Comment Number: OL-10512302
Received: 3/17/2005 9:17:08 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:

I understand that it is felt that a change is needed to be able to attract new employees. But even though I don't feel like the NSPS will improve hiring situations for new employees, I do feel that it will negatively affect current employees. I have worked for an agency (prior to my current one) where supervisors were only interested in themselves. If they didn't like you, it didn't matter what type of performance you were giving. They found ways to keep you from moving forward in the organization. I believe that will happen when NSPS is implemented as well. If this creates such a terrific "hiring" tool, why not apply it to ONLY new hires and "grandfather" in current employees until their retirement. Then those hired under a different set of rules... and who have based what they expect at retirement on those rules... will not have to see what they have worked toward for over half their government career change dramatically in the final years of their career. The individuals that have the potential for the greatest negative effect are those who have less than ten years to retirement. When the new system has the possibility of major changes in an employee's potential retirement income, it would seem to me that the TOTAL picture should be given to those employees and then they should be allowed to VOTE on acceptance of it. Federal employees are not stupid, if the NSPS is a great improvement FOR ALL, they would see that and it would be passed by that sort of vote. Meanwhile, federal employees DO NOT have the complete picture... somethings have not even been decided (such as the statement that "DoD is developing a process that will allow employees to request reconsideration of their rating to a higher authority.") ALL of these sorts of things should be decided and in writing BEFORE the system is put into effect. After the fact issue changes could mean that the rights are never added to the NSPS. I believe that there is too big a rush to implement NSPS... without giving current employees a fair chance at understanding what the REAL outcome will be.