Comments:

  DoD NSPS Comments

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   DoD NSPS Comments:

  I write to express my concerns about changes to 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 hard for the DoD for over 27 years and  I am angry that these proposals seem to treat the employees who help defend our country as the enemy.  Most DoD employees work hard and are committed to the task of protecting our country. I believe that this system will adversely effect the agency's mission.  I am very upset by NSPS!  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 and personal agenda's rather than serving the civil concerns of the employees.  This will only cause undue stress in the work force and open the door to personal discrimination and corruption in the work place. I do not believe NSPS will help our nations security, it will adversely effect it.

  Annual Pay Raises:

  Under the General Schedule and Wage Grade scales, the employee pay 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.  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? 

  The "Friend of the Supervisor" Pay System:
With the new patronage pay system, which DoD calls "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 o 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,  workplace safety problems,  for fear of retaliation by their supervisors. The age discrimination and violence issues that could develope with this system would adversely impact the employees desire to do well in his job.  Furthermore, there will be no impartial appeal system to assure that everyone is treated fairly.  This is a step backwards for DOD employees!

  Schedules and Overtime:

  NSPS will allow managers to schedule employees to work without sufficient advance notice of schedule changes.  This will make it extremely difficultfor working parents to care for their children and family. 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. Quality of life? Not!

  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 also responsible for caring for my family and my personal obligations at home.  I signed up for a civilian job  with reserve obligations so I know what is expected of me when the time comes for me to be activated. I am a Deseart Storm veteran! This system could even make my activation for military duty a liability if my supervisor wishes.

  America is at war!  We are fighting for democracy abroad and protecting our homeland from terrorist attack, But the NSPS regulations are an attack on our nations DOD worker's basic rights.  Furthermore, NSPS will divert the attention of defense workers from the soldier's welfare to protecting themselves from abuse on the job.  I urge you to force DoD to rethink this proposal.  We need work rules that preserve fairness, serve the American people, and respect the rights of Defense Department workers.