Office of Personnel Management 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on the information collection request (ICR) 3206-0252, Program Services Evaluation Surveys. 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 is particularly interested in comments that: 1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of OPM, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. Evaluate the accuracy of the OPM's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing to amend the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) regulations to provide an election opportunity for employees enrolled in FEGLI Option B and Option C. This new procedure replaces the procedure by which FEGLI enrollees elect the allowable multiples of coverage they wish to continue during retirement or while receiving compensation.

The National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations plans to meet on the following dates

Notice is hereby given of the appointment of members of the OPM Performance Review Board.

This notice identifies Schedule A, B, and C appointing authorities applicable to a single agency that were established or revoked from August 1, 2013, to August 31, 2013.

This notice identifies Schedule A, B, and C appointing authorities applicable to a single agency that were established or revoked from October 1, 2013, to October 31, 2013.

National Healthcare Operations, U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a new information collection request (ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 3206-NEW, Request for External Review. The information collection comprises two forms: (1) Model Notice of Final Internal Adverse Benefit Determination, and (2) Case Intake Form. 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 information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on August 2, 2013 at Volume 78 FR 47016 allowing for a 60-day public comment period. Two comments were received for the information collection. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in comments that: 1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of OPM, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. Evaluate the accuracy of OPM's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is adopting its proposed regulations applicable to electronic benefits processing under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS), the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB), and the Retired Federal Employee Health Benefits (RFEHB) Programs. These amendments are also being adopted to provide OPM with the flexibility to implement further improvements in automated retirement processing, recordkeeping, and electronic submission of forms and retirement applications as OPM's technological initiatives reach completion.

The Retirement Services, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on an extension, without change, of a currently approved information collection request (ICR) 3206-0142, Designation of Beneficiary: Civil Service Retirement System, SF 2808. 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 is particularly interested in comments that: 1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of OPM, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. Evaluate the accuracy of OPM's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

The Federal Salary Council meeting originally scheduled for November 5, 2013 (FR Vol. 78, No. 192, page 61404) has been rescheduled for December 17, 2013, at the time and location shown below. The Council is an advisory body composed of representatives of Federal employee organizations and experts in the fields of labor relations and pay policy. The Council makes recommendations to the President's Pay Agent (the Secretary of Labor and the Directors of the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management) about the locality pay program for General Schedule employees under section 5304 of title 5, United States Code. The Council's recommendations cover the establishment or modification of locality pay areas, the coverage of salary surveys, the process of comparing Federal and non-Federal rates of pay, and the level of comparability payments that should be paid. The Council will hear public testimony about the locality pay program, review the results of pay comparisons, and formulate its recommendations to the President's Pay Agent on pay comparison methods, locality pay rates, and locality pay areas and boundaries for 2015. The meeting is open to the public. Please contact the Office of Personnel Management at the address shown below if you wish to submit testimony or present material to the Council at the meeting.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, May 22, 1995), this notice announces the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) plan to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for clearance of a revised information collection, Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference. The SF-15 is used by agencies, OPM examining offices, and agency appointing officials to adjudicate individuals' claims for veterans' preference in accordance with the Veterans' Preference Act of 1944. OPM's revisions will (1) remove obsolete items; and (2) update language as a result of the enactment of the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (Pub. L. 112-56). The SF-15 will be revised to create a PDF fillable form for applicant use. The only acceptable version of this form will be as stated above, but consistent with current practice, the form may be submitted electronically or in hard copy. Upon publication, please destroy any prior versions you have in stock. The SF-15 will be obtainable on the OPM Web site at https:// www.opm.gov/forms/standard-forms/. No comments were received for this information collection. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in comments that: 1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of OPM, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. Evaluate the accuracy of OPM's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

