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Return to Article: Senate panel moves to scale back Pentagon personnel system

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  Patriot posted that for value management that all government civilians must have equivalent degrees to hold a position. That a GS-15 should be a Lt Col. That is just total lunacy. We don't want or need a civilian workforce made up of all retired or seperated officers. There are plenty of procedures in place to ensure qualified people gain meaningful employment in DoD. MANY retired or seperated ENLISTED people are more qualified to hold governmnet positions than our so called elitist officer corps. Quit thumbing your nose at the folks actually performing the mission and join the 'real world'!

  Chuck Posted November 14, 2007 11:38 AM
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  The resources pulled into standing up NSPS's convulted system have been disgracfully wasted -$300 million! Would any other nation, at war, waste so much money and precious time on mindless adjectives, papering files with meaningless narratives and ridiculously poor training classes on nonsense? Glib contractors raking in the money and we have no time or money for this bureacratic blather - good people leave when it takes 16 months to do a 12 month performance eval. The Emperor is naked, pull the plug. GAO hello!

  Suzanne Posted October 29, 2007 1:19 PM
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  NSPS is NOT fair or equitable!! Under NSPS when an employee is now "promoted" from a GS-08 Lead to a GS-10 Supervisor it is NOT considered a "promotion" but a "reassignment" and the employee only receives a 5% pay increase. The equivalent of 1 step or a QSI. So what would have been a promotion from GS-8 step 05 to GS-10 step 01, under NSPS is now a reassignment from a GS-08 step 05 to the equivalent of a GS-08 step 06. Under the GS system when a GS-07 is promoted to GS-08 he receives two steps in his current grade and than moves to the new higher grade equaling about 13% increase in salary. Our people are our MOST valuable resource and under NSPS we are NOT taking care of them. The system simply does NOT work. Under NSPS I have completed two iterations of a final performance evaluation and pay pools. The NSPS system does NOT change the supervisor's ability or responsibility to hold employees accountable for their performance and in no way makes it more difficult or easier to with-hold or award pay increases. Under the current GS system with the current performance oriented rating system I may still do either, in-fact the current GS system allows me more latitude to award my top performers with special act awards and a QSI and hold my poor performers accountable by with-holding steps. The NSPS system simply does NOT work!

  Daniel C. Glembot Posted October 22, 2007 8:35 AM
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  If the new defense personnel system is truly to provide BEST VALUE management it would mandate that all federal managers possess a formal 4 year college degree or be a retired military officer with degree or rank commensurate with management level with no "grand fathering" (If you don't possess the qualifications you are history.). As an example a "GS-15" would need a graduate level degree or have served as a lieutenant colonel. The United States has a Department of Education that has stated this country is falling behind other nations in education of its citizens. Therefore I contend that the new DOD personnel system will not be in the best interests of America and fail if it does not insist on formally educated management, thereby BEST VALUE management.

  patriot Posted August 16, 2007 8:23 AM
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  I'm a white non hispanic employee in an organization that has a 94% asian majority in Hawaii. Racial discrimination and racial favortism are the norm in this District and management is to weak to act. NSPS will only serve to increase all forms of discrimination in this District.

  token Posted August 6, 2007 7:32 PM
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  Anyone who believes that NSPS is fair to the employee has had their head in the sand. At our training sessions we were told to receive the highest level which is a 5 you would basically have to be able to "walk on water". Supervisors have been trained not to give out superior (5) ratings. Job decripions that used to be very detailed on what the job entailed are now down to 3-5 objectives written much like a large paragraph. Pay pools are suppoe to be fair, are run by a committee that is set up for unfairness. NSPS is a joke. The only ones that are going to beneift from this are the good o boys. I urge you to write you senators and congressman to repeal NSPS.

  E. Meister Posted June 22, 2007 2:15 PM
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  NSPS has been implemented to a few of our employees. They are now YN-02 YN-01's. There pay has been messed up from jump street! There pay has been cut $500.00 a pay for 5 months now. They are going insane trying to figure this out with Civ. personnel, Civ pay etc...Can you imagine when this gets going full swing!?

