[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 163 (Thursday, August 22, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67829-67830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18740]



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 Rules and Regulations
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
 having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed 
 to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published 
 under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 163 / Thursday, August 22, 2024 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 67829]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

[Docket ID: OPM-2024-0006]
RIN 3206-AO68


Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Frederick, Maryland, as a 
Nonappropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Area

AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final 
rule to abolish the Frederick, Maryland, nonappropriated fund (NAF) 
Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area and define Frederick County, MD, to 
the Anne Arundel, MD, NAF FWS wage area, and Berkeley County, West 
Virginia, to the Washington, DC, NAF FWS wage area. These changes are 
necessary because NAF FWS employment in the survey area is now below 
the minimum criterion of 26 wage employees to maintain a wage area, and 
the local activities no longer have the capability to conduct local 
wage surveys.

DATES: 
    Effective date: This regulation is effective September 23, 2024.
    Applicability date: This change applies on the first day of the 
first applicable pay period beginning on or after September 23, 2024.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 10, 2024, OPM issued a proposed 
rule (89 FR 25186) to abolish the Frederick, MD, NAF FWS wage area and 
define Frederick County, MD, to the Anne Arundel, MD, NAF FWS wage 
area, and Berkeley County, WV, to the Washington, DC, NAF FWS wage 
area. The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee, the national 
labor-management committee responsible for advising OPM on matters 
concerning the pay of FWS employees, reviewed and recommended these 
changes by consensus.
    The proposed rule had a 30-day comment period, during which OPM 
received no comments. Therefore, this final rule adopts the proposed 
rule at 89 FR 25186 without change.

Expected Impact of This Rule

    Section 5343 of title 5, U.S. Code, provides OPM with the authority 
and responsibility to define the boundaries of NAF FWS wage areas. Any 
changes in wage area definitions can have the long-term effect of 
increasing pay for Federal employees in affected locations. OPM expects 
this final rule to impact approximately 20 NAF FWS employees. 
Considering the small number of employees affected, OPM does not 
anticipate this rule will substantially impact local economies or have 
a large impact in local labor markets. As this and future wage area 
changes may impact higher volumes of employees in geographical areas 
and could rise to the level of impacting local labor markets, OPM will 
continue to study the implications of such impacts in future rules as 
needed.

Regulatory Review

    Executive Orders 13563, 12866, and 14094 direct agencies to assess 
all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public 
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). This rule 
is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under the provisions of 
Executive Order 14094 and, therefore, was not reviewed by OMB.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Director of OPM certifies that this rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

Federalism

    OPM has examined this rule in accordance with Executive Order 
13132, Federalism, and has determined that this rule will not have any 
negative impact on the rights, roles and responsibilities of State, 
local, or tribal governments.

Civil Justice Reform

    This regulation meets the applicable standard set forth in 
Executive Order 12988.

Unfunded Mandates Act of 1995

    This rule will not result in the expenditure by State, local, and 
tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 
million or more in any year and it will not significantly or uniquely 
affect small governments. Therefore, no actions were deemed necessary 
under the provisions of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995.

Congressional Review Act

    OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has determined 
this rule does not satisfy the criteria listed in 5 U.S.C. 804(2). OPM 
will submit to Congress and the Comptroller General of the United 
States a report regarding the issuance of this rule before its 
effective date.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rule does not impose any reporting or record-keeping 
requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act.

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.
Kayyonne Marston,
Federal Register Liaison.

    Accordingly, OPM 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 D to subpart B, amend the table by revising the wage 
area listings for the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland to 
read as follows:

[[Page 67830]]

Appendix D to Subpart B of Part 532--Nonappropriated Fund Wage and 
Survey Areas

* * * * *

Definitions of Wage Areas and Wage Area Survey Areas

* * * * *

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Washington, DC

Survey Area

District of Columbia:
    Washington, DC

Area of Application. Survey Area Plus:

West Virginia:
    Berkeley
* * * * *

MARYLAND

Anne Arundel

Survey Area

Maryland:
    Anne Arundel

Area of Application. Survey Area Plus:

Maryland (city):
    Baltimore
Maryland (counties):
    Baltimore
    Frederick

Charles-St. Mary's

Survey Area

Maryland:
    Charles
    St. Mary's

Area of Application. Survey Area Plus:

Maryland:
    Calvert
Virginia:
    King George

Harford

Survey Area

Maryland:
    Harford

Area of Application. Survey Area Plus:

Maryland:
    Cecil

Montgomery-Prince George's

Survey Area

Maryland:
    Montgomery
    Prince George's

Area of Application. Survey Area.

* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2024-18740 Filed 8-21-24; 8:45 am]
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