[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 91 (Wednesday, May 13, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 22421-22422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-11193]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 91 / Wednesday, May 13, 2009 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 22421]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AL79


Prevailing Rate Systems; Redefinition of the Fresno and Stockton, 
CA, Appropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Areas

AGENCY: U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is issuing a final 
rule to redefine the geographic boundaries of the Fresno and Stockton, 
CA, appropriated fund Federal Wage System (FWS) wage areas. The final 
rule redefines Mariposa and Merced Counties and the Yosemite National 
Park portion of Madera and Tuolumne Counties, CA, to the Stockton wage 
area. These changes are based on recent consensus recommendations of 
the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee to best match the 
counties proposed for redefinition to a nearby FWS survey area.

DATES: Effective date: This regulation is effective on May 13, 2009.
    Applicability date: The affected employees in Mariposa and Merced 
Counties and the Yosemite National Park portion of Madera and Tuolumne 
Counties will be placed on the wage schedule for the Stockton wage area 
on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or 
after June 12, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madeline Gonzalez, (202) 606-2838; 
email [email protected]; or FAX: (202) 606-4264.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 4, 2009, the U.S. Office of 
Personnel Management (OPM) issued a proposed rule (74 FR 6003) to 
redefine the geographic boundaries of the Fresno and Stockton, CA, 
appropriated fund Federal Wage System (FWS) wage areas for blue-collar 
Federal employees. The proposed rule would redefine Mariposa and Merced 
Counties and the Yosemite National Park portion of Madera and Tuolumne 
Counties, CA, to the Stockton FWS wage area. The 30-day comment period 
ended on March 6, 2009. Public comments supported these changes but 
numerous white-collar General Schedule (GS) employees also recommended 
that Fresno, Stanislaus, and Tulare Counties, CA, be moved from the 
Rest of U.S. (RUS) GS locality pay area to the San Jose-San Francisco-
Oakland, CA GS locality pay area.
    The recommendation on GS locality pay areas is beyond the scope of 
this rule. The proposed rule addressed only blue-collar FWS wage area 
boundaries, not white-collar GS locality pay area boundaries. 
Therefore, this final regulation does not make changes to GS locality 
pay areas.
    Mariposa and Merced Counties and the Yosemite National Park portion 
of Madera and Tuolumne Counties are currently defined to the Fresno FWS 
area of application and coincide with the RUS GS locality pay area. 
Analysis of OPM's regulatory criteria for defining FWS wage area 
boundaries shows that Mariposa and Merced Counties and the Yosemite 
National Park portion of Madera and Tuolumne Counties are more 
appropriately defined as part of the Stockton FWS area of application. 
This final regulation will, therefore, redefine Mariposa and Merced 
Counties and the Yosemite National Park portion of Madera and Tuolumne 
Counties to the Stockton FWS area of application. Because this final 
regulation makes no changes to GS locality pay areas, Mariposa and 
Merced Counties and the Yosemite National Park portion of Madera and 
Tuolumne Counties will continue to coincide with the RUS GS locality 
pay area.
    Fresno and Tulare Counties are part of the Fresno FWS wage area and 
Stanislaus County is part of the Stockton FWS wage area. This 
regulation makes no changes to the FWS definition of these counties. 
Fresno, Stanislaus, and Tulare Counties will also continue to coincide 
with the RUS GS locality pay area.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

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

0
Accordingly, the U.S. 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; Sec.  532.707 also issued under 
5 U.S.C. 552.


0
2. In appendix C to subpart B, the wage area listing for the State of 
California is amended by revising the listings for Fresno and Stockton, 
to read as follows:

Appendix C to Subpart B of Part 532--Appropriated Fund Wage and Survey 
Areas

* * * * *

 
                               California
                                 Fresno
 
                               Survey Area
California:
  Fresno
  Kings
  Tulare
 
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
 
California:
  Kern (Does not include China Lake Naval Weapons Center, Edwards Air
   Force Base, and portions occupied by Federal activities in Boron
   (City).)
  Madera (Does not include Devils Postpile National Monument and
   Yosemite National Park portions.)
 
                                * * * * *
                                Stockton
 
                               Survey Area
California:
  San Joaquin
 
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
 
California:

[[Page 22422]]

 
  Calaveras
  Madera (Only includes Yosemite National Park portion.)
  Mariposa
  Merced
  Stanislaus
  Tuolumne
 

* * * * *
[FR Doc. E9-11193 Filed 5-12-09; 8:45 am]
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