(a) All establishments having a total employment of 50 or more employees in the prescribed industries within a survey area shall be included within the survey universe. On rare occasions and as an exception to the rule, OPM may authorize lower minimum size levels based on a recommendation of the lead agency for the wage area.

(b) Establishments to be covered in surveys shall be selected under standard probability sample selection procedures. In areas with relatively few establishments, surveys shall cover all establishments within the prescribed industry and size groups.

(c) A lead agency may not delete from a survey an establishment properly included in an establishment list drawn under statistical sampling procedures.

[55 FR 46142, Nov. 1, 1990]