| Comment Number: | EM-001417 |
| Received: | 2/25/2005 6:00:05 PM |
| Subject: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Request for Comment |
| Title: | National Security Personnel System |
| CFR Citation: | 5 CFR Chapter XCIX and Part 9901 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
February 25, 2005 DoD NSPS Comments , DoD NSPS Comments: I write to express my serious 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 for DoD for 22 years. I have been discriminated against many times, but this new system opens up a whole new opportunity for me to be discriminated against, then fired, for no good reason! It takes a lot of nerve and a high degree of unfairness to reward hard working, loyal, patriotic employees in this manner. This is the same government that rewards our wounded war veterans by eliminating their medical insurance, so what am I to expect! Somehow, the war that is currently being fought is much more important than the past wars based upon the fact that the retired veterans and long-time Civil Service employees are literally being cast by the wayside. True, there are problems with the system, but change the problems that stand in the way of security, and prompt hiring. Here it seems the government is shooting themselves in the foot trying to make things better. People need more money in their old age, not less money. Now I am told that my raises/awards are gone (if my boss doesn't happen to like me). How does this benefit me or any of my coworkers in the same position? These jobs are the livelihood of the personnel on this base. How could we leave that security to a system so subjective that we could lose our job tomorrow? In my current organization, we have to buy our own paper on which to print. How much money could we expect in salaries, raises, and awards from such a place under this new system? Under the General Schedule and FWS, 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? ?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 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. 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. We signed up for a civilian job. We did not enlist in the military. Today?s volunteer system works well, and we believed our President when he said he would keep it that way. America is at war. We are fighting for democracy abroad. But the regulations are an attack on workers? basic rights. Furthermore, NSPS will divert the attention of defense workers from the soldiers? 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. Please stop this. Thank you very much. Sincerely,