  J.Feltner Posted June 13, 2007 5:01 PM
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  As a member of a federal employee' union. I am against NSPS and I am happy that the House of Represntaives and the Senate Armed Services Committeevoted to give the unions the right to have collective bargaining. NSPS and the homeland secuirty personell systems are designed to take away rights from Federal Employees, if these plans were fully implented the goal is to have the rest of the government to follow.

  Mike Gropman Posted May 31, 2007 8:42 PM
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  The most troubling aspect of the NSPS system is the lack of uniform control and independent oversight procedures. In many cases individual pay pools are making up their own rules. The only oversight is the immediately higher level in the chain of command. This is an invitation to abuse the system.

  Michael Shattuck Posted May 31, 2007 4:22 PM
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  NSPS needs to be repealed because NSPS opens the door to corruption and patronage in determining employee wages; and, NSPS eliminates the merit in the Civil Service Merit System.

  Ron Ballew Posted May 31, 2007 4:08 PM
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  Thank you, ENH, for educating us. I've been dreading and lamenting this initiative with minor references to its general principles and policies while you've provided exacting details and references for those who thinking loyalty must be blind. I would appreciate more information from anyone in the know. My trepidation solidifies each passing day.

  Few of us doubters think all supporters of NSPS are panderers, but rather neophytes of system implementation. Many are succumbing to the "buzz" words, like Indians signing treaties. They hear the words, look at the overall concepts, and find them worthy. We can understand that and often appreciate their position. SOME of the general concepts ARE noble others are not. But it's the way almost all are to be implemented that decries fairness and equity. For those of you who think this will finally cull the chafe, please reconsider your attitude on the majority of your co-workers and consider that you too may end up on the wrong side of political maneuverings such as BRAC, forced out before your time.

  We ask those supporting this new system to look at it with a critical eye; not to denigrate it but to examine how it could go wrong, for it is like any other new system and filled with bugs. We request that the supporters look at the current system and tell us why this can not be fixed at less cost and potential for disaster; and how its weaknesses are not merely recreated but, in some cases, magnified in the new.

  And, finally, we ask for consideration by our elected representatives for the past successes they've publicly applauded, and people they subsequently lambasted. If you want motivated workers to provide unbiased support of the administration currently in power in accordance with the Constitution, with a minimum of resources but a maximum of experience, knowledge, and dedication, please reconsider the impact of this draconian scheme.

  Tip off Posted May 31, 2007 11:20 AM
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  Under NSPS, The DOD Personnel Manual (DOD 1400.25-M) was recently changed whereby any organizational mission transfer to a different location automatically results in a Transfer of Function determination. This means if employees don't accept transfer, they can be terminated via adverse action. This was a simple insertion of a few words (SC600.4.9) that completely did away with the Transfer of Work determination(this results in an almost guaranteed job in the same local commuting area)through the Priority Placement Program. BTW, in most cases bargaining unit employees (non-NSPS) fall into the Transfer of Work category and therefore get the best benefits. Also,DOD did the same thing as it relates to temporary continuation of federal employees health benefits. SC 1704.3.2 makes TOF declinees ineligible for coverage. BTW, just about anyone losing their job is eligible for this benefit (except TOF declinees)--talk about draconian. These are but two "examples" of the way employees are being treated under NSPS.

  ENH Posted May 31, 2007 9:14 AM
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  For those big brains out there who haven't figured it out yet, the labor coalition's tiresome charade of righteous indignation has nothing to do with the way DoD civilians would be treated under NSPS and everything to do with their institutional viability. They're running scared because DoD now has a way to say legally that we're not playing your stupid little games any more. If the DoD unions can't hold the DoD mission hostage as they've been able to do quite often under Chapter 71, they figure they'll lose dues payers, and they're probably right. But let me ask you, what part of "this is only a test" don't you and they understand. If DoD managers abuse their authority like the Unions say they will under NSPS, then the NSPS LR rules are "dead in the water" and DoD reverts back to Chapter 71 in 2009. So you tell me, why would DoD managers want to do that?

