81 FR 24737 - Prevailing Rate Systems; Redefinition of the Asheville, NC, and Charlotte, NC, Appropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Areas

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 81 (April 27, 2016)

Page Range		24737-24738
FR Document		2016-09701

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a proposed rule that would redefine the geographic boundaries of the Asheville, NC, and Charlotte, NC, appropriated fund Federal Wage System (FWS) wage areas. The proposed rule would redefine Alexander and Catawba Counties, NC, from the Charlotte wage area to the Asheville wage area. These changes are based on a recent consensus recommendation of the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC) to best match the counties proposed for redefinition to a nearby FWS survey area. There are no FWS employees stationed in Alexander or Catawba Counties.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 81 (Wednesday, April 27, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 81 (Wednesday, April 27, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24737-24738]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09701]


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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AN37


Prevailing Rate Systems; Redefinition of the Asheville, NC, and 
Charlotte, NC, Appropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Areas

AGENCY: U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Proposed rule with request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a 
proposed rule that would redefine the geographic boundaries of the 
Asheville, NC, and Charlotte, NC, appropriated fund Federal Wage System 
(FWS) wage areas. The proposed rule would redefine Alexander and 
Catawba Counties, NC, from the Charlotte wage area to the Asheville 
wage area. These changes are based on a recent consensus recommendation 
of the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC) to best match 
the counties proposed for redefinition to a nearby FWS survey area. 
There are no FWS employees stationed in Alexander or Catawba Counties.

DATES: We must receive comments on or before May 27, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by ``RIN 3206-AN37,'' 
using any of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail: Brenda L. Roberts, Deputy Associate Director for Pay and 
Leave, Employee Services, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Room 
7H31, 1900 E Street NW., Washington, DC 20415-8200.
    Email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madeline Gonzalez, (202) 606-2858; 
email [email protected]; or FAX: (202) 606-4264.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OPM is issuing a proposed rule that would 
redefine the geographic boundaries of the Asheville, NC, and Charlotte, 
NC, appropriated fund FWS wage areas. The proposed rule would redefine 
Alexander and Catawba Counties, NC, from the Charlotte wage area to the 
Asheville wage area.
    OPM considers the following regulatory criteria under 5 CFR 532.211 
when defining FWS wage area boundaries:
    (i) Distance, transportation facilities, and geographic features;
    (ii) Commuting patterns; and
    (iii) Similarities in overall population, employment, and the kinds 
and sizes of private industrial establishments.
    In addition, OPM regulations at 5 CFR 532.211 do not permit 
splitting Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) for the purpose of 
defining a wage area, except in very unusual circumstances.
    Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba Counties, NC, comprise the 
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, MSA. The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA is 
split between the Asheville, NC, and Charlotte, NC, wage areas. Burke 
and Caldwell Counties are part of the area of application of the 
Asheville wage area and Alexander and Catawba Counties are part of the 
area of application of the Charlotte wage area.
    Based on an analysis of the regulatory criteria for Caldwell 
County, the core county in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA, the entire 
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA would be defined to the Asheville wage 
area. When measuring to cities, the distance criterion does not favor 
one wage area more than another. When measuring to host installations, 
the distance criterion favors the Asheville wage area more than the 
Charlotte wage area. The commuting patterns criterion does not favor 
one wage area more than another. Caldwell County resembles the 
Asheville survey area more than the Charlotte survey area in terms of 
the overall population and employment and the kinds and sizes of 
private industrial establishments criteria.
    Based on this analysis, we believe Caldwell County is appropriately 
defined to the Asheville wage area. OPM regulations at 5 CFR 532.211 
permit splitting MSAs only in very unusual circumstances. There appear 
to be no unusual circumstances that would permit splitting the 
Bloomsburg-Berwick MSA. To comply with OPM regulations not to split 
MSAs, Alexander and Catawba Counties would be redefined to the 
Asheville wage area. The remaining county in the Hickory-Lenoir-
Morganton MSA, Burke County, is already defined to the Asheville wage 
area. There are currently no FWS employees working in Alexander and 
Catawba Counties.
    FPRAC, the national labor-management committee responsible for 
advising OPM on matters concerning the pay of FWS employees, 
recommended this change by consensus. This change would be effective on 
the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after 
30 days following publication of the final regulations.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    I certify that these regulations would 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.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Beth F. Cobert,
Acting Director.

    Accordingly, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management is proposing 
to amend 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.

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

0
2. Appendix C to subpart B is amended by revising the wage area 
listings for the proposed rule that would redefine the geographic 
boundaries of the wage areas to read as follows:

[[Page 24738]]



 
                                * * * * *
                             NORTH CAROLINA
 
                                Asheville
 
                               Survey Area
North Carolina:
  Buscombe
  Haywood
  Henderson
  Madison
  Transylvania
 
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
 
North Carolina:
  Alexander
  Avery
  Burke
  Caldwell
  Catawba
  Cherokee
  Clay
  Graham
  Jackson
  McDowell
  Macon
  Mitchell
  Polk
  Rutherford
  Swain
  Yancey
 
                                * * * * *
                                Charlotte
 
                               Survey Area
North Carolina:
  Cabarrus
  Gaston
  Mecklenburg
  Rowan
  Union
 
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
 
North Carolina:
  Anson
  Cleveland
  Iredell
  Lincoln
  Stanly
  Wilkes
South Carolina:
  Chester
  Chesterfield
  Lancaster
  York
 
