2019 Rate Changes for the Basetime, Overtime, Holiday, and Laboratory Services Rates, 65337-65339 [2018-27521]
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65337
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 83, No. 244
Thursday, December 20, 2018
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
[Docket No. APHIS–2018–0006]
General Conference Committee of the
National Poultry Improvement Plan
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of renewal.
AGENCY:
We are giving notice that the
Secretary of Agriculture has renewed
the charter of the General Conference
Committee of the National Poultry
Improvement Plan (Committee) for a 2year period. The Secretary of
Agriculture has determined that the
Committee is necessary and in the
public interest.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Denise L. Heard, Senior Coordinator,
National Poultry Improvement Plan, VS,
APHIS, USDA, 1506 Klondike Road,
Suite 101, Conyers, GA 30094; (770)
922–3496.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
purpose of the General Conference
Committee of the National Poultry
Improvement Plan (Committee) is to
maintain and ensure industry
involvement in Federal administration
of matters pertaining to poultry health.
The Committee Chairperson and the
Vice Chairperson shall be elected by the
Committee from among its members.
There are seven members on the
Committee. The poultry industry elects
the members of the Committee. The
members represent six geographic areas
with one member-at-large.
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SUMMARY:
Done in Washington, DC, this 14th day of
December 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
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Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket Number FSIS–2018–0051]
2019 Rates and Calculations
The following table lists the 2019
Rates per hour, per employee, by type
of service:
2019 Rate Changes for the Basetime,
Overtime, Holiday, and Laboratory
Services Rates
Food Safety and Inspection
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
Service
AGENCY:
The Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing
the 2019 rates it will charge meat and
poultry establishments, egg products
plants, and importers and exporters for
providing voluntary, overtime, and
holiday inspection and identification,
certification, and laboratory services.
The 2019 basetime, overtime, holiday,
and laboratory services rates will be
applied on the first FSIS pay period
approximately 30 days after the
publication of this notice, which begins
on January 20, 2019.
DATES: FSIS will charge the rates
announced in this notice beginning
January 20, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information contact Michael
Toner, Director, Budget Division, Office
of the Chief Financial Officer, FSIS, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Room 2159,
South Building, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250–
3700; Telephone: (202) 690–8398, Fax:
(202) 690–4155.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[FR Doc. 2018–27480 Filed 12–19–18; 8:45 am]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Background
On April 12, 2011, FSIS published a
final rule amending its regulations to
establish formulas for calculating the
rates it charges meat and poultry
establishments, egg products plants, and
importers and exporters for providing
voluntary, overtime, and holiday
inspection and identification,
certification, and laboratory services (76
FR 20220).
In the final rule, FSIS stated that it
would use the formulas to calculate the
annual rates, publish the rates in
Federal Register notices prior to the
start of each calendar year, and apply
the rates on the first FSIS pay period at
the beginning of the calendar year.
This notice provides the 2019 rates,
which will be applied starting on
January 20, 2019.
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Basetime ...............................
Overtime ...............................
Holiday ..................................
Laboratory .............................
2019 Rate
(estimates
rounded to
reflect
billable
quarters)
$59.96
74.76
89.56
75.56
The regulations state that FSIS will
calculate the rates using formulas that
include the Office of Field Operations
(OFO) inspection program personnel’s
previous fiscal year’s regular direct pay
and regular hours (9 CFR 391.2, 391.3,
391.4, 590.126, 590.128, 592.510,
592.520, and 592.530). In 2013, an
Agency reorganization eliminated the
OIA program office and transferred all
of its inspection program personnel to
OFO. Therefore, inspection program
personnel’s pay and hours are identified
in the calculations as ‘‘OFO inspection
program personnel’s’’ pay and hours.