  STU Posted May 31, 2007 8:35 AM
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  This NSPS pay per performance system will only reward those who are "friends" of the rating official. Those who work "quietly" and get the job done will be at the bottom of the list.

  Medizon Ramos Posted May 30, 2007 11:31 PM
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  "As usual we see all the whyinng from the entrenched land crabs. The world has changed we are in a global economy and the civil servents want to be excluded from change. John and Rachel say they would quit I say great there are 100 people wainting for every opening and the replacements wouldn't bring your sense of entitlement with them."

  joe schmoe Posted May 30, 2007 5:35 PM
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  Unions exist to "protect" employees who are unwilling to do the job they were hired to do. Good employees don't need anyone to protect them. People who whine and complain are those who shouldn't be on the payroll to begin with. Some day we'll end up like Europe with a bunch of lazy people who want to get paid for doing nothing all day, "work" 35 hours per week, and have 45 days of vacation per year. I have yet to see a "real" employee complain about any system that rates them fairly.

  nathan wolfson Posted May 30, 2007 12:19 PM
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  This whole NSPS thing is such a comedy of errors. 1st they sell it as to "recruit and retain" --which in other words: let me bring in my buddy off the street at a rediculous salary..yes I've seen that already-- what a joke. Then they implement without employee buy-in and wonder why everyone is so apprehensive. It is as if the rules are being made up as we go along..its very much like running in front of a moving train laying the tracks, because you know if that train stops everyone wants off! They are pushing so hard figuring once we've spent so many millions implementing NSPS, they cant make us scrap it, as it would cost millions to go back..i know this is true. Better to ask forgivness than ask permission is a DoD credo. Fact is you CAN fire people under the current system..you need a good reason, which is as it should be, and the only reason managers whine about the system is they dont have the guts and will to do it! The ultimate insult is after cutting military positions, and undermining civilians rights and morale with NSPS they recently asked for civilian "volunteers" to go to Iraq --of course with no promotion or veteran status-- What a joke..as an organization HR person just about every civilian I know laughed when they saw that "call" for volunteers. Talk about comming to the civilians workforce with one hand out and a dagger in the other!

  MS Posted May 30, 2007 10:58 AM
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  Anyone who works for a living in these United States must be made aware of NSPS. This personnel system will cause the civil service to go back 50 years in the labor relations arena. This is just the start of the direction our country will go if the Senate doesn't scrub NSPS. The private sector will be next in this attack on employee rights. The administration overstepped the authority the House and Senate gave them in the guise of changing the personnel system to a new and improved modern personnel system that will make civil service employment better. Contact your Senators and demand that they support the civil servants that have dedicated their lives to this country and scrub NSPS.

  TomE Posted May 30, 2007 10:02 AM
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  NSPS is a huge disaster being imposed on a few of us for now, and the rest of us later. No one under NSPS is guaranteed the 3.5% pay raise, not to mention the step increases we all know we deserve. Sure, there will ALWAYS be pathetic employees... even under NSPS. They are NOT the standard nor the norm! The GS system had a fine way to deal with those people. Managers haven't done what it takes to get rid of those few.

  The pay pool panels consist of very few people that will decide employees' futures, mess us our base pays (and don't forget we'll all need Ouiji boards to figure out our TSP and FSA allocations from now on). If everything is going to be so fair under NSPS, why does everything have to be such a secret?! We can't even find out what rating our immediate supervisors give us, only the final score from the pay pool. And we're supposed to be content with that?!? We also can't see how much of an incentive the pay pool panel members end up with? And who exactly believes that pay pool members don't have any weight on how many shares they will get?

  REAL 360 communications involves having a group of GS-13s and even 12s creating the pool panel that decide what payout management should have every year... and not tell them until some time in January what to expect... only alert them that it could even involve a pay cut.

  How many people are going to be stepping up to the plate to the "extra mile", when it's time to participate in the dreaded Christmas party, Organization Day, parties, and other unofficial activities, when management doesn't want to give people the time, money, nor incentives? Remember, "Other duties as assigned" won't affect your shares any more (unless you can finagel them in your objectives. Good luck.) Neither will time-consuming classes that we can't even account for in our objectives either!

