| Comment Number: | OL-10502530 |
| Received: | 3/2/2005 11:38:40 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 have worked for DOD for 36 years. I am angry that these proposals seem to treat the employees who help defend our country as the enemy. Most DOD employees work hard and are totally committed. I believe that mistreating employees will hurt the agency's mission. I am very upset by NSPS. This system will change the way workers are paid, evaluated, promoted, fired, scheduled, and treated. These rules will create a system where federal managers are even more influenced by favoritism rather than serving the civil concerns of the American people. Annual Pay Raises Under the General Schedule and FWS, employee pay is very clear. It is funded by Congress and can not be taken away. However, NSPS will take away this certainity. Salaries and bonuses are funded by DOD. In the past and as recently as just last year, DOD did not fund its awards program. Given the agency's miserable recond on this issue, how can employees feel confident that our salaries and bonuses will be funded in the future? A C0-Friend of the Supervisor and Pay System With the new patronage pay system, which DOD calls a Co-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, destroying teamwork, increasing conflice among employees, and rewarding 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 where workers are in conflict with one another and afraid to speak out about harrassment, violations of the law, and workplace safety problems. Furthermore, there will be no impartial appeal system to assure that everyone is treated fairly. Schedules and Overtime NSPS will allow managers to schedule employees to work without sufficient advance notice of schedule changes. his will make it extremely difficult for working parents to care for their children and family. It will also afford abusive managers the opportunity to harrass employees with bad schedules and/or short notice. Overtime rotations can be short noticed, which will mean employees may not be able to plan adequately for childcare and other important responsibilities. Federal employees could be assigned anywhere in the world, even into a war zone, with little or no notice. I am proud to serve my country, but, I am also responsible for caring for my family and personal obligations at home. I signed up for a civilian job. I did not enlist in the military. America is at war. We are fighting for democracy abroad. But, the NSPS regulations are an attack on workers basic rights. Employees need work rules that preserve fairness, serve the American people, and respect the rights of Defense Department workers. I urge you to force DOD to rethink this proposal.