| Comment Number: | OL-10511258 |
| Received: | 3/16/2005 2:45:34 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:
The new NSPS system is a radical change that will be detrimental to the individual Federal Employee, the Federal Government and ultimately, the American people. It will not provide the United States with a better Federal work force. The benefits that the DoD states will be achieved by the new system are benefits that are already in place with the existing current system (if managed properly.) The implementation of a new system is not necessary. However, implementation of this new system will eliminate protections for the individual Federal Employee and workforce that have evolved over time. The current system meets the needs of the Federal Government. It may need some minor 'tweaking' but everything that management needs to be able to do is already in place. It is my opinion that the main problem with the Federal workforce is mainly with management. Management needs to be overhauled with changes made that will provide managers/supervisors with the time, resources and ability to manage without being overworked and held responsible for their decisions. A problem I have with this new NSPS system is that DoD does not want to be held accountable to OPM or Congress for the management of the Federal Workforce. They want their own workforce so they can do what they want, when they want and without question. Even the wording in their documents describing the new system oozes with the feeling of an agency that wants to dominate the workforce and use and/or abuse Federal Employees as they see fit. It appears that DoD wants to treat the Federal workforce like we are another branch of the uniform military services. Personally I think all of the Federal Workforce should be managed by the agency created to manage the Federal workforce; The Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The overarching problem that I have with most of this new system is that in each issue, it is the individual employee that suffers. If the supervisor fails to do their job…the employee suffers. If management makes poor decisions…the employee suffers. If the politicians fail…the employee suffer. The current system provides some protection for the employee. The new system will remove these protections. Again I submit that the current system is adequate. It just needs slight refinement and rule changes. More importantly, management needs to actually manage and manage properly. Managers and supervisors need to perform their functions and be accountable for making good sound decisions. I believe the problem is not with the system or the Federal Employee but with Politicians and all levels of Management. Middle and first line managers/supervisors are overworked and held responsible for both management and supervisory tasks. I have been a federal employee for over 27 years and have never seen managers allowed to manage or supervisors allowed to actually supervise their employees properly. In addition, I have seen very few instances where managers/supervisors were held accountable for their decisions unless they were really visible or noted by others. The federal government need their management/supervisors to have the ability to perform ‘real’ management/supervision tasks. This is what will improve our system and thus the Federal government. Not new systems and rules!!! One question I have is… If this is such a great system, then why aren't the uniformed military services being placed into a similar system? (e.g. pay increased based on budget and supervisor decision, etc.) I’m sure all of the military would be up in arms about that!!!