| Comment Number: | EM-017580 |
| Received: | 3/14/2005 1:20:49 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:
March 14, 2005 DoD NSPS Comments , DoD NSPS Comments: Changes to work rules in the Department of Defense (DoD) are an insult to every veteran working for it. 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 DoD and my representatives in Congress. You know, this president, and Clinton too, did nothing but cut benefits for military personnel. The pension was cut, the medical was cut, benefits were cut left and right. One of the few benefits to military service is that it can help to get a civil service job. These proposals treat employees who help defend our country as the enemy. Most DoD employees work hard and are committed. What better way to thank them- especially the veterans- than to treat them like trash. DoD hasn't cared about its mission for a long time, and it shows. NSPS turns DoD workers into temps. It changes the way workers are paid, evaluated, promoted, fired, scheduled, and treated- for the worse. These rules create a system in which federal managers play favorites rather than serving defense needs. NSPS means salaries and bonuses are determined by whim. As recently as just last year ? DoD did not fund its awards program. ?Pay for performance? is actually "pay for not upsetting supervisors". Now that's really smart. The best way to not upset supervisors is to do as little as possible. So now we are going to reward employees for doing as little as possible? This system will destroy teamwork, increase conflict among employees, and reward short-term outcomes. America's security is a long term goal, which only focused work can support. This plan destroys that focus. The best workers will do what they always do when benefits are cut- they will get out as soon as they can. Will they recommend that their children or other young people work for DoD? No, they will bitterly guide them to other jobs, where there are real benefits, real medical plans, and real working conditions. This system means workers with any sense won't speak out about about fraud, waste, harassment, violations of the law, and workplace safety problems. There will also be no impartial appeal system to assure that everyone is treated fairly. NSPS allows managers to schedule employees to work without sufficient advance notice of schedule changes. Veterans left military jobs for a reason- this kind of working condition is only for young people, not for older people with families and other obligations. This will make it extremely difficult for working parents to care for their children and family. It will also mean that abusive managers will harass employees with bad schedules or short notice. Overtime rotations can be canceled, which means that employees will not be able to plan adequately for childcare and other important responsibilities. Federal employees could be assigned anywhere in the world, even into a war zone, with little or no notice. That is a serious recruiting tool. DoD salaries aren't competitive- not for the best and brightest, they aren't. DoD seems to want to do everything in their power to drive away their best and brightest. America is at war, yes. These regulations are an attack on the best and brightest- workers? basic rights, which the best and brightest are very aware of. Intelligence and drive mean they perceive more. Furthermore, NSPS will divert the attention of defense workers from the soldiers? welfare to protecting themselves from abuse on the job- CYA will take up 50% of the day. So these proposals reduce the effectiveness of employees by 50%. These proposals could have come from Osama bin Laden's people. Did Halliburton think them up, so DoD workers wouldn't complain about the millions of dollars Halliburton stole? I urge you to force DoD to re-examine the oath they swore to protect the constitution, and rethink this proposal. We need work rules that help America's security, help DoD to get the workers and work it needs to accomplish its mission, preserve fairness, serve the American people, and respect the rights of Defense Department workers. Sincerely, why make it easy for them?