Office of Personnel Management December 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations plans to meet on the following dates Wednesday, January 19, 2011. Wednesday, February 16, 2011. The meetings will start at 10 a.m. and will be held in the AIA Gallery Room at the American Institute of Architects, 1735 New York Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20006. Interested parties should consult the Council Web site at https://www.lmrcouncil.gov for the latest information on Council activities, including changes in meeting dates. The Council is an advisory body composed of representatives of Federal employee organizations, Federal management organizations, and senior government officials. The Council was established by Executive Order 13522, entitled, ``Creating Labor-Management Forums to Improve Delivery of Government Services,'' which was signed by the President on December 9, 2009. Along with its other responsibilities, the Council assists in the implementation of Labor Management Forums throughout the government and makes recommendations to the President on innovative ways to improve delivery of services and products to the public while cutting costs and advancing employee interests. The Council is co- chaired by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management and the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and Budget. At its meetings, the Council will continue its work in promoting cooperative and productive relationships between labor and management in the executive branch, by carrying out the responsibilities and functions listed in Section 1(b) of the Executive Order. The meetings are open to the public. Please contact the Office of Personnel Management at the address shown below if you wish to present material to the Council at the meeting. The manner and time prescribed for presentations may be limited, depending upon the number of parties that express interest in presenting information.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, May 22, 1995), this notice announces that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for review of a revised information collection. This information collection, ``Designation of Beneficiary: Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance'' (OMB Control No. 3206-0136; Standard Form 2823), is used by any Federal employee or retiree covered by the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program to instruct the Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance how to distribute the proceeds of his or her life insurance when the statutory order of precedence does not meet his or her needs. We estimate 47,000 SF 2823 forms are completed annually by annuitants and 1,000 forms are completed by assignees. Each form takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. The annual estimated burden is 12,000 hours. For copies of this proposal, contact Cyrus S. Benson on (202) 606- 4808, FAX (202) 606-0910 or via e-mail to Cyrus.Benson@opm.gov. Please include a mailing address with your request.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, May 22, 1995), this notice announces that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) intends to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for comments on a revised information collection. This information collection, Information and Instructions on Your Reconsideration Rights (OMB Control No. 3206-0237; Form RI 38-47), outlines the procedures required to request reconsideration of an initial OPM decision about Civil Service or Federal Employees retirement, Federal or Retired Federal Employees Health Benefits requests to enroll or change enrollment, or Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance coverage. This form lists the procedures and time periods required for requesting reconsideration. Comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the Office of Personnel Management, and whether it will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and methodology; and ways in which we can minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Approximately 3,100 annuitants and survivors request reconsideration annually. We estimate it takes approximately 45 minutes to apply. The annual burden is 2,325 hours. For copies of this proposal, contact Cyrus S. Benson on (202) 606- 4808, FAX (202) 606-0910 or via e-mail to Cyrus.Benson@opm.gov. Please include a mailing address with your request.

This gives notice of OPM decisions granting authority to make appointments under Schedules A, B, and C in the excepted service as required by 5 CFR 213.103.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing to revise its regulation regarding designation of national security positions. This proposed rule is one of a number of initiatives OPM has undertaken to simplify and streamline the system of Federal Government investigative and adjudicative processes to make them more efficient and as equitable as possible. The purpose of this revision is to clarify the requirements and procedures agencies should observe when designating national security positions as required under E.O. 10450, Security Requirements for Government Employment. The proposed regulations maintain the current standard which defines a national security position as ``any position in a department or agency, the occupant of which could bring about, by virtue of the nature of the position, a material adverse effect on the national security.'' The purpose of the revisions is to clarify the categories of positions which, by virtue of the nature of their duties, have the potential to bring about a material adverse impact on the national security, whether or not the positions require access to classified information. Another purpose of the amendments is to acknowledge, for greater clarity, complementary requirements set forth in part 731, Suitability, so that every position is properly designated with regard to both public trust risk and national security sensitivity considerations, both of which are necessary for determining appropriate investigative requirements. Finally, the proposed rule clarifies when reinvestigation of individuals in national security positions is required.