| Comment Number: | EM-023039 |
| Received: | 3/16/2005 8:49:10 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 16, 2005 DoD NSPS Comments , DoD NSPS Comments: I'm writing to show my concern about the new National Security Personnel System. I have worked for the DoD for 8 years. I am worried that this system will allow the employees to be treated unfairly. Most DoD employees work hard and are committed to the success of the agency. I believe this system will hurt the agency?s mission and allow the employees to be mistreated. This system will change the way workers are paid, evaluated, promoted, fired, scheduled. These rules would create a system in which federal managers are influenced by favoritism rather than serving the civil concerns of the American people. Concerning annual pay raises, under the General Schedule and FWS, employee pay was clear. It was funded by Congress and could not be taken away. However, NSPS will take away this certainty. Salaries and bonuses are funded by DoD. In the past ? as recently as just last year ? DoD did not fund its awards program. Given the agency?s miserable record on this issue, how can employees feel confident that our salaries and bonuses will be funded in the future? Concerning the new patronage pay system, which DoD calls ?pay for performance,? the amount of a worker's salary will depend almost completely on the personal judgment of his or her manager. This system will force workers to compete with one another for pay raises, which will destroy teamwork, increase conflict among employees, and reward short-term outcomes. 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 and afraid to speak out about harassment, violations of the law, and workplace safety problems. Furthermore, there will be no impartial appeal system to assure that everyone is treated fairly. Concerning schedules and overtime, NSPS will allow managers to schedule employees to work without sufficient advance notice of schedule changes. This will make it extremely difficult for working parents to care for their children and family. It will also mean that managers could mistreat employees concerning their schedules. Overtime rotations can be canceled, which means that employees may not be able to plan adequately for childcare and other important responsibilities. Concerning civilian deployment, federal employees could be assigned anywhere in the world, even into a war zone, with little or no notice. I served my country proudly but, now I am responsible for caring for my family and my personal obligations here at home. I believe this part of the system will cause great diffuclties and problems with civilian employees. I believe that the new regulations will allow employees to be mistreated. 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 rethink this proposal. We need work rules that preserve fairness, serve the American people, and respect the rights of Defense Department workers. Sincerely,