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

Federal Investigative Services (FIS), U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on an expiring information collection request (ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 3206- 0182, for the Declaration for Federal Employment, Optional Form (OF) 306. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, (Pub. L. 104- 13, 44 U.S.C. chapter 35) as amended by the Clinger-Cohen Act (Pub. L. 104-106), OPM is soliciting comments for this collection. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is particularly interested in comments that:

Treasury, SSA, VA, RRB and OPM (Agencies) are publishing for comment a proposed rule to implement statutory restrictions on the garnishment of Federal benefit payments. The Agencies are taking this action in response to recent developments in technology and debt collection practices that have led to an increase in the freezing of accounts containing Federal benefit payments. The proposed rule would establish procedures that financial institutions must follow when a garnishment order is received for an account into which Federal benefit payments have been directly deposited. The proposed rule would require financial institutions that receive a garnishment order for an account to determine whether any Federal benefit payments were deposited to the account within 60 calendar days prior to receipt of the order and, if so, would require the financial institution to ensure that the account holder has access to an amount equal to the sum of such payments in the account or to the current balance of the account, whichever is lower.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is issuing proposed regulations that would implement the ruling in the case of Fathauer v. United States, 566 F.3d 1352 (Fed. Cir. 2009). In this decision the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that part- time employees are covered under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5546(a), the statute governing the payment of Sunday premium pay for work performed on Sundays. The revised Sunday premium pay regulations would eliminate references to ``full-time'' employees, which will permit Sunday premium payments to part-time employees, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5546(a). Prevailing rate employees are entitled to payment of Sunday premium pay, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5544(a). Consistent with the reasoning in the Fathauer decision, OPM has determined that part-time prevailing rate employees are covered under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5544(a).

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-503), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs (54 FR 25818 published June 19, 1989), and OMB Circular No. A-130, revised November 28, 2000, ``Management of Federal Information Resources,'' the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is publishing notice of its new computer matching program with the Social Security Administration (SSA).

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, ``Annuity Supplement Earnings Report'' (OMB Control No. 3206-0194; Form RI 92-22), is used each year to obtain the earned income of Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuitants receiving an annuity supplement. The annuity supplement is paid to eligible FERS annuitants who are not retired on disability and are not yet age 62. The supplement approximates the portion of a full career Social Security benefit earned while under FERS and ends at age 62. Like Social Security benefits, the annuity supplement is subject to an earnings limitation.

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, ``Representative Payee Application'' (OMB Control No. 3206-0140; Form RI 20-7), is used by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) to collect information from persons applying to be fiduciaries for annuitants or survivor annuitants who appear to be incapable of handling their own funds or for minor children. ``Information Necessary for a Competency Determination'' (OMB Control No. 3206-0140; Form RI 30-3), collects medical information regarding the annuitant's competency for OPM's use in evaluating the annuitant's condition.

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 National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations will hold its initial meeting on February 26, 2010, at the time and location shown below. 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 November 9, 2009. Along with its other responsibilities, the Council will assist in the implementation of Labor Management Forums throughout the government and will make 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.

The President adjusted the rates of basic pay and locality payments for certain categories of Federal employees effective in January 2010. This notice documents those pay adjustments for the public record.

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.

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 review of a currently approved information collection. ``Survivor Annuity Election for a Spouse'' (OMB Control No. 3206-0174; Form RI 20-63), is used by annuitants to elect a reduced annuity with a survivor annuity for their spouse. (OMB Control No. 3206-0174; Form RI 20-116) is a cover letter for RI 20-63 giving information about the cost to elect less than the maximum survivor annuity. This letter may be used to decline to elect. (OMB Control No. 3206-0174; RI 20-117) is a cover letter for RI 20-63 giving information about the cost to elect the maximum survivor annuity. This letter may be used to ask for more information or to decline to elect.