82 FR 22298 - Prevailing Rate Systems; Definition of Brown County, Wisconsin, and Forsyth and Mecklenburg Counties, North Carolina, to Nonappropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Areas

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 92 (May 15, 2017)

This rule proposes to amend the geographic boundaries of three nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage System (FWS) wage areas. Based on consensus recommendations of the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC), the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) would define Brown County, Wisconsin, as an area of application county to the Lake, Illinois, NAF FWS wage area; Forsyth County, North Carolina, as an area of application to the Cumberland, NC, NAF FWS wage area; and Mecklenburg County, NC, as an area of application to the Richland, South Carolina, NAF FWS wage area. These changes are necessary because there are NAF FWS employees working in these three counties, and the counties are not currently defined in regulation to NAF wage areas.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 92 (Monday, May 15, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 22298-22299]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09731]


========================================================================
Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 92 / Monday, May 15, 2017 / Proposed 
Rules

[[Page 22298]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AN50


Prevailing Rate Systems; Definition of Brown County, Wisconsin, 
and Forsyth and Mecklenburg Counties, North Carolina, to 
Nonappropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Areas

AGENCY: U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Proposed rule with request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: This rule proposes to amend the geographic boundaries of three 
nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage System (FWS) wage areas. Based 
on consensus recommendations of the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory 
Committee (FPRAC), the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) would 
define Brown County, Wisconsin, as an area of application county to the 
Lake, Illinois, NAF FWS wage area; Forsyth County, North Carolina, as 
an area of application to the Cumberland, NC, NAF FWS wage area; and 
Mecklenburg County, NC, as an area of application to the Richland, 
South Carolina, NAF FWS wage area. These changes are necessary because 
there are NAF FWS employees working in these three counties, and the 
counties are not currently defined in regulation to NAF wage areas.

DATES: We must receive comments on or before June 14, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RIN 3206-AN50, 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, by telephone at 
(202) 606-2838 or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OPM is issuing a proposed rule that would 
make changes to three NAF FWS wage area definitions. The Department of 
Veterans Affairs notified OPM that the Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) 
now employs NAF FWS employees in Brown County, WI, and Forsyth and 
Mecklenburg Counties, NC.
    Under Sec.  532.219 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 
each NAF wage area ``shall consist of one or more survey areas, along 
with nonsurvey areas, if any, having nonappropriated fund employees.'' 
Brown, Forsyth, and Mecklenburg Counties do not meet the regulatory 
criteria under 5 CFR 532.219 to be established as separate NAF wage 
areas; however, nonsurvey counties may be combined with a survey area 
to form a wage area. Section 532.219 lists the regulatory criteria that 
OPM considers when defining FWS wage area boundaries:
    (i) Proximity of largest facilities activity in each county;
    (ii) Transportation facilities and commuting patterns; and
    (iii) Similarities of the counties in--
    (A) Overall population;
    (B) Private employment in major industry categories; and
    (C) Kinds and sizes of private industrial establishments.
    OPM recently completed reviews of the definitions of Brown, 
Forsyth, and Mecklenburg Counties and is proposing the changes 
described below. FPRAC, the national labor-management committee 
responsible for advising OPM on matters concerning the pay of FWS 
employees, recommended these changes by consensus. These changes would 
apply on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on 
or after 30 days following publication of the final regulations.

Brown County, WI

    Brown County would be defined as an area of application county to 
the Lake, IL, NAF FWS wage area. The closest NAF wage area to Brown 
County is the Lake wage area. The employment location of the new NAF 
FWS employees in Brown County (VCS #395) is located approximately 170 
miles from Naval Station Great Lakes, the Lake wage area's host 
activity.
    With the definition of Brown County to the Lake NAF wage area, the 
Lake wage area would consist of one survey county, Lake County, IL, and 
nine area of application counties: Cook, Rock Island, and Vermilion 
Counties, IL; Johnson County, IA; Dickinson and Marquette Counties, MI; 
and Brown, Dane, and Milwaukee Counties, WI.

Forsyth County, NC

    Forsyth County would be defined as an area of application county to 
the Cumberland, NC, NAF FWS wage area. The closest NAF wage area to 
Forsyth County is the Cumberland wage area. The employment location of 
the new NAF FWS employees in Forsyth County (VCS #359) is located 
approximately 103 miles from Fort Bragg, the Cumberland wage area's 
host activity.
    With the definition of Forsyth County to the Cumberland NAF wage 
area, the Cumberland wage area would consist of one survey county, 
Cumberland County, NC, and three area of application counties: Durham, 
Forsyth, and Rowan Counties, NC.

Mecklenburg County, NC

    Mecklenburg County would be defined as an area of application 
county to the Richland, SC, NAF FWS wage area. The closest NAF wage 
area to Mecklenburg County is the Richland wage area. The employment 
location of the new NAF FWS employees in Mecklenburg County (VCS #959) 
is located approximately 91 miles from Fort Jackson, the Richland wage 
area's host activity.
    With the definition of Mecklenburg County to the Richland NAF wage 
area, the Richland wage area would consist of one survey county, 
Richland County, SC, and four area of application counties: Buncombe 
and Mecklenburg Counties, NC; Sumter County, SC; and Washington County, 
TN.

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.


[[Page 22299]]


U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Kathleen M. McGettigan,
Acting Director.

    Accordingly, OPM 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.

0
2. Appendix D to Subpart B is amended by revising the wage area listing 
for the Lake, IL; Cumberland, NC; and Richland, SC, wage areas to read 
as follows:

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

 
 
 
 
                                * * * * *
                                ILLINOIS
                                  Lake
 
                               Survey Area
 
Illinois:
  Lake
  Area of Application. Survey area plus:
Illinois:
  Cook
  Rock Island
  Vermilion
Iowa:
  Johnson
Michigan:
  Dickinson
  Marquette
Wisconsin:
  Brown
  Dane
  Milwaukee
 
                                * * * * *
                             NORTH CAROLINA
 
                                * * * * *
                               Cumberland
 
                               Survey Area
 
North Carolina:
  Cumberland
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
North Carolina:
  Durham
  Forsyth
  Rowan
 
                                * * * * *
                             SOUTH CAROLINA
 
                                * * * * *
                                Richland
 
                               Survey Area
 
South Carolina:
  Richland
                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:
North Carolina:
  Buncombe
  Mecklenburg
South Carolina
  Sumter
Tennessee
  Washington
 
                                * * * * *
 

[FR Doc. 2017-09731 Filed 5-12-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-39-P