FSIS determined the 2019 rates using
the following calculations:
Basetime Rate = The quotient of
dividing the Office of Field Operations
(OFO) inspection program personnel’s
previous fiscal year’s regular direct pay
by the previous fiscal year’s regular
hours, plus the quotient multiplied by
the calendar year’s percentage of cost of
living increase, plus the benefits rate,
plus the travel and operating rate, plus
the overhead rate, plus the allowance
for bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2019 basetime
rate per hour per program employee is:
[FY 2018 OFO Regular Direct Pay
divided by the previous fiscal year’s
Regular Hours ($461,873,361/
15,909,552)] = $29.03 + ($29.03 * 1.9%
(calendar year 2019 Cost of Living
Increase)) = $29.58 + $10.36 (benefits
rate) + $2.10 (travel and operating rate)
+ $17.92 (overhead rate) + $0.00 (bad
debt allowance rate) = $59.96, which is
already divisible by 4.
Overtime Rate = The quotient of
dividing the Office of Field Operations
(OFO) inspection program personnel’s
previous fiscal year’s regular direct pay
by the previous fiscal year’s regular
hours, plus that quotient multiplied by
the calendar year’s percentage of cost of
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65338
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 244 / Thursday, December 20, 2018 / Notices
living increase, multiplied by 1.5 (for
overtime), plus the benefits rate, plus
the travel and operating rate, plus the
overhead rate, plus the allowance for
bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2019 overtime
rate per hour per program employee is:
[FY 2018 OFO Regular Direct Pay
divided by previous fiscal year’s Regular
Hours ($461,873,361/15,909,552)] =
$29.03 + ($29.03 * 1.9% (calendar year
2019 Cost of Living Increase)) = $29.58
* 1.5 = $44.37 + $10.36 (benefits rate)
+ $2.10 (travel and operating rate) +
$17.92 (overhead rate) + $0.00 (bad debt
allowance rate) = $74.75 rounded up to
$74.76, so that it is divisible by 4.
Holiday Rate = The quotient of
dividing the Office of Field Operations
(OFO) inspection program personnel’s
previous fiscal year’s regular direct pay
by the previous fiscal year’s regular
hours, plus that quotient multiplied by
the calendar year’s percentage of cost of
living increase, multiplied by 2 (for
holiday pay), plus the benefits rate, plus
the travel and operating rate, plus the
overhead rate, plus the allowance for
bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2019 holiday
rate per hour per program employee
calculation is:
[FY 2018 OFO Regular Direct Pay
divided by Regular Hours
($461,873,361/15,909,552)] = $29.03 +
($29.03 * 1.9% (calendar year 2019 Cost
of Living Increase)) = $29.58 * 2 =
$59.17 + $10.36 (benefits rate) + $2.10
(travel and operating rate) + $17.92
(overhead rate) + $0.00 (bad debt
allowance rate) = $89.54, rounded up to
$89.56, so that it is divisible by 4.
Laboratory Services Rate = The
quotient of dividing the Office of Public
Health Science (OPHS) previous fiscal
year’s regular direct pay by the OPHS
previous fiscal year’s regular hours, plus
the quotient multiplied by the calendar
year’s percentage cost of living increase,
plus the benefits rate, plus the travel
and operating rate, plus the overhead
rate, plus the allowance for bad debt
rate.
The calculation for the 2019
laboratory services rate per hour per
program employee is:
[FY 2018 OPHS Regular Direct Pay/
OPHS Regular hours ($24,480,845/
552,168)] = $44.34 + ($44.34 * 1.9%
(calendar year 2019 Cost of Living
Increase)) = $45.18 + $10.36 (benefits
rate) + $2.10 (travel and operating rate)
+ $17.92 (overhead rate) + $0.00 (bad
debt allowance rate) = $75.56, which is
already divisible by 4.
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18:23 Dec 19, 2018
Jkt 247001
Calculations for the Benefits, Travel and
Operating, Overhead, and Allowance for
Bad Debt Rates
These rates are components of the
basetime, overtime, holiday, and
laboratory services rates formulas.
Benefits Rate: The quotient of
dividing the previous fiscal year’s direct
benefits costs by the previous fiscal
year’s total hours (regular, overtime, and
holiday), plus that quotient multiplied
by the calendar year’s percentage cost of
living increase. Some examples of direct
benefits are health insurance,
retirement, life insurance, and Thrift
Savings Plan basic and matching
contributions.
