[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 148 (Thursday, August 1, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 49879]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-19463]


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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AJ63


Prevailing Rate Systems; Change in Federal Wage System Survey Job

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Proposed rule with request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing a proposed rule 
that would permit the Department of Defense to survey the Maintenance 
Mechanic job on an optional basis rather than having to seek OPM's 
permission when it wants to add that job to appropriated fund wage 
surveys. Currently, OPM's regulations contain required and optional 
survey jobs. If a particular job does not appear on either list, but is 
needed for a survey, an agency must request OPM's written approval. The 
Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC) established a Survey 
Job Work Group to review wage survey job descriptions in general, and 
it recommended making the Maintenance Mechanic job an optional job. The 
FPRAC agreed with the Work Group's recommendation, which will save time 
and facilitate the survey process.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 3, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Donald J. Winstead, Assistant 
Director for Compensation Administration, Workforce Compensation and 
Performance Service, Office of 1 Personnel Management, Room 7H31, 1900 
E Street NW., Washington, DC 20415-8200, or FAX: (202) 606-4264.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chenty I. Carpenter, (202) 606-2848, 
FAX: (202) 606-0824, or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory 
Committee (FPRAC), the national labor-management committee responsible 
for advising the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on matters 
concerning the pay of Federal Wage System (FWS) employees, established 
a Survey Job Work Group (SJWG) to review the survey job descriptions 
used by Federal agencies during FWS local wage surveys to determine 
prevailing rates of pay for FWS employees. The SJWG reviewed many FWS 
jobs and found that the Maintenance Mechanic survey job description 
should be changed, to better reflect the industry standard wording for 
the job. The SJWG also decided that it would be beneficial to add the 
Maintenance Mechanic survey job to the list of optional survey jobs. 
The SJWG recommended these changes to FPRAC because adding the 
Maintenance Mechanic survey job to the list of optional jobs would 
allow the Department of Defense (DOD) the opportunity to survey the job 
at its discretion, without having to ask OPM for prior approval. This 
change would allow DOD more planning time when conducting surveys, and 
the changed job description, when surveyed, may provide DOD with more 
job matches. FPRAC agreed with the Work Group's recommendations.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    I certify that this regulation would not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because it 
would 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.
Kay Coles James,
Director.
    Accordingly, the Office of Personnel Management 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.


Sec. 532.217  [Amended]

    2. In Sec. 532.217, paragraph (c) is amended by adding the job 
``Maintenance Mechanic'' and grade ``10'' after Television Station 
Mechanic.

[FR Doc. 02-19463 Filed 7-31-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-39-P