Office of Personnel Management – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) hereby withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) regarding the criteria governing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) broadbanding systems, published in the Federal Register April 17, 2007. OPM has determined withdrawal of the NPRM is appropriate as it would be impractical to issue this rule at this time.

The National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations plans to meet on Wednesday, November 19, 2014. The meeting will start at 10:00 a.m. EST and will be held in the Main Conference Room (3102), U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, 810 Seventh Street NW., Washington, DC 20531. Visitors can enter on either the 7th Street or 9th Street side of the building. Interested parties should consult the Council Web site at 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.

The United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a proposed rule to amend the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) regulations to allow children of same-sex domestic partners living in states that do not allow same-sex couples to marry to be covered as family members under an eligible individual's FEGLI Option C enrollment. This rule expands the circumstances under which an employee experiencing a change in family circumstances may include eligible children of a same-sex domestic partner.

On August 2, 2013, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published notice in the Federal Register informing annuitants that they had an extended opportunity (until June 26, 2015), to elect survivor annuity benefits for their same-sex spouses if they had been married prior to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Windsor, 133 S.Ct. 2675 (2013), on June 26, 2013, and were prevented by the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), 1 U.S.C. 7(3)(1996), from making a timely election. See 78 FR 47018 (Aug. 2, 2013). Similarly, because annuitants, employees, or former employees in same-sex marriages may have died prior to the Windsor decision (i.e. prior to June 26, 2013), and because the same-sex spouses of those deceased annuitants, employees, and former employees may not have applied for death benefits because of DOMA, or may have applied for death benefits but were denied benefits because of DOMA, OPM is publishing this notice to inform those surviving same-sex spouses that they may apply (or re-apply) for death benefits so that OPM can evaluate whether or not those same-sex spouses may now be entitled to survivor annuity or lump-sum death benefits.

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) 3206-0167, Financial Resources Questionnaire and Notice of Debt Due Because of Annuity Overpayment. 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 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) 3206-0206, Evidence to Prove Dependency of a Child. 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 February 24, 2014 at Volume FR 10203 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 Chief Information Officer, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on an information collection request (ICR) 3206-0257, ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery.'' 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 Federal Salary Council will meet on October 17, 2014, 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 2016. 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.

The Hispanic Council on Federal Employment (Council) is cancelling the October 16, 2014 Council meeting and will hold the next Council meetings at the location shown below on the following dates and times: September 30 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. October 28 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. 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 Director 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. Location: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E St. NW., Washington, DC 20415.

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. OPM is soliciting comments for this collection under 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is particularly interested in comments that: 1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency'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 August 21, 2014 Council meeting. 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 Director 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. Location: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E St. NW., Washington, DC 20415.

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) 3206-0179, Disabled Dependent Questionnaire, RI 30-10. 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 February 24, 2014 at Volume 79 FR 10202 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.

This notice identifies Schedule A, B, and C appointing authorities applicable to a single agency that were established or revoked from June 1, 2014, to June 30, 2014.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to update various nondiscrimination provisions to provide greater consistency and reflect current law.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a proposed rule that would redefine the geographic boundaries of the Fort Wayne-Marion, IN, and Detroit, MI, appropriated fund Federal Wage System (FWS) wage areas. The proposed rule would redefine Fulton County, OH, from the Fort Wayne-Marion wage area to the Detroit wage area. This change is based on a recent consensus recommendation of the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC) to best match Fulton County to a nearby FWS survey area. In addition, this proposed rule adds La Crosse County, WI, to the survey area of the Southwestern Wisconsin wage area, which OPM inadvertently omitted in a final rule published in 2013.

OPM has amended an existing system of records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended. This amendment adds several categories of records to be collected. For participating students, additional categories of records include emergency contact information, initial funding semester/quarter, date available for post- graduation commitment, high school background, post high school education background, current certifications, cybersecurity employment Information and History, gender, ethnicity, race, and US armed forces status. For officials from participating academic institutions, additional categories of records include SFS award information and institution demographics. There are no changes to the categories of records collected for agency officials. 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 system of records maintained by the agency (5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4)). The system has been operational since March 24, 2003 without incident.

The Office of Combined Federal Campaign, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on an information collection request (ICR) 3206-0193, OPM 1417, the Combined Federal Campaign Results Report. 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 Retirement Services, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a revised information collection request (ICR) 3206-0121, Application for Deferred Retirement (For persons separated on or after October 1, 1956). 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 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) 3206-0245, Request for Change to Unreduced Annuity. 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 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 (ICR) 3206-0156, Application for Death Benefits (CSRS)/Documentation and Elections in Support of Application for Death Benefits When Deceased Was an Employee at the Time of Death (CSRS). 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 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) 3206-0144, We Need the Social Security Number of the Person Named Below. 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 February 24, 2014 at Volume 79 FR 10203 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 U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing to revise the definition of spouse in its regulations on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) as a result of the decision by the United States Supreme Court holding Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. The new definition will replace the existing definition, which contains language from DOMA that refers to ``a legal union between one man and one woman.'' The new definition permits Federal employees with same-sex spouses to use FMLA leave in the same manner as Federal employees with opposite-sex spouses.

The Hispanic Council on Federal Employment (Council) is cancelling the June 19, 2014 Council meeting and will hold its next Council meetings on July 15 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the 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. Location: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E St. NW., Washington, DC 20415.

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) 3206-0173, Designation of Beneficiary (FERS). 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 Personnel Management (OPM) is providing notice of revised normal cost percentages for employees covered by the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) Act of 1986.