| Comment Number: | OL-10511136 |
| Received: | 3/16/2005 2:11:05 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 was with the US Air Force for twenty years. We used the Enlisted Performance Reporting system to assess personnel performance and was also used for promotion criteria. Specific guidance in form of regulations was provided. Both the supervisors and subordinates were thoroughly trained on how the system is implemented. Military personnel were highly disciplined and discrimination was not tolerated. There was a requirement for the supervisor's rating to be endorsed by higher-level management. Their rating was supported by specific narrative of typical performance. The supervisor was required to provide specific justification for ratings on the extreme lower or upper scale. A process was also provided for the subordinate to challenge the rating. With all that, there was still a problem on applying the system objectively and equitably without personal bias by the supervisor. The NSPS would provide a supervisor the power to determine employee’s job assignment, pay, advancement and removal from service during RIF. All based on a performance rating duly determined by the supervisor; with no specific rule, unspecified "training" for the supervisor, no training for the employee, no one to validate the rating provided and no means of challenging unfair ratings. There is nothing wrong with our present appraisal, promotion and pay system as long as the rules are properly implemented and enforced. The problem arises when the supervisors refuse to enforce the rules and sometimes circumvent the rules to promote their favored employees. Pay for "performance" will result in an adversarial work environment, discourage cooperation and destroy teamwork. We are fighting a war and we want to implement this experiment on people directly supporting the warfighters? I consider this highly irrational and potentially dangerous decision.