[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 209 (Monday, October 31, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 62229]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21638]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 209 / Monday, October 31, 2005 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 62229]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AK96


Prevailing Rate Systems; Change in the Survey Cycle for the 
Harrison, MS, Nonappropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Area

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Interim rule.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing an interim rule 
to change the timing of local wage surveys in the Harrison, 
Mississippi, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage System (FWS) wage 
area. The purpose of this change is to avoid conducting future surveys 
in this area during the hurricane season.

DATES: This interim regulation is effective on October 31, 2005. The 
Office of Personnel Management must receive comments by November 30, 
2005.

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: Madeline Gonzalez, (202) 606-2838; e-
mail [email protected]v; or FAX: (202) 606-4264.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the past, full-scale wage surveys in the 
Harrison, Mississippi, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage System 
(FWS) wage area were conducted in October of each even-numbered fiscal 
year. These interim regulations provide that full-scale wage surveys 
will begin in March of each even-numbered fiscal year, starting with 
March 2006. With this change, it will no longer be necessary to conduct 
wage surveys in the Harrison NAF wage area during the hurricane season.
    Harrison County, MS, is the sole survey county in the Harrison NAF 
wage area. Because Hurricane Katrina caused substantial damage to 
Federal and private sector establishments in Harrison County, moving 
the Harrison full-scale survey cycle from October to March would allow 
private sector establishments to recover from the effects of Hurricane 
Katrina and thus provide wage data that best represent the prevailing 
rates paid by businesses in the area. Under 5 CFR 532.207, the 
scheduling of wage surveys takes into consideration the best timing in 
relation to wage adjustments in the principal local private enterprise 
establishments, reasonable distribution of workload of the lead agency, 
the timing of surveys for nearby or selected wage areas, and scheduling 
relationships with other pay surveys.
    Under the interim regulations, the Department of Defense (DOD) will 
conduct a wage change survey for the Harrison wage area in October 2005 
instead of a full-scale survey. DOD will conduct a full-scale wage 
survey in March 2006 and a wage change survey in March 2007 and will 
continue the 2-year alternating March cycle.
    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 FWS 
employees, recommended by consensus that we change the full-scale 
survey cycle for the Harrison NAF wage area from October of each even-
numbered fiscal year to March of each even-numbered fiscal year.

Waiver of Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Delay in Effective Date

    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) and (d)(3), I find that good 
cause exists to waive the general notice of proposed rulemaking. Also 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), I find that good cause exists for 
making this rule effective in less than 30 days. This notice is being 
waived and the regulation is being made effective in less than 30 days 
because Hurricane Katrina caused substantial economic disruption in the 
Gulf Coast region affecting the Government's ability to determine 
prevailing rates for employees of nonappropriated fund Federal 
activities in Harrison County. This change is needed to relieve DOD 
from the need to conduct a full-scale wage survey in Harrison County in 
October 2005.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    I certify that these regulations will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because they 
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.
Linda M. Springer,
Director.

0
Accordingly, the Office of Personnel Management is amending 5 CFR part 
532 as follows:

PART 532--PREVAILING RATE SYSTEMS

0
1. The authority citation for part 532 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5343, 5346; 532.707 also issued under 5 
U.S.C. 552.

Appendix B to Subpart B of Part 532--Nationwide Schedule of 
Nonappropriated Fund Regular Wage Surveys--[Amended]

0
2. Appendix B to subpart B is amended by revising, under the heading 
for the State of Mississippi, the listing of beginning month of survey 
from ``October'' to ``March'' for the Harrison NAF wage area.
[FR Doc. 05-21638 Filed 10-28-05; 8:45 am]
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