| Comment Number: | OL-10504948 |
| Received: | 3/10/2005 2:04:48 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:
Unfortunately, this document does not tell us what we all want to know, which is what the pay bands are and where we would fall under them. In general, though, I do not believe this system will allow the government to retain and attract good employees. I will use myself as an example. I was hired by the government three years ago, at age 30, as a GS-11. From what I've heard, I will already be at the top of payband 2. I would not be able to get to payband 3 unless my boss, a GS-12, retires or finds another job (that is if a GS-12 falls into payband 3). Since my salary will probably increase little, if ever, under NSPS, regardless of my performance, and since there aren't very many government jobs in my field in my state that pay higher than what I am currently making, I will probably begin looking for another job shortly after NSPS goes into effect. NSPS will provide me with no incentive to stay with the government. Considering that around half the government workforce is expected to retire within the next five years and there is a large age gap in the workforce (due to the Department of Defense hiring very few individuals during the 1990s), it will be hard for the government to obtain educated and experienced individuals in their 30s and 40s if they know their salaries will be capped. I also do not believe current government managers and supervisors will be fair in rewarding individuals for performance. I believe they will not have the courage enough to cut the pay of the poor performers. It is kind of interesting that when most corporations have come to realize this and are moving more towards the government system in how they dole out the raises each year, the government is going towards a system that doesn't work.