  The NSPS intent is to compete against the people that are willing to work for free(less) and hope the rest of us join in, just to keep our jobs. I keep hearing this mentality is supposed to motivate employees. So far it's not working. People give a lot more when you treat them right. The NSPS concept is NOT "treating people right."

  Irene Posted May 29, 2007 1:47 PM
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  As usual we see all the whyinng from the entrenched land crabs. The world has changed we are in a global economy and the civil servents want to be excluded from change. John and Rachel say they would quit I say great there are 100 people wainting for every opening and the replacements wouldn't bring your sense of entitlement with them.

  dan ketter Posted May 29, 2007 1:31 PM
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  I think the NSPS is unconstitutional, un-American, and very un-democratic. I have over 31 years federal service and never thought I would see this happen to our government personnel system. The very government I work for, support and love is taking away my employee rights. We cannot be a free nation and have a President with absolute veto power. That is against everything that was setup in the US Constitution. We should have a government with checks and balances. Absolute power always leads to corruption and abuse.

  Rachel Fleming Posted May 29, 2007 11:39 AM
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  The 3.5% pay raise is nice for civilians and is talked a lot, however, being a NSPS civilian, it is meaningless. We won't see it. Our possible pay will be based on what funds are available and if we are eligible to receive any pay raise. NSPS is based on "shares" not percentages. You should focus on that aspect and quit treating all civlians as GS types anymore.

  Ken Roxburgh Posted May 29, 2007 7:30 AM
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  The Senate seems to be going along with the House in approving these NSPS restrictions. Both houses have realized that when Sec Def Gage was appointed and the Senate committee asked him if he would respect the rights of the Federal Unions, his reluctance to answer "YES" left concern. The committee finally told Gates that there would be union protection and if that meant that they would have to take legislative action, they would. The Senate has voted to respect and protect the fedeal employees which restores my faith in the legislative process. There are some benefits being derived from NSPS, Pay for Performance and employee/Management communication, but at what cost when all of this could have been accomplished under the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act. The auto/info management upgrades are part of doing HR business across the fed gov. I give credit to Sen Akaka,Voinovich,Collins and Liberman for their leadership.

  Richard Mclean Posted May 28, 2007 2:30 PM
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  This is a great move by the Senate Panel. As an employee within DoD, I have been vehemently opposed to NSPS as rolled out by the DoD. It was clearly developed by Donald Rumsfeld as a tool to remove collective bargaining rights, not as a tool to create a more flexible system, as stated by DoD. The systems currently in place, if used correctly, have ample ability to award or reprimand employees and allow for flexible hiring and firing as needed. I applaud the Senate panel and hope that they are successful in passing this bill through Congress!

  Pamela Hertzberg Posted May 26, 2007 2:41 PM
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  When creating the NSPS the DOD used the original Congressional authorization like a blank check.

  The NSPS regulations were written in a way which grants the NSPS nearly absolute autonomy in every area - including pay setting, workforce shaping, collective bargaining...

  The way the NSPS currently views the Congressional authorization is that the NSPS may do anything it chooses. I think Congress is now aware that the sitution is severely out of balance.

  If Congress wishes to correct a previous misinterpretation of their intent then now is the time before any further damage is done.

  Joe Posted May 26, 2007 8:40 AM
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  I am a 30 yeay DoD employee and I would not want to continue my career under the proposed NSPS. I love my job and have enjoyed my Air Force career but the power it would give management is just too great. I think we have seen in recent years that power with no safeguards is not in the United States best interest. I will pray over the Memorial Weekend that the full Senate will support the Arms Service Committee's language.

  John Santry Posted May 25, 2007 8:28 PM
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  Work is not done and federal employees need to remind Congress who they work for and who works for America. It was their mistake and they need to fix it.

  Bush had promised to veto anything that changed the anti-worker, anti-union personnel system, so a veto proof majority is essential.

  Make sure Congress hears your voice.

  Mark Gibson Posted May 25, 2007 7:33 PM