The calculation for the 2019 benefits
rate per hour per program employee is:
[FY 2018 Direct Benefits/(Total
Regular hours + Total Overtime hours +
Total Holiday hours) ($195,953,150/
19,267,813)] = $10.17 + ($10.17* 1.9%
(calendar year 2019 Cost of Living
Increase)) = $10.36.
Travel and Operating Rate: The
quotient of dividing the previous fiscal
year’s total direct travel and operating
costs by the previous fiscal year’s total
hours (regular, overtime, and holiday),
plus that quotient multiplied by the
calendar year’s percentage of inflation.
The calculation for the 2019 travel
and operating rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2018 Total Direct Travel and
Operating Costs/(Total Regular hours +
Total Overtime hours + Total Holiday
hours) ($39,709,179/19,267,813)] =
$2.06 + ($2.06 * 1.9% (2019 Inflation)
= $2.10.
Overhead Rate: The quotient of
dividing the previous fiscal year’s
indirect costs plus the previous fiscal
year’s information technology (IT) costs
in the Public Health Data
Communication Infrastructure System
Fund plus the provision for the
operating balance less any Greenbook
costs (i.e., costs of USDA support
services prorated to the service
component for which fees are charged)
that are not related to food inspection by
the previous fiscal year’s total hours
(regular, overtime, and holiday) worked
across all funds, plus the quotient
multiplied by the calendar year’s
percentage of inflation.
The calculation for the 2019 overhead
rate per hour per program employee is:
[FY 2018 Total Overhead/(Total
Regular hours + Total Overtime hours +
Total Holiday hours) ($ 338,760,688/
19,267,813)] = $17.58 + ($17.58 * 1.9%
(2019 Inflation) = $17.92.
Allowance for Bad Debt Rate =
Previous fiscal year’s total allowance for
bad debt (for example, debt owed that
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is not paid in full by plants and
establishments that declare bankruptcy)
divided by previous fiscal year’s total
hours (regular, overtime, and holiday)
worked.
The 2019 calculation for bad debt rate
per hour per program employee is:
[FY 2018 Total Bad Debt/(Total
Regular hours + Total Overtime hours +
Total Holiday hours) = ($73,050/
19,267,813)] = $0.00.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of
rulemaking and policy development is
important. Consequently, FSIS will
announce this Federal Register
publication on-line through the FSIS
web page located at: https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
FSIS also will make copies of this
publication available through the FSIS
Constituent Update, which is used to
provide information regarding FSIS
policies, procedures, regulations,
Federal Register notices, FSIS public
meetings, and other types of information
that could affect or would be of interest
to our constituents and stakeholders.
The Update is available on the FSIS web
page. Through the web page, FSIS is
able to provide information to a much
broader, more diverse audience. In
addition, FSIS offers an email
subscription service which provides
automatic and customized access to
selected food safety news and
information. This service is available at:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe.
Options range from recalls to export
information, regulations, directives, and
notices. Customers can add or delete
subscriptions themselves, and have the
option to password protect their
accounts.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the
USDA shall, on the grounds of race,
color, national origin, religion, sex,
gender identity, sexual orientation,
disability, age, marital status, family/
parental status, income derived from a
public assistance program, or political
beliefs, exclude from participation in,
deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination any person in the United
States under any program or activity
conducted by the USDA.
How to File a Complaint of
Discrimination
To file a complaint of discrimination,
complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which
may be accessed online at https://
www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/
docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_
8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 244 / Thursday, December 20, 2018 / Notices
or your authorized representative.
Send your completed complaint form
or letter to USDA by mail, fax, or email:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
DC 20250–9410, Fax: (202) 690–7442,
Email: program.intake@usda.gov
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.),
should contact USDA’s TARGET Center
at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).
Done at Washington, DC.
