| Comment Number: | EM-022914 |
| Received: | 3/16/2005 5:06:22 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 16, 2005 DoD NSPS Comments , DoD NSPS Comments: I am writing because I feel this new NSPS system for DoD employees makes me feel like a less than honorable person. I have been a dedicated DoD employee, a voter in every election since I was 18 years old, a volunteer in my community for charity events and involved in organizations working with children. Now I am told that the United States needs new rules for DoD employees, which I am, to make sure our country remains safe. I know there is nothing in my background, or of my co-workers, which would make our country unsafe. But, since I work for DoD I now will fall under this new personnel system which is supposed to guarantee our country?s safety. What have DoD employees done to make this change necessary? We were told that this new system was necessary to protect the safety of the United States. Does this mean that the new system, which is a return to 19th century and sweat shop working regulations, would alleviate terrorism and wars? How will taking away the rights of DoD employees make our country more safe? IS it being proposed that Federal workers, DoD, aided and abetted terrorists for hundreds of years because we have the same rights as the rest of the workers in the United States? I would think there were Federal employees from the very time this country was created and I doubt that Federal workers caused any wars. Also, very many of these employees served in the Armed Forces to protect our country. If they are now civilian workers, does this mean that they are now considered a threat to the national security? How will suspending the normal workers rights for DoD employees make anything more safe for our country. When did DoD employees become an enemy of our country? After DoD, will all Federal employees begin to fall under the same assumptions that are being placed on us now? And, treating DoD workers with the rules under NSPS is supposed to make all DoD workers feel good about themselves and the work they are doing? How could we feel good about our work when the rest of our country, and the world, could see us as a threat because WE need special rules to ensure the safety of our country? This is beyond me and my co-workers. I have worked for DoD for 26 years with an excellent record. As you can see, I am very upset at the new NSPS system we will be working under soon. Having had to deal with an unfair supervisor and his supervisor in the chain of command, I could have been removed from my job if these rules were in place when I faced my situation. I had Union representation when false accusations were made against me by a supervisor who showed favoritism to another employee. All charges were dropped because the Union insisted that proof be given and there was nothing to support my supervisor?s claims. I could have had an unblemished, excellent work record ruined, as is very possible under the new NSPS, or I could have been removed from the DoD workforce. I want to have fair representation by the Union in place under the new system to continue to protect employees against favoritism and unfair allegations. What good will it do to go further with a complaint to a DoD advisory panel if it is composed of only people representing the NSPS system? It would be in everyone?s best interest to have some employee representation on this board as well as a union representative. Was this ever considered? This system will change the way workers are paid, evaluated, promoted, fired, scheduled, and treated because it allows favoritism to creep back in. Our civil service rules were created and strengthened over time to eliminate any chance of favoritism or nepotism. I have 4 more years to work until retirement. Since I am an older worker, I feel this system will also make it easier for supervisors to remove older workers. This could happen at a time when we are constantly being told that Social Security is in a bad situation and may not be available for all in the years to come. But, under this system that could happen and it is something I hope I do not have to face. I would hope that a complaint for firing an older worker could be something that could be taken to the EEO for a resolution. Possibly that agency could help when the employee?s own agency would not. The favoritism of a supervisor will control who gets a pay increase and who does not. This would seem to hamper working relationships in a department, not foster the best working environment and productivity. In fact, all the new rules will create situations where everyone is ?watching their back? which could cause problems in the work place as teamwork disappears. With salaries and bonuses being funded by DoD and its poor history with funding issues, how do we know we will even receive any pay raises to help us keep up with the economy? Does this make any future employees feel like they would want to work for Dod? I DID NOT join the military. I became a civilian employee of DA/DoD 26 years ago. I do not feel I should be at the mercy of a supervisor who can decide that my work schedule can be changed without enough notice to make family arrangements necessary due to a schedule change. I am not saying that a schedule change should not be allowed but there should be sufficient time to prepare for the change. A supervisor, as I described I had above, would have definitely used this new rule as a form of harassment. Are we any different than any other US citizen in that we also have families and family responsibilities? Who in Congress would enact this law for themselves? As I said previously, the new NSPS is a return to working conditions of a century ago. It took this long in our government and society to come up with fair working conditions which protect all workers. What would make anyone think that taking away these hard fought for rights would increase the safety of our country? If this is fair, then it should be applied to every government agency and to all workers in this country. I would like to see our country?s response to a suggestion like that. Please look into this issue long and hard. With the new rules, there have to be more checks and balances than are presently proposed. Union representation and collective bargaining should be included in any new personnel system to guarantee that a worker?s rights are protected. This could set a dangerous precedent for all workers in the United States.