[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 155 (Tuesday, August 12, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 47877]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20445]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 155 / Tuesday, August 12, 2003 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 47877]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AJ79


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 (OPM) is issuing a proposed 
rule that would change a Federal Wage System appropriated fund optional 
survey job, Industrial Electronic Controls Repairer, so that its grade 
level and title would better reflect the level of work and occupational 
title that private industry typically uses. This change would enable 
the Department of Defense to collect more wage data when conducting 
local wage surveys to set pay levels for the Government's blue-collar 
workforce.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 11, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Donald J. Winstead, Deputy 
Associate Director for Pay and Performance Policy, Strategic Human 
Resources Policy Division, Office of Personnel Management, Room 7H31, 
1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20415-8200; e-mail [email protected]; 
or FAX: (202) 606-4264.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark A. Allen, (202) 606-2848; e-mail 
[email protected]; or FAX: (202) 606-4264.

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 
the Department of Defense (DOD) uses during FWS local wage surveys to 
determine prevailing rates of pay for FWS employees. DOD contacts 
private sector employers annually in each of the 132 appropriated fund 
FWS wage areas to determine prevailing rates of pay.
    The SJWG has recommended that OPM change the title of the optional 
survey job, ``Industrial Electronic Controls Repairer'' to ``Electronic 
Industrial Controls Mechanic,'' and the grade level of the survey job 
from WG-10 to WG-11. The change in job title is proposed so that it 
would conform to the title of the FWS job grading standards for the 
occupation, a title now also more commonly used in private industry. 
The change in grade would better reflect the grade level of the work 
that Federal employees are currently doing. When the job is surveyed in 
the future, it is anticipated that DOD would be able to collect more 
private sector wage data for the occupation. 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, Claims, 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 proposing to 
amend 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) table is amended by removing the 
job title entry ``Industrial Electronic Controls Repairer'', and its 
corresponding job grade ``10'', and adding in its place ``Electronic 
Industrial Controls Mechanic'', grade ``11''.

[FR Doc. 03-20445 Filed 8-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-39-P