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018–27521 Filed 12–19–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request—Generic Clearance
To Conduct Formative Research or
Development of Nutrition Education
and Promotion Materials and Related
Tools and Grants for FNS Population
Groups
Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and
other interested parties to comment on
a proposed information collection. This
collection is an extension of a currently
approved collection. This information
collection will conduct research in
support of FNS’ goal of delivering
science-based nutrition education to
targeted audiences. This information
collection will also conduct research
that will assist FNS in identifying
effective design and implementation
approaches to use to develop and assess
grants. From development through
testing of materials and tools with the
target audience, FNS plans to conduct
data collections that involve formative
research including focus groups,
interviews (dyad, triad, telephone, etc.),
surveys and Web-based collection tools.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before February 19, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on:
(a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information has practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of
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SUMMARY:
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information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility,
and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments may be sent to Rachelle
Ragland-Greene, Food and Nutrition
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014,
Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments will
also be accepted through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://
www.regulations.gov and follow the
online instructions for submitting
comments electronically. All written
comments will be open for public
inspection at the Office of the Food and
Nutrition Service during regular
business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park
Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia
22302, Room 1014.
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) approval. All comments will be
a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information
should be directed to Rachelle RaglandGreene at 703–305–2586.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Generic Clearance to Conduct
Formative Research for Development of
Nutrition Education, Promotion
Materials and Related Tools, and Grants
for FNS Population Groups.
OMB Number: 0584–0524.
Expiration Date: September 30, 2019.
Type of Request: Extension of a
currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: This information collection
is based on Section 19 of the Child
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1787),
Section 5 of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
1754) and Section 11(f) of the Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2020).
This request for approval of information
collection is necessary to obtain input
into the development of nutrition
education interventions for population
groups served by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service
(USDA–FNS). FNS also uses this
collection to obtain input that can be
used to develop and assess grants.
Interventions need to be designed so
that they can be delivered through
different types of media and in a variety
of formats for diverse audiences.
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65339
FNS develops a variety of resources to
support nutrition education and
promotion activities. These resources
are designed to convey science-based,
behavior-focused nutrition messages
about healthy eating and physical
activity to children and adults eligible
to participate in FNS nutrition
assistance programs and to motivate
them to consume more healthful foods
as defined by the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans (DGA). This includes
education materials, messages,
promotion tools and interventions for
the diverse population served by the
Federal nutrition programs as well as
WIC, Team Nutrition, Food Distribution
and other programs.
Obtaining formative input and
feedback is fundamental to FNS’ success
in delivering science-based nutrition
messages and reaching diverse segments
of the population in ways that are
meaningful and relevant. This includes
conferring with the target audience,
individuals who serve the target
audience, and key stakeholders on the
communication strategies and
interventions that will be developed and
on the delivery approaches that will be
used to reach consumers. The formative
research and testing activities described
will help in the development of
effective education and promotion tools
and communication strategies.
Collection of this information will
increase FNS’ ability to formulate
nutrition education interventions that
resonate with the intended target
population, particularly low-income
families.
FNS also uses formative input and
feedback to determine how best to
develop and assess grants so that grant
recipients can successfully meet their
goals under these grants. To do this,
FNS confers with grant recipients to
obtain input regarding their
experiences, expectations, challenges,
and lessons learned while implementing
the grant.
Formative research methods and
information collection will include
focus groups, interviews (dyad, triad,
telephone, etc.), surveys and Web-based
data collection. The data obtained will
provide input regarding the potential
use of materials and products during
both the developmental and testing
stages, in addition to the development
of grants. Key informant interviews will
be conducted in order to determine
future nutrition education and grant
needs, tools and dissemination
strategies. This task involves collecting
a diverse array of information from a
variety of groups including: People
familiar with the target audiences;
individuals delivering nutrition
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 244 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65337-65339]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27521]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket Number FSIS-2018-0051]
2019 Rate Changes for the Basetime, Overtime, Holiday, and
Laboratory Services Rates
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing
the 2019 rates it will charge meat and poultry establishments, egg
products plants, and importers and exporters for providing voluntary,
overtime, and holiday inspection and identification, certification, and
laboratory services. The 2019 basetime, overtime, holiday, and
laboratory services rates will be applied on the first FSIS pay period
approximately 30 days after the publication of this notice, which
begins on January 20, 2019.
DATES: FSIS will charge the rates announced in this notice beginning
January 20, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact
Michael Toner, Director, Budget Division, Office of the Chief Financial
Officer, FSIS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 2159, South
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700;
Telephone: (202) 690-8398, Fax: (202) 690-4155.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On April 12, 2011, FSIS published a final rule amending its
regulations to establish formulas for calculating the rates it charges
meat and poultry establishments, egg products plants, and importers and
exporters for providing voluntary, overtime, and holiday inspection and
identification, certification, and laboratory services (76 FR 20220).
