PARITY IN ESTABLISHMENT OF WAGE SCHEDULES AND RATES FOR PREVAILING RATE EMPLOYEES.

SEC. 1113. PARITY IN ESTABLISHMENT OF WAGE SCHEDULES AND RATES FOR PREVAILING RATE EMPLOYEES. (a) In General.—Paragraph (2) of section 5343(d) of title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: “(2) When the lead agency determines that there is a number of comparable positions in private industry insufficient to establish the wage schedules and rates, such agency shall establish the wage schedules and rates on the basis of— “(A) local private industry rates; and “(B) rates paid for comparable positions in private industry in the nearest wage area that such agency determines is most similar in the nature of its population, employment, manpower, and industry to the local wage area for which the wage survey is being made”. (b) Effective Date.—Wage adjustments made pursuant to the amendment made by this section shall take effect in each applicable wage area on the first normal effective date of the applicable wage survey adjustment that occurs after the date of the enactment of this Act.