| Comment Number: | OL-10500066 |
| Received: | 2/15/2005 7:14:14 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:
I am a DoD employee who vehemently objects that the Bush Administration has capitalized on 9-11 to stampede Congress into enacting this program in order to circumvent existing rules. Just as this administration sought to circumvent the Geneva Convention, they now seek to dismantle with the Civil Service Act. That act is not an outdated measure for another place and time, as claimed by the administration. It was enacted to limit abuses caused by human beings. Human nature has not changed. The abuses prevented by the Civil Service System will reappear. I object that this measure is being perpetrated on us without anyone ever asking DoD employees for their opinions. In the past few years I have been asked to respond to job satisfaction surveys and have responsed in a generally positive manner. But I was never asked to comment on this. I see now where some claims are being made that town hall meetings were held with DoD employees. The only meeting I attended was after enactment. That was a one-way meeting with employees being told what to expect. I object to the erosion of safeguards protecting employees subject to disciplinary actions. I have served as a supervisor and was involved in the removal of an employee. He invoked all of his options/appeals and, in the end, was still removed because management had its act together. We followed the rules. The rigorous nature of the process helped to quell any doubts I had about the justification of our action. If management had truly done something unfair, it would have been exposed during the process. I understand that under the new system, management will have the right to overturn verdicts of administrative judges. That is arbitrary and unfair! It is claimed that this system will somehow enhance recruiting of civilians for DoD. Just the opposite will occur. I was attracted to Civil Service in part because of the built-in annual cost of living pay raises. I could focus on my duties without having to worry about getting a raise. Now I will need to concentrate on schmoozing my boss properly or suffer, in effect, a pay cut. It is claimed that the current system does not reward good performers. That is untrue! We do have performance awards, and the best performers get them. I am a high-burner, and I am happy with the current system. I have never felt under-compensated for my efforts. What will you be taking away from us next?