Return to Article: House backs full collective bargaining rights at Defense
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36337
Ever year that NSPS takes cost-of-living from me, I will pull my CFC contributions to help offset my loss of any pay raise. I urge others to do the same. Maybe a decrease in contributions will get some attention. I am registered Republican voter, but I now know that due to NSPS (implemented by Bush and Rumsfeld) I will be voting against all Republicans who hold federal elected positions in our government. The NSPS system is "cronie-ism" at it's best.
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33187
NSPS is cheaper because it allows raises that are below what they woudl have normally been in the GS system. I just read an article that said the across the board increase of 3.5% will nto be automatically given to every employee, half will be added to the regular salary as an increase if the performance rates it and the other half will be added to the big pool of performance bonus money. Again, this means you only get a raise if you are getting a good enough eval. the problem is that the percent can still be less than the full 3.5% Congress authorized, so people will be screwed otu of the money they should have received.
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31561
The raise was a joke. I recieved a relatively high score (a 4) but my raise was still only 2% with a 1% bonus. On the GS system, I would have been due a step raise. My 2% NSPS raise did not bring me up to the pay level I would have had on the GS table. In addition, because my score was a 4 and not a 4.01, I recieved no more of a raise than those who recieved a 3.51. Wasn't this supposed to be "pay for performance?" I had to work really hard to earn that 4 and a 2% was a huge disappointment. I still work hard, but I don't have any dilutions of getting a good raise for it. My job did not offer a lot of promotion potential before NSPS, but now any little bit of hope is gone. When the time is right, I will move on. It is very disappointing, because I really like my job.
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30485
As I read these e-mails I wouldn't worry too much over the long term effects of NSPS.
I've been doing HR a long time and the Federal Government like all huge bureacracies operates under the rubber band principal. As I've mentioned in the past, the GS system for all its faults is clear, easy to understand and fair-- more fair to poor performers, but still fair.
The further out these HR reforms go from the GS and Title 5 center the harder will be the snap back of the rubber band. The bigger the group that moves off center as in DoD, the harder the snap back as well.
These HR reforms can't work because there has been no agreement from the stakeholders. This administration operates under command and control- we will tell you what we are doing and if you don't like it there is the door. In the area of pay and performance this is a disaster. Well, many feds are fed up and going through the door--and the next administration will be facing a huge retention and recruitment problem so I suspect that the snap back will be pretty quick. I wonder where OPM will find all those wonderful partnership materials they threw away six years ago. :-))
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30450
Does anyone actually think that NSPS would be implemented if it wasn't in some way cheaper (or at least cost the same)?
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30447
The Good 'Ol Boys network is definately alive and well. I have seen it first hand. I didn't get a supervisory job and was told to wait for my turn, the other guy has more years of experience.
I have also seen a mock pay pool and there was only 1 four and 1 five handed out, to the last two employees of the year. Not saying that don't deserve their marks but I know others who do their jobs just as well without the accolades or attention and no one else got above a 3. The only people who would have gotten a higher raise than the next step for performing acceptably during the year were those who weren't on track to get a step that year.
Also, it is true that the Secretary of Defense has to the power to adjust the pay bands, both UP and DOWN at his discretion (the Secretary of Defense nor the President would never not give the civil servants raises because of a natural disaster, or some other funding shortfall, that would NEVER happen)
So even if you do great job and earn a 5, the pay band could be adjusted downward and end up receiving nothing. Or have it determined that you are "overpaid" already and shouldn't get a bonus or a raise.
Even if you and your organization do not have the Good 'Ol Boy network and there actually a well input pay for performance of well thought out and "SMART" objectives, there is still a chance that a good hard working employee will have Judge Smails saying, "You'll get nothing, and like it!"
Glad I got a promotion to an agency outside of DOD where I'm being groomed to be a division manager.
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30427
Chris, as I read "Well it's apparent from reading these posts a lot of people are not well informed about NSPS. ", it was just as apparent that you are unaware, despite numerous assertions in this forum from knowledgeable sources, that step-increases under the GS system are not automatic. Or were you speaking of COLA?
Well, let's consider, speaking of the step-increases versus the bonus/salary increases... If they are to be classified as automatic under current regulatory guidance, as you evidently do, it seems to be because of the current supervisors. Therefore, logically speaking, without a change in management this will continue under the new system. Do you propose in relieving all those supervisors? Re-education camps?
Since you supervise 5 people, I must ask what percentage of salary did they receive as performance pay? You're welcome to combine the salary and bonuses or not, whatever you so desire. Just find some numbers you feel are accurate and reflective. How do you feel those percentages relates to their salary if they had not been converted to NSPS? Do you think that level of bonus and the baseline split will continue in future years? How about retirement?
May I enquire as to your feelings on the deployment aspects of NSPS? Of civilians coming under the UCMJ? Should civilians be forced to deploy; particularly under current pay regulations? I ask specifically because of the difference in tax status of pay in compared to the military and voluntary contractors. Do you think civilians should even be forced to shave or cut their hair because of uniform regulations? Perhaps that is a little extreme, but it is in the regulations.
