| Comment Number: | EM-017669 |
| Received: | 3/15/2005 9:36:06 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 15, 2005 DoD NSPS Comments , DoD NSPS Comments: I am writing 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. I have worked for DoD for almost 20 years. These proposals seem to marginalize my contributions toward insuring a strong DOD. The NSPS claims to reward performance and provides flexibility to remove individuals that contribute sub-standard performance. I believe the system goes too far. Not only does it allow removal under performance management guidelines; it again makes removal easier for RIF purposes. Years of Service should rank higher for RIF purposes than ratings because those on the RIF register would only be individuals performing at successful or higher. Management has more discretion and flexibility in personnel management. Neither higher standards nor additional guidelines have been established to prevent abuse. The same training programs (or lack thereof) and recruitment standards will be in place under NSPS as today. Management should be held to a higher standard to minimize abuse under this system. ?Bad conduct? is not clearly defined. Management can relocate, change job series, etc. These conditions need to be established in the recruitment process. Personnel should not be in situations where their lives can be disrupted at the discretion of supervisors. I believe there needs to be more oversight, review, and approvals to minimize abuse. There will be no fair standard distributing pay increases as exists today. Again if an employee is not performing they should be removed. Some supervisors will rate employees higher than others for the same duties and same level of effort. Other supervisors will lower the ratings of personnel in order to save money for there own rewards. This system will discriminate against older workers. There is too much latitude to remove individuals. The feeling from this proposal is that all DOD employees are incompetent and everything must be done to remove them. There is little with regard to training and employee development to make the workforce productive. Creativity will be stifled because everyone will be afraid to lose his or her job. Because of the RIF rules younger workers can easily replace older workers just by a supervisors manipulating the system. Worker will be more subservient to the supervisor than the organization in order to protect their jobs. Sincerely,