                                * * * * *
 

[FR Doc. 2016-09701 Filed 4-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6325-39-P

24738 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 81 / Wednesday, April 27, 2016 / Proposed Rules

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Board (Board) is issuing for public
* * * * * comment a proposed rule to amend its
NORTH CAROLINA Agricultural Marketing Service regulation governing federal credit
union (FCU) occupancy, planning, and
Asheville
7 CFR Part 205 disposal of acquired and abandoned
Survey Area premises, and its regulation regarding
North Carolina: [Doc. No. AMS–NOP–15–0052; NOP–15–
12PR] incidental powers. To provide
Buscombe regulatory relief to FCUs, the proposal
Haywood RIN 0581–AD43 eliminates a requirement in the current
Henderson
occupancy rule (formerly known as the
Madison National Organic Program (NOP);
fixed assets rule) that an FCU must plan
Transylvania Sunset 2016 Amendments to the
for, and eventually achieve, full
Area of Application. Survey area plus: National List; Correction
occupancy of acquired premises.
North Carolina: AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, The proposal generally retains the
Alexander USDA. current regulatory timeframes for partial
Avery ACTION: Proposed rule; correction. occupancy. However, it modifies the
Burke definition of ‘‘partially occupy’’ to mean
Caldwell SUMMARY: This document contains a occupation and use, on a full-time basis,
Catawba correction to the proposed rule which of at least fifty percent of the premises
Cherokee was published on December 16, 2015 by the FCU, or by a combination of the
Clay (80 FR 78150). In the proposed rule, the FCU and a credit union service
Graham Regulatory Information Number (RIN) organization (CUSO) in which the FCU
Jackson appears as RIN 0581–AD39. This has a controlling interest in accordance
McDowell number is incorrect. The correct number with Generally Accepted Accounting
Macon is 0581–AD43. This document corrects Principles (GAAP).
Mitchell the proposed rule. The proposal also amends the excess
Polk capacity provision in NCUA’s incidental
DATES: April 27, 2016.
Rutherford powers rule to clarify that an FCU may
Swain FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Valerie Frances, Standards Division, lease or sell excess capacity in its
Yancey facilities, but it need not anticipate that
email: valerie.frances@ams.usda.gov.
Telephone: (202) 720–3252; Fax: (202) such excess capacity will be fully
* * * * * occupied by the FCU in the future.
260–9151.
However, the sale or lease of excess
Charlotte Correction capacity in equipment or services,
Survey Area including employee-sharing and data
In proposed rule FR Doc. 2015–31380,
North Carolina: processing for third parties, continues to
beginning at page 78150 of the issue of
Cabarrus be limited to circumstances where an
December 16, 2015, make the following
Gaston FCU reasonably anticipates that such
Mecklenburg
corrections:
On page 78150, in the first column in excess capacity will be taken up by the
Rowan
the heading and the first line of the future expansion of services to
Union
second column under the ADDRESSES members.
Area of Application. Survey area plus: caption, correct the RIN to read ‘‘0581– DATES: Comments must be received on
North Carolina: AD43’’. or before June 27, 2016.
Anson
Dated: April 22, 2016. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
Cleveland
Iredell Elanor Starmer, by any of the following methods (Please
Lincoln Administrator, Agricultural Marketing send comments by one method only):
Stanly Service. • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://
Wilkes [FR Doc. 2016–09838 Filed 4–26–16; 8:45 am] www.regulations.gov. Follow the
South Carolina: BILLING CODE P instructions for submitting comments.
Chester • NCUA Web site: https://
Chesterfield www.ncua.gov/regulation-supervision/
Lancaster NATIONAL CREDIT UNION Pages/rules/proposed.aspx. Follow the
York ADMINISTRATION instructions for submitting comments.
• Email: Address to regcomments@
* * * * * 12 CFR Parts 701 and 721 ncua.gov. Include ‘‘[Your name]
Comments on Notice of Proposed
RIN 3133–AE54 Rulemaking for Parts 701 and 721, FCU
[FR Doc. 2016–09701 Filed 4–26–16; 8:45 am]
Occupancy, Planning, and Disposal of
BILLING CODE 6325–39–P Federal Credit Union Occupancy,
Acquired and Abandoned Premises;
Planning, and Disposal of Acquired
Incidental Powers’’ in the email subject
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS

and Abandoned Premises; Incidental
line.
Powers
• Fax: (703) 518–6319. Use the
AGENCY: National Credit Union subject line described above for email.
Administration (NCUA). • Mail: Address to Gerard Poliquin,
ACTION: Proposed rule. Secretary of the Board, National Credit
Union Administration, 1775 Duke
SUMMARY: As part of NCUA’s Regulatory Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314–
Modernization Initiative, the NCUA 3428.

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Document Created: 2018-02-07 13:55:49
Document Modified: 2018-02-07 13:55:49

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Proposed Rules
Action		Proposed rule with request for comments.
Dates		We must receive comments on or before May 27, 2016.
Contact		Madeline Gonzalez, (202) 606-2858; email [email protected]; or FAX: (202) 606-4264.
FR Citation		81 FR 24737
RIN Number		3206-AN37
CFR Associated		Administrative Practice and Procedure; Freedom of Information; Government Employees; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements and Wages