| Comment Number: | EM-020113 |
| Received: | 3/11/2005 11:32:37 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 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 have been a federal employee for years. I am angry that these proposals seem to place Secretary Rumsfeld's ideals above 700,000 American Citizens(Federal Employees) and their Family's well being. These federal employees work hard and are committed to the DoD's mission and the Security of this nation. I believe that mistreating the employees will hurt the agency?s mission. I am very concerned with NSPS. This system is not conducive to a healthy work force of environment. It will induce favoritism from federal managers and reduce teamwork among workers. ?Pay for Performance? Pay System I understand the theory behind a ?pay for performance? system but it can never work. The basis of this system relies on a completely fair and unbiased manager and for a human being to be completely fair and unbiased is extremely rare if not impossible. This system will also destroy teamwork by forcing workers to compete for pay raises. Conflict among employees will increase because a large percentage of the force will see others receiving accolades and accusations of favoritism will be made towards managers and fellow employees (whether or not the accusations are true). 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, will promote an unhealthy work environment, and morale will be in the basement. I find this counterproductive to what the NSPS is trying to accomplish, and with no impartial appeal system to assure that everyone is treated fairly, checks and balances are gone prevent any of this from happening. Schedules and Overtime NSPS will allow managers to schedule employees to work without sufficient advance notice of schedule changes. My wife and I are expecting our first child shortly and the thought of placing all of my time in the hands of a supervisor distresses me. I fear that a manager could decide my priorities for me, not give me the time I need to care for my family, and with no checks and balances in place I would have no way to appeal. In fact, attempting to appeal an impromptu work schedule could result managers treating me poorly and affecting my pay. It could also result in managers harassing employees with more short notice schedule changes to bad work schedules. Overtime rotations can be canceled or changed, again without notice, which means that employees may not be able to plan adequately for childcare and other important responsibilities. 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. 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.