| Comment Number: | OL-10508406 |
| Received: | 3/15/2005 8:03:28 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:
General: I have been a federal employee for over 35yrs. There has never been a performance-based personnel system that has ever worked fairly and evenly across the broad spectrum of federal employment. The arbitrary nature of supervisor evaluation (how they feel that day...whether they like you or not....whether you belong to a specific association outside of work)....are just some of the arbitrary factors that compromise a fair evaluation. The abrogation of arbitration in an unfair evaluation will compromise the process even further. This plan does not sufficiently provide for arbitrary evaluation review. When I was a supervisor, I found that the only way to eliminate the majority of arbitrary decisions I would make in an evaluation was to provide a VERY specific performance plan to the workers. It took alot of work on my part to evaluate the jobs performed by the workers and to come up with specific markers for the levels of performance I expected...but...it worked. It virtually eliminated any possibility of my decisions being based on a like or dislike of the individuals personality, work habits or affiliations. The workers knew this and stirved to meet my standards for excellence. This plan should incorporate a similiar requirement of supervision by law and not by suggestion. It should be mandatory for a very specific performance plan to be developed for each type of job being performed in an organization and that plan should be reviewed by upper supervision and by labor representation to insure that the performance levels are attainable by ALL employees performing similar work. The plan should eliminate as much as possible any arbitrary supervisor favoritism. Personnel who meet the requirements of the plan should be awarded the associated rating and those who go beyond the limits of the plan should be recognized for their contributions outside of the performance rating system. An award system is used for this purpose and it also should be specific in nature, in that, the accomplisments should be specific and published so that other employees know exactly why the individual is being rewarded. If this becomes routine and wide spread...it should become incorporated into the performance plan (the bar should be raised). And so on. In closing, It is absolutely necessary that this system be SEEN as fair and unbiased. Make it mandatory that a very specific performance plan be developed by each supervisor with the appropriate tiers of performance attainment. If you don't require this....then the arbitrary nature of evaluation will result in civil lawsuits and without a firm and specific basis for evaluation decisions you will lose. You cannot afford to have "Little Ceasers" running loose in this type of system. You don't want the problems that the "Postal" service had/has. Thank You.