[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 197 (Tuesday, October 13, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61277-61278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25895]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 197 / Tuesday, October 13, 2015 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 61277]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AN17


Prevailing Rate Systems; Special Wage Schedules for U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers Flood Control Employees of the Vicksburg District in 
Mississippi

AGENCY: U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a 
final rule to establish special wage schedules specific to 
nonsupervisory, leader, and supervisory wage employees of the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers (USACE) who work at flood control dams (also known 
as reservoir projects) at the Vicksburg District of the Mississippi 
Valley Division. This final rule assigns lead agency responsibility for 
establishing and issuing these special wage schedules to the Department 
of Defense (DOD). The special wage schedules established will have 
rates of pay identical to the Memphis, TN, appropriated fund Federal 
Wage System (FWS) wage schedules and will be adjusted at the same times 
as those scheduled in the future.

DATES: Effective date: This regulation is effective on October 13, 
2015. Applicability date: This change applies on the first day of the 
first applicable pay period beginning on or after December 14, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madeline Gonzalez, by telephone at 
(202) 606-2858 or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 5, 2015, OPM issued a proposed rule 
(80 FR 32042) to establish special wage schedules specific to 
nonsupervisory, leader, and supervisory wage employees of the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers (USACE) who work at flood control dams (also known 
as reservoir projects) at the Vicksburg District of the Mississippi 
Valley Division.
    The four lakes of the District are currently in two separate wage 
areas. The Vicksburg District of the Mississippi Valley Division is 
comprised of the following four lakes:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Lakes                             County                             Wage area
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arkabutla Lake.........................  Tate County, MS...........  Memphis, TN.
Enid Lake..............................  Yalobusha County, MS......  Northern Mississippi.
Grenada Lake...........................  Grenada County, MS........  Northern Mississippi.
Sardis Lake............................  Panola County, MS.........  Memphis, TN.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Because a unique situation exists in the Vicksburg District in that 
all four lakes are managed as one installation, the Federal Prevailing 
Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC), the national labor-management 
committee responsible for advising OPM on matters concerning the pay of 
FWS employees, recommended by majority vote that DOD establish and 
issue special wage schedules for USACE employees whose duty station is 
located in one of the lakes that comprise the Vicksburg District of the 
Mississippi Valley Division. This final rule will create a special wage 
schedule practice in this unique circumstance as recommended by FPRAC. 
The special wage schedules will be established using rates identical to 
the Memphis, TN, appropriated fund FWS wage schedule.
    The 30-day comment period ended on July 6, 2015. OPM received one 
comment from local agency management supporting this change. These 
special wage schedules will apply on the first day of the first 
applicable pay period beginning on or after 60 days following 
publication of the final regulations. USACE employees with duty 
stations at one of the lakes of the Vicksburg District will transfer to 
the new special wage schedules on a step-by-step basis. No current 
employee will have his or her pay rate reduced as a result of 
implementing these new special wage schedules.

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.
Beth F. Cobert,
Acting Director.

    Accordingly, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management amends 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. Subpart B is amended by adding Sec.  532.289 to read as follows:


Sec.  532.289  Special Wage Schedules for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
Flood Control Employees of the Vicksburg District in Mississippi.

    (a)(1) The Department of Defense will establish special wage 
schedules for wage employees of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who 
work at flood control dams (also known as reservoir projects) and whose 
duty station is located in one of the lakes that comprise the Vicksburg 
District of the Mississippi Valley Division.
    (2) These special wage schedules will provide rates of pay for 
nonsupervisory, leader, and supervisory employees. These special 
schedule positions will be identified by pay plan codes XR

[[Page 61278]]

(nonsupervisory), XT (leader), and XU (supervisory).
    (b) The Vicksburg District of the Mississippi Valley Division is 
comprised of the following four lakes:

(1) Grenada Lake in Grenada County, MS
(2) Enid Lake in Yalobusha County, MS
(3) Sardis Lake in Panola County, MS
(4) Arkabutla Lake in Tate County, MS

    (c) Special wage schedules shall be established at the same time 
and with rates identical to the Memphis, TN, appropriated fund wage 
schedule.

[FR Doc. 2015-25895 Filed 10-9-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6325-39-P