[Federal Register: April 1, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 62)] [Proposed Rules] [Page 15787] ==================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------- OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 5 CFR Parts 293 and 410 RIN 3206-AH94 Personnel Records and Training AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing proposed regulations governing personnel records and Federal employee training. The proposed regulations amend a statement about maintaining individual employee training records and clarify agency authority for training employees outside the United States. DATES: Submit comments on or before June 1, 1998. ADDRESSES: Send or deliver written comments to Steven R. Cohen, Director, Office of Workforce Relations, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Room 7508, 1900 E Street NW., Washington, DC, 20415-0001. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 5 CFR Part 293 information: Linda Brick on 202-606-1126, fax 202-606-1719, or email lmbrick@opm.gov. For 5 CFR 410 information: Judith Lombard on 202-606-2431, fax 202-606- 2394, or email jmlombar@opm.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These proposed rules affect the training of Government employees. The changes are summarized as follows: (1) Training Records. The proposed rules remove a parenthetical sentence in 5 CFR 293.403(b)(3) that provides for records of training of 8 hours or more to be placed in an employee's Official Personnel File. Since publication of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Guide to Personnel Recordkeeping, March 15, 1996 (available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, or from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's website at http:// www.opm.gov/feddata/html/opf.htm), training documents are no longer maintained as permanent records in an employee's Official Personnel Folder. The parenthetical sentence in 5 CFR 293.403(b)(3) (47 FR 3080) referred to above is no longer accurate and needs to be deleted. (2) Training Outside the United States. The proposed rules add a section on training outside the continental United States. A section on training outside the United States was omitted from the final training regulations published December 17, 1996 (61 FR 66189). Previous regulations (47 FR 935 January 8, 1982) included guidance on this subject. Since publication of the revised training rules, agency personnel have often called the U.S. Office of Personnel Management asking questions about approval procedures for training that takes place outside the United States. The proposed new section clarifies agency authority in this area. The new section would be designated as 5 CFR 410.302(f) and would read as follows: The head of each agency shall prescribe procedures, as authorized by section 402 of Executive Order No. 11348, for obtaining U.S. Department of State advice before assigning an employee who is stationed within the continental limits of the United States to training outside the continental United States that is provided by a foreign government, international organization, or instrumentality of either. Regulatory Flexibility Act I certify that these regulations will not have significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because they affect only Federal employees and agencies. List of Subjects 5 CFR Part 293 Archives and records, Freedom of information, Government employees, Health records, and Privacy. 5 CFR Part 410 Education, Government employees. Office of Personnel Management. Janice R. Lachance, Director. Accordingly, the Office of Personnel Management is proposing to amend 5 CFR part 293 and 5 CFR part 410 as follows: PART 293--PERSONNEL RECORDS Subpart D--Employee Performance File System Records 1. The authority citation for subpart D of 5 CFR part 293 continues to read as follows: Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a and 5 U.S.C. 4305 and 4315; E.O. 12107 (December 28, 1978); 5 U.S.C. 1103, 1104, and 1302; 3 CFR 1954-1958 Compilation; 5 CFR 7.2; E.O. 9830, 3 CFR 1943-1948 Compilation. Sec. 293.403 [Amended] 2. Section 293.403 paragraph (b)(3) is amended by removing the parenthetical sentence. PART 410--TRAINING 3. The authority citation for part 410 continues to read as follows: Authority: 5 U.S.C. 4101, et. seq.; E.O. 11348, 3 CFR, 1967 Comp., p. 275. 4. Section 410.302 is amended by adding a new paragraph (f) to read as follows: Sec. 410.302 Responsibilities of the head of an agency. * * * * * (f) The head of each agency shall prescribe procedures, as authorized by section 402 of Executive Order No. 11348, for obtaining U.S. Department of State advice before assigning an employee who is stationed within the continental limits of the United States to training outside the continental United States that is provided by a foreign government, international organization, or instrumentality of either. [FR Doc. 98-8515 Filed 3-31-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6325-01-P