In the final rule, FSIS stated that it would use the formulas to
calculate the annual rates, publish the rates in Federal Register
notices prior to the start of each calendar year, and apply the rates
on the first FSIS pay period at the beginning of the calendar year.
This notice provides the 2019 rates, which will be applied starting
on January 20, 2019.
2019 Rates and Calculations
The following table lists the 2019 Rates per hour, per employee, by
type of service:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2019 Rate
(estimates
rounded to
Service reflect
billable
quarters)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basetime................................................ $59.96
Overtime................................................ 74.76
Holiday................................................. 89.56
Laboratory.............................................. 75.56
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The regulations state that FSIS will calculate the rates using
formulas that include the Office of Field Operations (OFO) inspection
program personnel's previous fiscal year's regular direct pay and
regular hours (9 CFR 391.2, 391.3, 391.4, 590.126, 590.128, 592.510,
592.520, and 592.530). In 2013, an Agency reorganization eliminated the
OIA program office and transferred all of its inspection program
personnel to OFO. Therefore, inspection program personnel's pay and
hours are identified in the calculations as ``OFO inspection program
personnel's'' pay and hours.
FSIS determined the 2019 rates using the following calculations:
Basetime Rate = The quotient of dividing the Office of Field
Operations (OFO) inspection program personnel's previous fiscal year's
regular direct pay by the previous fiscal year's regular hours, plus
the quotient multiplied by the calendar year's percentage of cost of
living increase, plus the benefits rate, plus the travel and operating
rate, plus the overhead rate, plus the allowance for bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2019 basetime rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2018 OFO Regular Direct Pay divided by the previous fiscal
year's Regular Hours ($461,873,361/15,909,552)] = $29.03 + ($29.03 *
1.9% (calendar year 2019 Cost of Living Increase)) = $29.58 + $10.36
(benefits rate) + $2.10 (travel and operating rate) + $17.92 (overhead
rate) + $0.00 (bad debt allowance rate) = $59.96, which is already
divisible by 4.
Overtime Rate = The quotient of dividing the Office of Field
Operations (OFO) inspection program personnel's previous fiscal year's
regular direct pay by the previous fiscal year's regular hours, plus
that quotient multiplied by the calendar year's percentage of cost of
[[Page 65338]]
living increase, multiplied by 1.5 (for overtime), plus the benefits
rate, plus the travel and operating rate, plus the overhead rate, plus
the allowance for bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2019 overtime rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2018 OFO Regular Direct Pay divided by previous fiscal year's
Regular Hours ($461,873,361/15,909,552)] = $29.03 + ($29.03 * 1.9%
(calendar year 2019 Cost of Living Increase)) = $29.58 * 1.5 = $44.37 +
$10.36 (benefits rate) + $2.10 (travel and operating rate) + $17.92
(overhead rate) + $0.00 (bad debt allowance rate) = $74.75 rounded up
to $74.76, so that it is divisible by 4.
Holiday Rate = The quotient of dividing the Office of Field
Operations (OFO) inspection program personnel's previous fiscal year's
regular direct pay by the previous fiscal year's regular hours, plus
that quotient multiplied by the calendar year's percentage of cost of
living increase, multiplied by 2 (for holiday pay), plus the benefits
rate, plus the travel and operating rate, plus the overhead rate, plus
the allowance for bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2019 holiday rate per hour per program
employee calculation is:
[FY 2018 OFO Regular Direct Pay divided by Regular Hours
($461,873,361/15,909,552)] = $29.03 + ($29.03 * 1.9% (calendar year
2019 Cost of Living Increase)) = $29.58 * 2 = $59.17 + $10.36 (benefits
rate) + $2.10 (travel and operating rate) + $17.92 (overhead rate) +
$0.00 (bad debt allowance rate) = $89.54, rounded up to $89.56, so that
it is divisible by 4.
