Comment Number: OL-10503111
Received: 3/4/2005 8:38:03 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:

Sec. 9901.313 Sections a-c-For clarification, during fiscal years of 2004-2008, as long as your rating is above unacceptable, you would be entitled to the same raise that you would get according to the step system. Any end of year bonuses or NOR payments would depend on the amount of shares depending on the rating of your annual review. After 2008, any raise would be determined according to the level of your rating. Sec.9901.323-General Question: How do COLA, cost of living increases fit into this new system? Will everyone get it or does it depend on your rating. Sec. 9901.342-Performance Payouts- "based upon individual performance, individual contribution, origanizational performance, OR a COMBINATION of all those elements. The NSPS will use a pay pool concept to manage control and distribute performance-based pay increases and bonuses. The performance payout is a function of the amount of money in the performance pay pool and the number of shares assigned to the individual employees."There are several shops in my government oprganization that have not been able to meet schedules, due to poor organization, lack of parts etc., However many people in these shops work hard. Will they de denied raises, due to the combination of the above mentioned factors? Sec. 9901.401 Purpose section 2). "A fair, credible and transparent employee performance appraisal system". In practice at my government location, reviews are often tainted by supervisors personal feelings and are not reflective of true abilities. Favortism and Nepotism are rampant here. Under the new Resumix system that was supposed to avoid all these problems, has been perverted making it harder for most people to qualify for positions, due to supervisors selecting key words an making them only available to certain people. Section 6 " a process for ensuring ongoing performance feedback and dialogue among supervisors, managers, and employees throughout the appraisal period and setting timetables for review." Our midpoint reviews are often late and sometimes skipped. We are usually only told ,if we are doing something wrong. It is a rare occasion, if we are told specifically and indivudually that we are doing something right. Section 7 "Effective safeguard to ensure that the mangement of the system is fair and equitable and based on employee perfromances". What ouside of the specific government agency check and balances do you have in place for this? In my organization favortism is the mode of choice all the way to the highest positions. What recourse does an employee have when the whole system is corrupt? Often bonuses and cash awards are not given out, because the immediate supervisor can recoup a percentage of what he doesn't use. When bonuses are given out it is usually to the same people, friends of supervisors. Sec 9901.409 rating and rewarding performances section2 " Making meaningful distinctions among employees based on performance and contribution." Most performances and awards in my origanization do not distinguish between employees or state why some one got picked for what contribution. 5"Assuring that employees are assigned a rating of record when required by DOD implementing issuances." On my last review there were 4 catagories that good on the fourth rating. When I asked about my final rating number, I was told that the director would assign it. When I got back my signed rating from the director, a number was still not assigned. A number rating fo 1-3 on the succesful scale is important, since it is one of the data requirements for RESUMIX. On this scale 1 is the highest rating. My immediate supervisor said it was a 2, I found out later it was a 1. Sec. 9901.406 "employee are always accountable for demonstrating profesionalism and standards of appropriate conduct and behavior, On many occasions, managers from the top down, have reprimanded, swore at, chewed out employees and lower level supervisors in front of others, without penality.