| Comment Number: | OL-10508778 |
| Received: | 3/15/2005 10:42:56 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:
I write to express my concerns about changes to work rules in the Department of Defense (DoD). The proposed regulations, known as the National Security Personnel System (NSPS), printed in the Federal Register on February 14, 2005. With the new patronage pay system, which DoD calls “pay for performance,” the amount of a worker's salary will depend almost completely on the personal judgment of his or her manager. This system will force workers to compete with one another for pay raises, which will destroy teamwork, increase conflict among employees, and reward short-term outcomes. There is no guarantee that even the best workers will receive a pay raise or that the pay offered will be fair or competitive. This system will create a situation in which workers are in conflict with one another and afraid to speak out about harassment, violations of the law, and workplace safety problems. Furthermore, there will be no impartial appeal system to assure that everyone is treated fairly. Case in point, my first level supervisor has been in that position for less than one year, my two previous first level supervisors have retired and recently I’ve been informed that I will be transferring to another first level supervisor with barely two years experience. I’m concerned that with this scenario my performance evaluation will be based on subjective hearsay. Under the proposed NSPS regulations what recourse will I have for an appeal? In addition my current activity is scheduled for spiral 1.1 which is to occur in July 2005. As to date, employees have not had any formal training or has any date been announced for employee training. July is fast approaching. I’ve recently seen within our management minutes that a senior trainer is just now being sent for training, to return and train the trainers. July is fast approaching. It appears that at the current rate, by the time the trainers are trained, supervisors have had intense training, employees are informed and trained on the changes, NSPS will have been implemented for months. To put into place a new personnel system of this magnitude, in such a short time frame, without adequate training of all concerned, leads to extreme apprehension for the success of NSPS. Finally, for my Command Activity to state that NSPS will not affect my retirement is absurd. The current General Schedule affects my retirement just as the new NSPS surely will. Under NSPS with the lack of specifics provided to date and July fast approaching the amount of uncertainty keeps growing exponentially. This only leads to unproductive time as one tries to sort out all the changes that will definitely affect their remaining career.