| Comment Number: | OL-10510378 |
| Received: | 3/16/2005 9:16:55 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:
The following is from a rumor-control feature of the internal Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) website. It demonstrates why employees are afraid of NSPS, which will for the first time put real power into the hands of supervisors like these: XXXXX Rumor: Language - 02-09-2005 Supervisors say "It is a wonder I don't shorten your life span," or "I will kill you" if you miss a suspense, or "I will break your fingers if you enter a wrong amount." Civilian Personnel sees nothing wrong with emails or verbal statements like this. Is this correct? Can supervisors use that type of language to a subordinate? If the subordinate protests, does the supervisor then have a right to document that employee for not being subordinate and respectful enough? If an employee receives frightening aggressiver remarks from a supervisor, are they obligated by law to submit to it? Can supervisors say and send such remarks to employees anytime they want? From Brig Gen Eakle: I have no intention of posting this, but I want to know what we are doing about this. If an employee feels they are being threatened, the ARE being threatened and the supervisor in question needs to be counseled. We don't need any more workplace violence complaints a la Charleston. Answer: DFAS is committed to the ideal of becoming an "employer of choice." To achieve this ideal, we must continually strive to achieve a workplace where all DFAS employees, regardless of their status or position, treat each other with civility and respect. None of us should be satisfied with anything less from ourselves, our co-workers or our supervisors. I would encourage you, and any employee who feels they are being treated disrespectfully, to address your concerns in a respectful and forthright manner with the individual who is causing you to feel that way. Each of us has a right to feel respected and valued on the job and to express dissatisfaction when that is not the case. If addressing your concern with the other individual fails to correct the problem, you have avenues of redress available to you (e.g., the negotiated grievance procedure) to bring the matter to agency officials who will address such concerns. XXXXX While DFAS-HQ executive management has taken the right steps after the fact, how can the workforce ever trust their futures to out-of-control first-line supervisors as described above? How will civilian employees be protected under NSPS against leaders incapable of learning new ways? How can NSPS training possibly flush such terrible instincts out of these supervisors?