| Comment Number: | OL-10509390 |
| Received: | 3/15/2005 3:01:30 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:
I can not believe the federal government would entertain the idea of regressing 50 years by implementing this personnel system. Ludicrous is one of the many words I can think of to describe NSPS. The system in place now is not perfect and there are areas that need to be addressed, but is for the most part at least fair. Personally, I feel I am an employee who has an honest, fair supervisor and will continue to receive high performance appraisals and justifiably receive pay increases, so I am not writing out of fear for my livelihood. I am writing because NSPS will reinforce the Good 'Ole Boy system with no protection to loyal, hard-working employees who aren’t friends and/or family. It will impact performance ratings, pay increases, hiring, RIF actions… As a USAF military dependent it is a struggle to secure federal employment at the next duty station under the current system. This system will only confirm that it’s not “what you know, but who you know.” NSPS calls it “workforce shaping.” It will be easy for a supervisor to justify not giving an employee a pay increase simply because of budget constraints, just as budget constraints currently impact monetary awards. And the employee will have no rebuttal. DoD has military supervisors (and many civilian supervisors) who have only a basic knowledge of the personnel system and don’t have the time or inclination to go to great lengths on a performance appraisal, let alone justification for a pay increase. Bottom line… it’s just easier not to do anything. As for the idea of deploying “non-volunteer” federal employees anywhere in the world, including a war zone, with little or no notice… the last time I checked, I was a civilian. I did not enlist in the military, my husband did and he deploys. I care for our family and our personal obligations. I serve my country by supporting him and as a DoD employee. If I were forced to deploy, I would sadly have no choice but to turn in my resignation and seek employment in the private sector… or with a federal agency not implementing NSPS. I sure hope someone out there with some influence has enough insight to realize the negative impacts this system will have on the federal workforce and work to stop this process.