| Comment Number: | OL-10511863 |
| Received: | 3/16/2005 5:54:09 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:
During a recent town hall meeting it was indicated that the January increase to the civilian pay, signed by the President, will no longer be allocated to DOD employee's under NSPS. This allocation will go into the "pot" of funds used to award superior performers. This should not be considered part of the "pot". By eliminating this equitible adjustment, signed into law for all federal employees, retirement benefits of civil service employees will be affected. Throughout the town hall meeting the presenter said the current DOD system promoted individuals for length of service. This is far from the truth. (If this were true I'd be an SES since I have 28 years of service.) The current system does not automatically promote (by step increases) individuals. If an employee is not performing, the step increase will not be granted. In obtaining a grade promotion, an individual must qualify for a position, be interviewed and selected. In quoting from our local paper, it appears NSPS will do the following for civil service employees: -Render whistleblower protections virtually meaningless. -End the merit-based personnel system as we know it. -Give managers vast unchecked power that could lead to favoritism and motivation by intimidation. -Render years of committed service almost worthless in a reduction-in-force scenario. -Lower standards of living by driving down federal pay and undermining retirement security. -Threaten vital teamwork by pitting employees against each other for determining who does and does not get a raise. -Virtually destroy fairness and due-process procedures within the Department. -Nullify most of the rights to bargain collectively that employees have had for decades.