[Federal Register: November 14, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 219)]
[Rules and Regulations]               
[Page 63967-63968]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14no07-1]                         


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Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

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.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. 
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[[Page 63967]]



OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206-AL43

 
Prevailing Rate Systems; Definition of the Municipality of 
Bayamon, Puerto Rico, to a Nonappropriated Fund Federal Wage System 
Wage Area

AGENCY: U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is issuing an interim 
rule to define the municipality of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, as an area of 
application to the Guaynabo-San Juan, PR, nonappropriated fund (NAF) 
Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area. This change is necessary because 
there are NAF FWS employees working in the municipality of Bayamon and 
the municipality is not currently defined to an NAF wage area.

DATES: This regulation is effective on November 14, 2007. We must 
receive comments on or before December 14, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Charles D. Grimes III, Deputy 
Associate Director for Performance and Pay Systems, Strategic Human 
Resources Policy Division, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Room 
7H31, 1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20415-8200; e-mail 
pay-performance-policy@opm.gov; or Fax: (202) 606-4264.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madeline Gonzalez, (202) 606-2838; e-
mail pay-performance-policy@opm.gov; or Fax: (202) 606-4264.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management 
(OPM) is redefining the Guaynabo-San Juan, Puerto Rico, nonappropriated 
fund (NAF) Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area to add the municipality 
of Bayamon, PR, as an area of application. Rio Bayamon Guest Housing, 
which is part of U.S. Coast Guard Family Housing, now employs three NAF 
FWS employees in the municipality of Bayamon. Under section 532.219 of 
title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, each NAF wage area ``shall 
consist of one or more survey areas, along with nonsurvey areas, if 
any, having nonappropriated fund employees.''
    The municipality of Bayamon does not meet the regulatory criteria 
under 5 CFR 532.219 to be established as a separate NAF wage area; 
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.
    Based on an analysis of the regulatory criteria for defining NAF 
wage areas, OPM is defining the municipality of Bayamon, PR, as an area 
of application to the Guaynabo-San Juan, PR, NAF FWS wage area. The 
Guaynabo-San Juan NAF FWS wage area is the only NAF wage area in Puerto 
Rico. The U.S. Coast Guard Family Housing is located approximately five 
miles from Fort Buchanan, the wage area's host activity, and the 
municipality of Bayamon is adjacent to both Fort Buchanan and the 
municipality of Guaynabo.
    In the Guaynabo-San Juan NAF wage area, the survey area will 
consist of two municipalities (Guaynabo and San Juan) and the area of 
application will consist of eight municipalities (Aguadilla, Bayamon, 
Ceiba, Isabela, Ponce, Salinas, Toa Baja, and Vieques) plus the U.S. 
Virgin Islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas. 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 this change by consensus.

Waiver of Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Delay in Effective Date

    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) and (d)(3), I find that good 
cause exists to waive the general notice of proposed rulemaking. Also 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3), I find that good cause exists for 
making this rule effective in less than 30 days. This notice is being 
waived and the regulation is being made effective in less than 30 days 
because it is necessary to define the municipality of Bayamon, PR, to 
an NAF wage area as soon as possible to cover existing employees under 
an appropriate wage schedule.

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.
Linda M. Springer,
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; 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 Guaynabo-San Juan, Puerto Rico, NAF wage area to read as 
follows:

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

* * * * *

                               PUERTO RICO
                            Guaynabo-San Juan

                               Survey Area
Puerto Rico: (municipalities):
  Guaynabo
  San Juan

                 Area of Application. Survey area plus:

Puerto Rico: (municipalities):

[[Page 63968]]


  Aguadilla
  Bayamon
  Ceiba
  Isabela
  Ponce
  Salinas
  Toa Baja
  Vieques
  U.S. Virgin Islands
  St. Croix
  St. Thomas


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[FR Doc. E7-22262 Filed 11-13-07; 8:45 am]

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