| Comment Number: | OL-10502397 |
| Received: | 3/1/2005 10:45:53 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:
Overall I saw alot of good possibilities for the new NSPS, However, some of my concerns are dealing with the financial aspects of the job. One of the things I didn't understand was how the budget figured into the different levels of performance? You stated that congress would approve a set amount of monies for each level but, I can't see how that could accurately be accomplished if you have this fluctuation of people going up and down, depending on job performance. Then are there going to be any incentive awards for jobs done above and beyond the standard or set profiency level. It seems you can coax people to do better and try harder if they know there are monitary awards at the end of the long work schedule. Another issue that I needed some clarifing on was on the RIF action. You talked about the fact that you could move from one position to another if you have the correct or required training and profiency level for something else you would like to do. One of the bad things about the current system is they only offer you one job and if you refuse--you're gone. Lets say you want to move from one government service branch to another, like from the Navy to the Army. The current restrictions are pretty grim, in the fact that they give perferencial treatment to their own service connected members first and then if they can't fill from within the ranks they open it up to others. How is this new NSPS going to handle that sort of issue both during a RIF and also when someone just wants to move on to other interest out of their present job? Everyone know that rating or evaluating another person is not only subjective but clouded sometimes by personal filters of the individuals making the judgement. Also alot of the time with shift workers, how can a supervisor honestly evaluate their workers if they don't observe them during their shift, only when they are being relieved by the oncoming shift workers? If its just another paper drill where they look at your mistakes and nothing else--how is that a fair assessment of the workers true performance. I myself am a task based leader but I would never assume to judge my people by a mere paper drill. Another thing that seemed to bother a good many folks was the issue of mixing job descriptions and not being specific enough as to correctly categorize their talents. Example was the electrician for the ship who got stuck doing many other things not relating to ship eletrical areas. I can see his frustration, its like telling a deep sea fisherman he has to move his boat to the lake with a cement bottom to it and then saying well whats the difference between tuna and catfish. Maybe people would have more confidence in the new system if they didn't already feel like this is planned, bought and payed for and now all you have to do is sell it to the people who have had a bad case of food poisoning for so long that nothing will settle their stomach. We know that the current system is broken but its still working--inspite of the good ole boy system that's all over the world. Like I said before, you will have to get by the sceptics who have been stepped on, walked over and passed up for someone less qualified them they were for the same job they had been doing as a temporary for months and sometimes years. I want to feel good about the possibilities this new program could produce but I also want some reassurances that we will never again face the 911 issue. Fat chance, right. Its okay hopefully I gave you some good things to look at, which I am sure if you have been kicking this thing about for more than eighteen months--I'm sure you have already thought of them. Good luck on getting the management people on line with the new system as I am sure they will be running scared for their jobs as well. Sometimes rank breds complacaney, the old CSRS people who are still hanging on will fight anything new, tooth and nail. I myself who came in under the FER system have been lucky to last thru two RIFs. Thanks