| Comment Number: | OL-10505853 |
| Received: | 3/11/2005 9:14:51 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:
Pay and Pay Administration - Subpart C Performance Management - Subpart D The proposed way of setting pay and rewarding performance is frightening. Under the current system of automatic step increases and cost of living increases, supervisors do not have to make these things happen. Under NSPS, the responsibility of taking action to initiate any increase in pay will fall on the supervisors. I work for the Corps of Engineers and am responsible for making sure the supervisors in my division complete TAPES and performance appraisals on all employees. It is difficult now to get the supervisors to complete TAPES and appraisals, because they either don't have the time or don't want to be bothered with their administrative responsibilities. Most supervisors take the easiest route they can get away with when completing appraisals. I also am responsible for processing awards for my division. Most supervisors give some type of monetary awards to most of their employees. They do not sharply distinguish between exceptional employees, acceptable employees, and unacceptable employees now. Under NSPS, I believe supervisors would be even more reluctant to make those distinctions. After all, under NSPS, the supervisor will literally be controlling their employees' pay. How many DoD supervisors want to be in that precarious position? NSPS would require a serious commitment of time, effort, and responsibility on the part of front-line supervisors. I do not have faith in supervisors' commitment or ability to carry out NSPS guidelines in a fair and fruitful manner. Even if every single supervisor carried out their duties faithfully (which will never happen in the real world), the process is a subjective one. I envision good but quiet or reserved employees being overlooked by supervisors under NSPS and mediocre but vocal employees being rewarded. I do not believe NSPS can improve working conditions or manager/employee relations or fairness in labor standards. I believe NSPS will only make things irreparably worse. The answer is not in a new personnel system. The answer is partially in holding supervisors responsible for fair practices. That is not being done effectively now. How can it possibly be done effectively under NSPS, which is a far more complicated and intricate system that requires much more attention and commitment on the part of supervisors/management?