| Comment Number: | OL-10510488 |
| Received: | 3/16/2005 10:02:00 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:
My understanding of the NSPS is that supervisors will be given complete control of how much an employee is paid. I believe that many supervisors are not capable of the impartiality necessary to carry out that responsibillity. I know that my supervisors are not, based on several years of working with them. I have seen several blatant examples of favoritism and of unfair treatment to certain employees, and I do not trust these same people to consider each employee fairly when it comes to determining raises. Two examples of instances in which employees were treated badly at this work place: A very pregnant woman at our office was told, late in her pregnancy, that she would not be allowed to take more than 3 weeks maternity leave, even though medically she was to be given at least 6. She had reached a verbal understanding with her immediate supervisor at the beginning of her pregnancy that she would be allowed to take 12 weeks, but that was overruled by his supervisor. No real reason was given to her. It was pointed out to the supervisor by other employees that this was a violation of the FMLA. The supervisor then claimed that he had misunderstood the FMLA. Another employee was continually denied a simple and easily accomodated schedule change to fulfill religious obligations, while other employees were allowed to change their schedules to attend golf tournaments or go fishing and camping. In both cases, these were employees who had disagreed with the supervisor on work related issues prior to their requests being denied. If employees have to fight to get rights given to them by law or policy, how can the NSPS assume that they will be treated impartially when it comes to pay? My second concern is that no one in the office, myself included, can get a straight answer from any supervisor on questions relating to the NSPS or on outsourcing. Either they don't understand these issues themselves, have not been given enough information to explain it to others, or feel the need to hide certain information from their employees. Even the information given us by official sources is vague and incomplete. I also do not understand how changing the method of determining our pay and other personnel issues is going to impact national security. I can see that it is entirely possible that in a few years my pay and that of others will not keep up with the ever-increasing cost of living for Middle Class America, since it seems that we may not even receive cost of living adjustments. I have consistently received top ratings and am extremely competent at what I do. I enjoy my work and feel that I do beneficial things for the taxpayers. Yet, I do not feel that this NSPS is in my best interest even though I am about to top out my grade.