Comment Number: OL-10502390
Received: 3/1/2005 9:45:33 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:

I've read the NSPS regulations which indicates that this new system streamlines and updates the old system to make hiring, pay rates, and firing easier and fairer. However, none of the information provides any details on how this is suspose to happen. On the surface, it only appears to reduce employee's rights. For instance; the new pay band system only works if management has an objective value system to rate employees and this objective value system is used uniformly throughout DOD. I haven't seen any information on how management is going to ensure employee ratings will be fair. Just indicating that management will be "trained" isn't enough. I'm required to have a performance rating every six months, but I haven't had a performance rating in over 3 years! How will the new system work when management is trained but doesn't comply with the existing system? Performance management is inclined to reward the "yes men". Who monitors management to ensure they provide performance ratings based on performance, not on popularity? The information indicates that there will be new rules that allow management to fire employees that do not perform. How do we fire managers that do not perform? There are no details that indicate what the conditions are that allow an employee to be fired? These are just a couple of issues that make me believe that scaling back union representation is a mistake. Due to the lack of details, it appears that the NPSP system is designed to take worker rights away. There is no information provided on the cost to administer this new system or if it will reduce any costs once inacted. The current system has been in affect for over 50 years and has withstood WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Why is it so important to change this system now?