| Comment Number: | OL-10510460 |
| Received: | 3/16/2005 9:49:49 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 am a young civil service employee. I have worked for the Air Force for a little over six years. My feelings on the NSPS system are mixed. On one hand, I see it as a very good thing if done correctly (however, I think it is highly unlikely that this will be the case for the government). Pay for performance sounds great on paper, but unless there is extensive training for management and careful oversight after implementation, this will be a corrupt system. If it is expected that supervisors will use the same judgment for NSPS that they use on the performance appraisals, then we have a serious problem. The current performance appraisals that are given are not a true measure of performance on the job, rather it is a measure of how long you have been out here and how good of a buddy you are with the boss. But, the thing that keeps you going strong is that you know this corrupt system will not affect your pay; you will still get your cost of living and step raises. NSPS is going to do away with that and now leave our pay in managements hands, that is very scary. One of the benefits of the NSPS that was briefed to us was that this new system will allow management to recruit and retain young talent. I truly think that it will be the opposite, young talent will become discouraged with the good old boy system for raises and they will move on to the private sector. Then the government will once again find itself with an aged workforce, lacking young skilled workers to replace the retirees. Within my short time with the government, I have seen one fatal flaw done over and over again. The government loves to act on an idea/project first and plan later. Every time this is done, there are countless man-hours/resources wasted on trying to fix the problems as you go along. I see this NSPS system being exactly the same. It sounds good and paper and some general saw it as a way to get their name recognized for stepping up to the challenge. But by the time the true flawed nature of this program reveals itself, all of the people that said lets do it will be moved on to bigger and better things; and the true working bees of the government will be left to deal with the mess. I am a patriot and I love my country. I hope this NSPS is done right, because if it is it will strengthen the government. However my faith in that is 0% and all I think this is going to do is weaken the civil service.