Schedule for Printing Positions

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 St. Louis, MO, Federal Wage System (FWS) special 
wage schedule for printing positions. Printing and lithographic 
employees in the St. Louis wage area will now be paid from the regular 
St. Louis 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 January 18, 
2001. Applicability Date: Agencies will place employees who are paid 
from the St. Louis special wage schedule on the St. Louis regular wage 
schedule on December 17, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chenty I. Carpenter at (202) 606-8359; 
by FAX at (202) 606-4264; or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 14, 2000, the Office of 
Personnel Management published an interim rule (65 FR 55431) to abolish 
the St. Louis, MO, Federal Wage System (FWS) special wage schedule for 
printing positions. The interim rule had a 30-day period for comment, 
during which we received no comments.
    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 about 225 employees in 
1985 to about 17 employees currently. These employees work in various 
locations throughout the St. Louis wage area. Twelve of these employees 
work for the Defense Logistics Agency, four work for the Department of 
the Army, and one works for the National Guard Bureau. DOD has 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 decline in employment is expected to 
continue until there are no longer any printing and lithographic 
employees in the wage area.
    Printing and lithographic employees will convert to the St. Louis 
FWS regular wage schedule on a grade-for-grade basis. 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. If an employee's existing pay rate is higher than the highest 
rate for his or her grade on the regular schedule, the employee will, 
if otherwise eligible, be entitled to pay retention. 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.
    Accordingly, under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 5343, the interim rule 
(65 FR 55431) amending 5 CFR part 532 published on September 14, 2000, 
is adopted as final with no changes.

    U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Janice R. Lachance,
Director.
[FR Doc. 00-32284 Filed 12-18-00; 8:45 am]
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