| Comment Number: | OL-10504542 |
| Received: | 3/9/2005 4:31:37 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:
Workforce Shaping-Subpart F I strongly disagree with the following policy regarding Reduction in Force (RIF): "...Under the proposed regulations, employees are placed on a competitive group's retention list in the following order:... (3) individual performance rating,...Within a particular retention list, a qualified higher-standing employee may displace a lower-standing employee; when there are no lower-standing employees, the displaced employee may be released from the retention list and separated by reduction in force...." I've worked for DoD for >33 years, since the tender of 18 years of age. Since that time, to my dismay, favortism has usually prevailed in the arena of performance awards. During these 33 years, I have worked for approximately three (3) supervisors who actually evaluated their employees on performance in lieu of friendships, gender, age, or race. My agency formerly used performance awards for retention purposes in the RIF process. Favortism abounded to protect "favorite" employees. Many of the employees working at my agency could be eliminated because they spend their day visiting with co-workers, taking long lunches, etc.; but, many of their supervisors are unaware of the employees' activities because the employees are their friends. They continue to give performance awards to mostly, undeserving employees. I am not making these statements from a disgruntled employee frame-of-mind. My work ethic is such that I attempt to provide "an honest day's work for a day's pay. I am not perfect; but, I do seem to be much more motivated than many of my coworkers. Regressing to the use of performance awards to comprise a RIF retention register is compromising the retention of competent employees in DoD.