Laboratory Services Rate = The quotient of dividing the Office of
Public Health Science (OPHS) previous fiscal year's regular direct pay
by the OPHS previous fiscal year's regular hours, plus the quotient
multiplied by the calendar year's percentage cost of living increase,
plus the benefits rate, plus the travel and operating rate, plus the
overhead rate, plus the allowance for bad debt rate.
The calculation for the 2019 laboratory services rate per hour per
program employee is:
[FY 2018 OPHS Regular Direct Pay/OPHS Regular hours ($24,480,845/
552,168)] = $44.34 + ($44.34 * 1.9% (calendar year 2019 Cost of Living
Increase)) = $45.18 + $10.36 (benefits rate) + $2.10 (travel and
operating rate) + $17.92 (overhead rate) + $0.00 (bad debt allowance
rate) = $75.56, which is already divisible by 4.
Calculations for the Benefits, Travel and Operating, Overhead, and
Allowance for Bad Debt Rates
These rates are components of the basetime, overtime, holiday, and
laboratory services rates formulas.
Benefits Rate: The quotient of dividing the previous fiscal year's
direct benefits costs by the previous fiscal year's total hours
(regular, overtime, and holiday), plus that quotient multiplied by the
calendar year's percentage cost of living increase. Some examples of
direct benefits are health insurance, retirement, life insurance, and
Thrift Savings Plan basic and matching contributions.
The calculation for the 2019 benefits rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2018 Direct Benefits/(Total Regular hours + Total Overtime
hours + Total Holiday hours) ($195,953,150/19,267,813)] = $10.17 +
($10.17* 1.9% (calendar year 2019 Cost of Living Increase)) = $10.36.
Travel and Operating Rate: The quotient of dividing the previous
fiscal year's total direct travel and operating costs by the previous
fiscal year's total hours (regular, overtime, and holiday), plus that
quotient multiplied by the calendar year's percentage of inflation.
The calculation for the 2019 travel and operating rate per hour per
program employee is:
[FY 2018 Total Direct Travel and Operating Costs/(Total Regular
hours + Total Overtime hours + Total Holiday hours) ($39,709,179/
19,267,813)] = $2.06 + ($2.06 * 1.9% (2019 Inflation) = $2.10.
Overhead Rate: The quotient of dividing the previous fiscal year's
indirect costs plus the previous fiscal year's information technology
(IT) costs in the Public Health Data Communication Infrastructure
System Fund plus the provision for the operating balance less any
Greenbook costs (i.e., costs of USDA support services prorated to the
service component for which fees are charged) that are not related to
food inspection by the previous fiscal year's total hours (regular,
overtime, and holiday) worked across all funds, plus the quotient
multiplied by the calendar year's percentage of inflation.
The calculation for the 2019 overhead rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2018 Total Overhead/(Total Regular hours + Total Overtime hours
+ Total Holiday hours) ($ 338,760,688/19,267,813)] = $17.58 + ($17.58 *
1.9% (2019 Inflation) = $17.92.
Allowance for Bad Debt Rate = Previous fiscal year's total
allowance for bad debt (for example, debt owed that is not paid in full
by plants and establishments that declare bankruptcy) divided by
previous fiscal year's total hours (regular, overtime, and holiday)
worked.
The 2019 calculation for bad debt rate per hour per program
employee is:
[FY 2018 Total Bad Debt/(Total Regular hours + Total Overtime hours
+ Total Holiday hours) = ($73,050/19,267,813)] = $0.00.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal
Register publication on-line through the FSIS web page located at:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
FSIS also will make copies of this publication available through
the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide information
regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal Register
notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information that
could affect or would be of interest to our constituents and
stakeholders. The Update is available on the FSIS web page. Through the
web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more
diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email subscription
service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food
safety news and information. This service is available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe. Options range from recalls to export
information, regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or
delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password
protect their accounts.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status,
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs,
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or
activity conducted by the USDA.
How to File a Complaint of Discrimination
To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you
[[Page 65339]]
or your authorized representative.
Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax,
or email:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Director, Office of
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410,
Fax: (202) 690-7442, Email: program.intake@usda.gov
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
Done at Washington, DC.
Paul Kiecker,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2018-27521 Filed 12-19-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P
