Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/07/29/03-19088/physicians-comparability-allowances
Timestamp: 2018-02-19 14:39:43
Document Index: 299045197

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 595', 'art 595', 'art 595', '§\u2009595', '§\u2009595', '§\u2009595', 'art 595', '§\u2009595', '§\u2009595', '§\u2009595', '§\u2009595']

A Proposed Rule by the Personnel Management Office on 07/29/2003
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-19088 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-19088
Start Preamble Start Printed Page 44489
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing to revise the regulations governing the physicians' comparability allowance program. The proposed regulations have been converted to a question-and-answer format and rewritten to ease reader understanding and improve administration of this program.
Send or deliver comments to Donald J. Winstead, Deputy Associate Director for Pay and Performance Policy, Strategic Human Resources Policy Division, Office of Personnel Management, Room 7H31, 1900 E Street NW., Washington, DC 20415-8200, FAX: (202) 606-0824, or email them to pay-performance-policy@opm.gov.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing proposed regulations to revise 5 CFR part 595, Physicians' Comparability Allowances. Unless otherwise stated, the purpose of this revision to part 595 is to make part 595 more readable, not to make substantive changes. OPM has replaced the verb “shall” with “must” in this part for added clarity and readability. OPM intends that any provision in this part using the verb “must” has the same meaning and effect as previous provisions in this part using “shall.”
Finally, OPM is removing § 595.108, Reports. Section 5948(j) of title 5, United States Code, requires an annual Presidential report to Congress on the operation of the PCA program and specifies what information must be included in the report. The regulations in § 595.108 repeat what information must be included in the annual report. Since the regulations are redundant, we are proposing to remove § 595.108. In addition, since the PCA program was made permanent in 2000, the necessity for an annual report is clearly diminished. OPM plans to propose legislation to repeal 5 U.S.C. 5948(j) to delete the annual reporting requirement.
Accordingly, OPM is proposing to amend part 595 of title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations as follows:
(a) This program covers individuals employed as physicians under the Federal pay systems listed in 5 U.S.C. 5948(g)(1), except as provided in 5 U.S.C. 5948(b). For the purposes of this part, an individual is “employed as a physician” only if he or she is serving in a position the duties and responsibilities of which could not be satisfactorily performed by an incumbent who is not a physician.
(b) Section 5948(b) of title 5, United States Code, prohibits the payment of physicians' comparability allowances to certain physicians, including physicians who are reemployed annuitants. For the purpose of applying this prohibition, “reemployed annuitant” means an individual who is receiving or has title to and has applied for an annuity under any retirement program of the Government of the United States, or the government of the District of Columbia, on the basis of service as a civilian employee.
(a) The amount of the comparability allowance payable for each category of physician positions established under § 595.103 must be the minimum amount necessary to deal with the recruitment and retention problem identified under § 595.104 for that category of positions. In determining this amount, the agency head must consider the relative earnings, responsibilities, expenses, workload, working conditions, conditions of employment, and personnel benefits for physicians in each category and for comparable physicians inside and outside the Federal Government.
(d) A physician who is employed on a regularly scheduled part-time basis of half-time or more is eligible to receive a physicians' comparability allowance, but any such allowance must be prorated according to the proportion of the physicians' work schedule to full-time employment.
(c) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will review each agency's plan for implementing the physicians' comparability allowance program and determine whether the plan is consistent with 5 U.S.C. 5948 and the requirements of this part. OMB will advise the agency within 45 calendar days after receipt of the plan as to whether the plan is consistent with 5 U.S.C. 5948 and this part or what changes need to be made.
9. Section § 595.108 is removed.
§ 595.108 Reports.
[FR Doc. 03-19088 Filed 7-28-03; 8:45 am]