| Comment Number: | OL-10506298 |
| Received: | 3/11/2005 1:23:56 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:
My question concerns the starting pay I'll receive after the conversion to the pay-band system. I work in an office with 2 other civil service employees. We are all the same series, same GS pay grade and step, and we all started work here within a few weeks of each other. Who determines what salary we start at when the conversion to pay banding takes effect? My issue deals with civilian education levels and extra work such as Professional Military Education (PME) some of us have done, while others haven't. I was hired with a Master's degree. Since being hired, I've completed Air Force Squadron Officer's School, and I'm now enrolled in Air Force Air Command and Staff College. The other 2 civilians have high school diplomas and have done no professional military education. Who determines the exact salary I'll receive after conversion to pay banding? Should I expect to be converted to a higher salary than the other 2 civilians in my office because of my advanced education and voluntary enrollment and completion of professional military education? If I'm not compensated for those accomplishments at the initial conversion to pay banding, I fear I'll never be compensated. If we initially start at the same salary, the other 2 civilians will be able to take college courses and complete the appropriate levels of PME (if they desire) and should rightfully receive recognition/bonuses/monetary rewards for their work, earning a higher salary for accomplishments I've already completed. I believe a parallel example would be if 2 positions had to be filled in the same office with the same job title and responsibilities, same payband, same experience, etc. If 2 people with similar work experience were hired to fill those positions and one had a Master's degree and the other just had a high school diploma, I would assume the person with the Master's degree would receive a higher salary because of his/her advanced degree. Based on the new pay banding goals of competitive compensation, wouldn't that be true? The same should be true for those already in the civil service system during the pay-band conversion...workers in the same series who are currently at the same GS and step rating should be evaluated to determine what their starting pay-band salary will be; they shouldn't automatically be started at the same salary just because they have the same series and GS level. Workers who are bringing more "to the table" should be compensated for their extra education, and demonstrated motivation and initiative to advance themselves professionally. Thank You...