The Hispanic Council on Federal Employment (Council) is cancelling the October 31, 2013 Council meeting and will hold its remaining 2013 Council meeting on the date and location shown below. The Council is an advisory committee composed of representatives from Hispanic organizations and senior government officials. Along with its other responsibilities, the Council shall advise the Director of the Office of Personnel Management on matters involving the recruitment, hiring, and advancement of Hispanics in the Federal workforce. The Council is co-chaired by the Chief of Staff of the Office of Personnel Management and the Chair of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA). The meeting is 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 any of the meetings. The manner and time prescribed for presentations may be limited, depending upon the number of parties that express interest in presenting information.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to amend the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program regulations regarding coverage for Members of Congress and congressional staff.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is adopting as final the interim rule that redefined the Clayton-Cobb-Fulton, GA, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area by removing Clarke, Clayton, and Fulton Counties, GA, from the wage area definition. The name of the wage area will be Cobb, GA. These changes are necessary because by the end of October 2013 there will no longer be NAF employment in Clarke, Clayton, and Fulton Counties.

OPM has amended an existing system of records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974. This action is necessary to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act to publish in the Federal Register notice of the existence and character of systems of records maintained by the agency.

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 information collection request (ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 3206- NEW, for Standard Form 86 Certification (SF 86C). 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 is particularly interested in comments that: 1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of OPM, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. Evaluate the accuracy of OPM's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is issuing a final rule to update the 2007 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes currently used in Federal Wage System wage survey industry regulations with the 2012 NAICS revisions published by the Office of Management and Budget.

The Retirement Services, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on an extension, without change, of a currently approved information collection request (ICR) 3206-0233, Civil Service Retirement System Survivor Annuitant Express Pay Application for Death Benefits, RI 25-51. 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 is particularly interested in comments that: 1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of OPM, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. Evaluate the accuracy of OPM's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

The Retirement Services, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on an extension, without change, of a currently approved information collection request (ICR) 3206-0032, Self-Certification of Full-Time School Attendance For The School Year, RI 25-14; and Information and Instructions for Completing the Self-Certification of Full-Time School Attendance For The School Year, RI 25-14A. 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 is particularly interested in comments that: 1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of OPM, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. Evaluate the accuracy of the OPM's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

The Retirement Services, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on an extension, without change, of a currently approved information collection request (ICR) 3206-0187, We Need Information About Your Missing Payment, RI 38-31. 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 is particularly interested in comments that: 1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of OPM, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. Evaluate the accuracy of OPM's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing to update various nondiscrimination provisions appearing in title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, to provide greater consistency and reflect current law.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, May 22, 1995), this notice announces the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) plan to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for clearance of a revised information collection, Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference. The SF-15 is used by agencies, OPM examining offices, and agency appointing officials to adjudicate individuals' claims for veterans' preference in accordance with the Veterans' Preference Act of 1944. OPM's revisions will (1) remove obsolete items; and (2) update language as a result of the enactment of the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 (Pub. L. 112-56). The SF 15 will be revised to create a PDF fillable form for applicant use. The only acceptable version of this form will be as stated above, but consistent with current practice, the form may be submitted electronically or in hard copy. Upon publication, please destroy any prior versions you have in stock. The SF 15 will be obtainable on the OPM Web site at www.opm.gov/forms/html.sf.asp.

Trust Funds Group of the Office of Chief Financial Officer, Office of Personnel Management (OPM), offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on changes to existing Standard Form 2812, Standard Form 2812-A, and OPM Form 1523. 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 information collection was previously published in the Federal Register on June 4, 2013 (78 FR 33450) allowing for a 60-day public comment period. No comments were received for this information collection. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments. The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in comments that: 1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of OPM, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. Evaluate the accuracy of OPM's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; 3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has completed its annual determination of the states that qualify as Medically Underserved Areas under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program for calendar year 2014. This is necessary to comply with a provision of the FEHB law that mandates special consideration for enrollees of certain FEHB plans who receive covered health services in states with critical shortages of primary care physicians. Accordingly, for calendar year 2013, the following 14 states are considered as Medically Underserved Areas under the FEHB Program: Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wyoming. The states of Montana, and South Dakota are removed as Medically Underserved Area in 2014.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final regulations to improve oversight of recruitment and retention incentive determinations; add succession planning to the list of factors that an agency must consider before approving a retention incentive, if applicable; and make additional minor clarifications and corrections.