Comments:

February 16, 2005

  DoD NSPS Comments

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   DoD NSPS Comments:

  I am writing to express my concerns about the forthcoming changes to the work rules in the Department of Defense (DoD).  The proposed regulations, known as the National Security Personnel System (NSPS), were printed in the Federal Register on February 14, 2005.  This message will be sent to both DoD and my representatives in Congress. 

  I have worked for DoD for almost 30 years.  We have had changes that have brought the system down, but, this new  way will be a really big mess and will cost the Government alot of money in the long run.   Ethics and integrity will be forgotten because of greed and favoritism and will not be used by those in charge.  I have already seen it and had good workers destroyed in my work place because of poor practices by a supervisor.  Also, I  have heard about it at other offices,  and what a decay it becomes.  It is very upsetting the way these proposals will treat the employees who have helped defend our country for so many dedicated years.  Are we going to treat them like the enemy?  I speak for myself and feel very strong that most DoD employees have worked  hard and made a dedicated commitment to their jobs and the Government.  Mistreating employees will hurt the agency’s mission and bring on a lot of animosity.  Teamwork is suppose to be the big thing in offices, but, in the last five years or more I have seen it disappear alot  and it will get worse in this new system.  Feel the mission will be forgotten because employees will be "sucking up" and there will be too much favoritism.  It is very upsetting what NSPS will do.  This system will change the way workers are paid, evaluated, promoted, fired, scheduled, and treated.  These rules would create a system in which federal managers are influenced by favoritism rather than serving the civil concerns of the American people.  We had a good system why are we getting rid of a good, fair one? 

  Feel CSRS employees were much better workers than those under FERS.  Now more employees abuse their annual and sick leave because if they don't use it then they lose it.  That was taken away from federal workers.  Now what will NSPS do?    

  Annual Pay Raises: 

  Employees' pay under the General Schedule was clear.  It was funded by Congress and could not be taken away.  However, NSPS will take away this certainty.  Salaries and bonuses are funded by DoD.  In the past – as recently as just last year – DoD did not fund its awards program.  It has been very obvious that only certain people are given the awards and others are always overlooked because they weren't "in the special group" or a "favorite".  So, given the agency’s miserable record on this issue, how can employees feel confident that our salaries and bonuses will be funded in the future? 

  “Friend of the Supervisor” Pay System:  What will it be?  

  DoD calls the new patronage pay system,  “pay for performance.”  The amount of a worker's salary will depend almost completely on the personal judgment of his or her manager.  This system will force workers to compete with one another for pay raises, which will destroy teamwork, increase conflict among employees, and reward short-term outcomes. There is no guarantee that even the best workers will receive a pay raise or that the pay offered will be fair or competitive.  This system will create a situation in which workers are in conflict with one another and afraid to speak out about harassment, violations of the law, and workplace safety problems.  Furthermore, there will be no impartial appeal system to assure that everyone is treated fairly. 

  Schedules and Overtime:  

  NSPS will allow managers to schedule employees to work without sufficientadvance notice of schedule changes.  This change will make it extremely difficult for working parents to care for their children and families. Daycares are very expensive anymore and aren't flexible like they use to be.  It will also mean that abusive managers could harass employees with bad schedules or short notice.  Overtime rotations can be canceled, which means that employees may not be able to plan adequately for childcare and other important responsibilities.  Overtime will be given to the favorites.  There will be abuse of it, as I have already seen it. 

  Civilian Deployment: 

  Federal employees could be assigned anywhere in the world, even into a war zone, with little or no notice.  I am proud to serve my country, but, I am a woman and  have my responsibilities and personal obligations at home.  I took a test, passed, and signed up for a civilian job when I started Civil Service.  Women then were ineligible to be in the military if they became pregnant.  I chose to be an Air Force dependent and support my military husband instead of enlisting.  The volunteer system that we have now seems to be working  well. 

  The Americans are fighting a war for democracy abroad.  Will we have a war at work, too?  The regulations appear to be an attack on the workers’ basic rights.  Furthermore, NSPS will divert the attention of defense workers from the soldiers’ welfare to protecting themselves from abuse on the job.  Won't we be forgetting what our mission is and why we work for the Government?  I urge you to force DoD to rethink this proposal.  Work rules are needed that will preserve fairness, serve the American people, and respect the rights of DoD!

  Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and listening to me..