| Comment Number: | EM-017672 |
| Received: | 3/11/2005 3:40:38 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 11, 2005 DoD NSPS Comments , 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 for DoD for years. 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. I believe that mistreating the employees will hurt 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 rather than serving the civil concerns of the American people. I am particularly upset about the following issues: 9901.201 Since DOD is creating the pay banding system, there are no assurances that employees will be given pro-rated amounts towards their next step or career promotion. With all decisions in the supervisor?s hands, favoritism will dictate who gets pay raises/awards and who does not. Morale has always been an issue with government workers, but under NSPS, discontent and apathy will run rampant. I once worked in a very controlling environment, with no outlet of support. My supervisor directed me to do illegal things and harassed me daily. His supervisor always supported his decisions. I lived through three years of hell in this office. I finally could take no more of their abuse, so I quit. NSPS will cause the loss of many efficient/reliable employees in offices with this kind of management. Since job descriptions are undefined at this point, I am uncertain as to what kind of job I will be expected to perform. Employees could be easily dismissed if given job descriptions they are incapable of performing. 9901.301 Being 60 years old, I am concerned about retirement. I plan to work about four more years to build a bigger high 3 years. Now I hear that retirement might be based on high 4 or high 7 years instead. With raises in the hands of management, I am uncertain as to what kind of raises I will be getting in the future. I rarely have ever worked for anyone that truly knew what I did and how much effort I put into my work. And with performance based on a supervisor?s opinion, I could be let go in a RIF action over someone that has just worked a few months. I am a dedicated employee with 27 years of service plus I have received many awards. My rights should not be held back because of favoritism. My office works well together, each person helping the other. NSPS will pit one employee against another. Gradually everyone will become less helpful when we are all competing for raises/awards. Government positions were undesirable in the past but now that many employees will be retiring, hiring new employees will become harder to accomplish (especially in economic upturns). My father/grandfathers fought for workers rights?in hopes that their children/grandchildren would have a better life than they had. NSPS is taking away every gain those generations made. A workers job security was assured with the presence of a union. A supervisor?s opinion is too subjective to have that great of an impact on one?s livelihood. DOD employees should continue to receive the same annual pay across-the-board adjustments that other GS workers receive. Instead DOD gives itself the right to lower payroll and indiscriminately allocate pay band amounts in the future. 9901.401 DOD employees should be able to appeal performance ratings to an independent grievance and arbitration process. They should also have some way of challenging the number of shares a supervisor assigns. 9901.501 DOD will be able to establish in-service probationary periods for any job. What incentive is there for employees to better themselves if they are putting their job on the line for it? The issue of deployment is also a worry. Rumor has it that we could be ordered to a war zone in a week?s time with no rebuttal rights. I was not hired with the provision to be deployed. I, as a civilian, was hired to support the military. 9901.601 Seniority rights are all but abolished. With 27 years of faithful service, I deserve to have retaining rights over a new employee. There is no way a male supervisor will find me as charming as a 20-year old. My prior service should count for something. 9901.701 The current standards approved by the courts should continue to be used rather than authorizing DOD to be the prosecutor, judge and jury. 9901.801 A system is already in place for management to take necessary actions against poor-performances or misconduct. Employees should not be penalized with PPP and MSPB because managers have not dealt with these situations in the past. 9901.901 Most actions in the past were decided in favor of management, but at least an employee could retain counsel. The NSLRB will not be fair or impartial and an employee will be going it alone. Most employees are not experienced in defending themselves in such a forum. The regulations give management the right to determine procedures and deviate from them. The proposed regulations take away any requirement that managers give the union advance notice of an action; they only have to give notice at the same time they take the action. This country was founded on an individuals certain ?unalienable? rights. What our forefathers gave, DOD is taking away. Thank you for your time. Sincerely,