| Comment Number: | OL-10511336 |
| Received: | 3/16/2005 3:06:55 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:
We were briefed that the NSPS has come about because of 9-11, and the need to be able to fill vacancies more quickly, and to have flexibility in assigning work. That is not true. This system has been being forced on us since the 1990’s. These things can be accomplished without dismantling the whole civil service system. The NSPS system is supposed to allow the workers who perform the best to be rewarded, but when supervisors give top block appraisals to almost everybody how do you determine the best workers. The NSPS will do away with pay grades and replace them with levels. An employee will no longer have to work their way through the grades according to time requirements and qualifications. With less levels it will shorten the time from apprentice to journeyman. It will allow the supervisors, who are not taking the responsibility for the failures in the system now to be able to noncompetitively hire who they want and then noncompetitively promote the same person ahead of more deserving people. The NSPS system will make coworkers compete for pay raises. This will create distrust among coworkers. An experienced employee will not train the younger one if it is going to cost him money at the end of the year. If the system needs to be overhauled lets start where it is the worst, with supervision. Most supervisors want be liked so they give nearly everybody top block appraisals. They complain that they cannot get rid of nonperforming employees, but if they would do the paper work and follow the rules they could. Instead of giving bonuses to the best employees they give the same yearly bonus to nearly everyone. If the system needs changes such as quicker hire and more flexibility in assigning work, than make those changes. Do not try to change the whole system at one time. The NSPS system will only expand the “good ole boy network” that has been the worst part of civil service for years.