| Comment Number: | EM-017575 |
| Received: | 3/12/2005 10:50:17 AM |
| 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:
March 12, 2005 DoD NSPS Comments , DoD NSPS Comments: The NSPS as proposed will do a lot of damage to a system that has worked very well for many, many years. I am a disabled Veteran, as is my Father, and Grandfather. I work for the DoD taking care of service members because I feel service to my country is an honor. This new system as proposed is an insult and an attack on Federal employees by the current administration. There are problems with the current system that really need to be fixed, but not by destroying the entire system. The current hiring system is very slow. I work in a Dental Clinic at Ft. Wainwright, Alaska. When an employee leaves us, normally because they change duty stations with their spouse, it takes a long period of time to replace them. This period of time results in Soldiers not getting the best treatment we can give them while they fight the Global War on Terrorism. I would love to see that part of our personnel system addressed. Chapter 71, of Title 5 U.S. Code, section 7101 states that Congress finds it is in the best interest of good government and safeguards the public interest to have civil servants who can organize, bargain collectively, and participate through labor organizations of their choosing in decisions which affect them. NSPS says that it protects employee?s rights but supercedes Title Five U.S. Code. This NSPS was developed by an agency of our government, not the U.S. Congress. It should never be allowed to supercede existing law. Congress needs to hold DoD to doing what they were authorized to do and recognize that they went far and wide outside the boundaries set by Congress. The Congress sets our pay raises now, under NSPS, the agency will do this. DoD obviously thinks Congress can not be trusted to decide what is right foe Federal employees. Elected officials, not political appointees should continue to decide federal workers pay. This is the only way to keep civil servants politically neutral in the exercise of their duties. I urge Congress to not give up this crucial responsibility. I would also recommend if this ridiculous ?pay for performance? system is used, that the U.S. Congress continue to set the cost of living increase each year for federal employees. We actually have pay for performance now but it is rarely used. I work in clinic with 11 DoD civilians. I have personally received a performance rating every year I have been employed that is as high as can possibly be given. I also know that this is the case with several other employees I work with. No Employee since I have been employed there has ever received a quality pay step increase as is currently allowed, or a cash award. We have always been given a time off award, and it is always the same for every employee. No excellent employees are individually recognized. This is because it doesn?t cost them anything more than was budgeted for the year to give time off. I have to say that common sense will tell anyone that changing the name of our pay system will not change the way pay is decided or outstanding performance is rewarded. I believe if you give pay decisions to the agency we will receive less because it is in management?s best career interests to keep budgets low. Without Congress telling them they must give a cost of living increase, why would they? This new system will HURT the civil service more than I think anyone at DoD realizes. We recently had a town hall meeting at the Ft. Wainwright. The labor relation?s person who conducted the meeting encouraged us all to comment on NSPS during this comment period. There were literally hundreds of questions asked by employees at this meeting and I do not exaggerate when I say very few were answered. We were told ?we?re not sure??.? ?I don?t know??? ?We?ll have to wait and see?..? ?I don?t want to speculate??.? ?It has been determined yet??.? ?It hasn?t been developed yet??..? ?We haven?t been told yet??.? ?It might be??..? ?It?s just a sample??? ?Just a proposal??.? ?We don?t want to be specific?? This meeting was held so DoD can tell Congress they held meetings to keep employees informed. This is just a way to cover them with Congress and there was no information given except that we should go comment on the proposed regulations. We already knew that much. It was a total waste of time and the taxpayers money to hold this meaningless meeting. Employee appeal rights will be severely lessened under NSPS. DoD wants this because they have failed to train middle managers properly and are continually losing appeals of employee appraisals and disciplinary actions. They will have a 3-member board set by the Secretary of Defense. That way they?ll stop losing and getting embarrassed. No outside 3rd party who is unbiased. This is shameful. This is the Fox watching the Hens if ever there was such a thing. We have grown as a country beyond this type of thing and DoD wants to go backwards again. They don?t want anyone watching and reporting what they do wrong. The whole purpose of civil service is to be the taxpayer watchdogs and to protect against abuse. No employee will want to report wrong doing if the person he has to report on is in charge of his or her pay raise. They will have to be quiet or risk their family?s well being! This is what DoD wants and it is bordering on being criminal. I only hope and pray that during the congressional review period for NSPS that Congress protects this countries civil servants from this attack. There is very little benefit to NSPS. We serve our nation in DoD everyday fighting terrorism and protecting the public interest. Fix the problems we have but not like this. Train your managers to use the current system properly and then empower them to use it. Don?t waste millions of taxpayer dollars to try and re-invent the wheel. I am totally against this system as proposed. I will inform my congressional representatives of my feelings as well. Please give all the comments received due time and consideration. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.