What about those 3 layers of checks and balances under NSPS. Is it possible you could evaluate your top performer and submit them for a bonus and/or salary increase, but due to lack of funds or the impartial quotas impose by some departments, the pay pool might down grade that evaluation? We've had feedback here that not only were funds not available (which they must be by law under the GS system), but supervisors were instructed to rewrite the evaluations, down grading them and, thus, giving erroneous institutional "proof" that the workers were less effective than was the reality.
IMHO, there is no system more responsive to the "good ole boys", with potential for abuse, than the NSPS.
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30420
Hey Chris: Thanks for the response. Investing a large portion of the bonus is what I was going to do. I was going to buy some foos with it as wll. Can you give me some advice on the thousands of dollars in TSP contributions, matching funds, and compound interest I will be losing out on because someone in DOD decided the best way to reward GOOD employees in to split their performance payout betweeen a bonus and a salary increase. Couple this with the reduction in pension benefits too I am not thrilled. I have roughly estimated that if my performance payout is split for 30 years then my 3-high will be reduced by at least $30,000. Retire at age 60 with 35 years and a 3-high of $70,000 instead of $100,000 and I lose about $11,550 per year. Calulate the loss out to age 80 and I have lost $231,000 over 20 years. This doesn't include the yearly adjustment for inflation.
Chris, perhaps you could lay out a well-reasoned argument about the benefits valued employees derive by receiving their performance payout in the form of a 50% salary increase and a 50% bonus? How about this, when everyone is rated, decide how much an employee should receive based on their performance and then award that in a form of a 100% salary increase. For those with unacceptable ratings they would get nothing! Sounds more fair to me...but then the line item in the DOD budget would be much higher for salaries. Perhaps we should put the President and members of Congress on a pay-for performance plan and we the people will determine what they deserve. No, instead they vote to give themselves a pay increase in the middle of the night. Hmmm.
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30418
Don't say that the good ol' boy system is "just babbling by Union idiots". I have worked in several Texas cities and a couple of different agencies. Let me tell you, the good ol' boy system is alive and well. I'm from the north, so I didn't believe the rumors. Trust me, after 12 years, I know they are true.
I do not belong to the Union. I do not sympathize with the Union. I do not agree with how the Union manages different issues. I am just a dumb girl in a man's world.
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30412
Todd, Here are answers to your questions.
1. The paybands may be adjusted but only by the Sec of Defense. This year anyone under NSPS will receive the 3.5% GPI that congress has passed to be included into the DOD budget (yet to be signed).
2. You pretty much nailed it on the head. A lot of your performance pay payout revolves around how much your command put aside (2.26% this year if funding was available or based on historical average of the commands increase of civilian salaries) and there is no specific guidance that has to be put aside some commands are putting away 2.26% while some are putting aside 6%. You can see how this can break the bank and lack of loyalty to the organization. Yes the command can decide how it gets paid out, so much in salary/bonus. In the long run it WILL affect your retirement pay.
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30405
Well it's apparent from reading these posts a lot of people are not well informed about NSPS. I'll just state for the record that I supervise 5 people - all have received excellent write up under the OLD GS system. I expect that to remain under the NSPS system. It's ludicrous to think Gov't should automatically give step raises as long as you don't kill anyone on the job. The only way not to bankrupt the system, like Social Security, is to weed out poor performers and reward those who do their job and really reward those that go above and beyond. The good old boys comments are crazy, just babbling by Union idiots who destroyed the auto industry and teaching profession. There's 3 layers of checks and balances in NSPS, do you think all three people will be part of the "boys" network. Highly unlikely. Just worry about doing your job and the pay will equate to performance unlike today where slackers are rewarded just as much as real performers. And to Todd you should quit now if your worried about retirement in 30 years. NSPS baseline is to award 50% bonus and 50% to salary. Here's an idea go invest the bonus money - in the long run you will make more money than you will gain by 100% salary increase. Stop thinking like short term UNION employees.
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30391
I am glad to see that my AFGE dues are paying off and all the faxs, phone calls I have been sending a long with emails to my represenatives for four years is finely paying off. I feel the DOD employees that are under the pay for performance. It is a raw deal. For me, I only have 5 years left untill I retire and will have given 32 years of service to DOD and given up more than 16 years of my life plus overtime to DOD sacrafycing hollidays and family events. DOD Firefighters are still under the GS Pay scale.
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30379
I am tired of just reading how NSPS can be abused. Any system can be. Can someone that is familar with NSPS please answer some of my questions. (1) are the low end and high end of the pay bands indexed for inflation like the GS schedule or does it take an act of Congres to adjust them? I came from TSA and the pay bands there haven't been increased since the agency was created. I am sure because of budget issues!(2) Does anyone have any comments on how the performance payout is given? Under the GS system a GS-11 step 1 (DC locality pay) will receive a SALARY INCREASE of approximately $1900 assuming Congress passes a 3.5% pay increase. How can you say pay-for-performance is going to work when management has the ability to give your performance payout in the form a salary increase, bonus, or combination of two. Under NSPS, a GS-11 equivalent employee could receive a $500 salary increase and a $1400 bonus taxed at 40% (are bonus taxed?). Management says: work hard, receive a small salary increase, have your bonus taxed at $40%, and then do it all again next year. Then look at the GS schedule and become depressed when you realize what salary you could be earning but aren't! I have 30 years left to retire and this kind a pay-for-performance will result in a serious reduction in SALARY and pension benefit in retirement. I am all for a pay-for-performance system; just give me a performance increase in the form of a 100% salary increase!!! Do you all realize the numbers; keeping the salaries low changes how much the government matches your TSP, it can affect your TSP contribution if you are contributing on a % basis, and reduces your pension in retirement. When health premiums go up its eats a larger percentage of your salary (i.e., you take home pay). If NSPS is not used properly, I can see alot of young workers leaving DOD in the near future for an agency that follows the GS schedule. Couple this loss with the upcoming retirements and the department will suffer. This is brillant way to keep employees!
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30363
Denise,
I wish you were my supervisor. Your comments are direct, to the point, and true.
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30322
Mike is correct in his observations. I'm also an LER type. These types of HR reforms would have been crafted differently and with a great deal of Union input a decade ago on a partnership platform. But partnership was meaningless in February, 2001 and this administration approach is my way or the highway. OK-- in January, 2009 I really hope they are shown the highway in every Department and agency.
As Mike notes, management certainly has all the tools it needs under Parts 432 and 752 of Title 5 to address any and all performance problems. Those few cases that go to MSPB show how easy it is to wield Part 432 in performacne space. The real problem is management inability to actually manage employees. If managers can't manage under the current Title 5, why are we even discussing that these same managers can handle pay for performance systems. Please take the matches out of these childrens', oh I mean managers', hands before they seriously burn themselves with pay for performance!!!
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30318
Comment #30224 from the HR Specialist is 110 percent accurate plus more. I work for a Department of Defense HRO Region office and it is definitely the perfect tool for management to abuse and weed out employees that report various type of abuse that does not concur with management and hire relative and friends off the street. It does not stop there. Reassignments and new appointment actions are being process like there is no tomorrow which includes huge raises. The funny thing is; a glorified position title is classified but no additional duties are added. Relatives are hired with higher pay and pay band with no experience and promoted with a matter of months. While, additional workload is given to the old federal employee in order to terminate them due to poor work performance which makes room for a relatives, friends or favorite employees. What saddens me the most; is knowing that four of my children serving in the military service had gone to Afghanistan and Iraq (serving 18 months with more than one tour) and one heading to Iraq again told me about the lack and poor condition of the equipments and supplies they had to use or had to revise in order for the equipment to work. The living condition they had to endure and lack of protection gears that should protect them from flying bullets. The truth of the matter is; The Civil Service Merit Principles has the value that protects the rights for all Federal Employees by the rules it governs and also give the Department of Defense qualified employees with a set salary with enough room for negotiating pay. Why change it something that is working. NSPS had and is still being spent foolish on justifying its value that does not protect federal employee's rights, provides management ways abuse the federal system, empowering them to hire relatives and friends and terminating federal employees with a snap of their finger. Drop NSPS System once and for all because its facelift has cost the Department of Defense irrational spending that should go towards protecting our men and women in the military service who are fighting for our freedom with new and better equipments, protection gears, supplies, and any necessary means to accomplish the mission they are sent to do. Also, the President may not need additional revenue to cover the cost for this war. Take NSPS budget and put it towards the war cost.
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30313
Hopefully the next several years will see a turnaround for employee rights. The HR specialist discussed the common concern of not being able to fire people easier enought, but I maintain that employees CAN be fired for good cause if the agency is willing to follow the law closely. Firing somebody "at will" as it is in many private sector jobs is acceptable in a just society. Democracy has to entend to the workplace.
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30300
Chris, if you enjoyed your weekend thank a union. Thank them for that and hundreds of other benefits large and small they have worked for and earned the American worker over many years. I'll bet you work every Labor Day without additional compensation just to demonstrate your disdain for the labor movement.
Unions are what NSPS is all about. I think Shrub wanted to get even with them for their contributions to the defeat of BIG Daddy Bush (two more elitist twits-are you Skull and Bones too?) by Slick. NSPS and MAXHR were merely the first salvo in the campaign to disenfranchise and marginalize the Federal unions. The rest is pretty much motherhood and apple pie eye wash and national security window dressing. How can anyone argue against pay for performance? But of course the arcane processes established by these systems are/were anything but. It's all slieght of hand to disguise the arbitrary and unquestionable exercise of managerial indiscretion. Well guess what, if this legislation is enacted and the labor provisions of NSPS go the way of whatever we now call MAXHR's, everything else becomes pretty much negotiable with the unions under Title 5! There's going to be some changes made if that's the case. As has been so often true with Shrub, his efforts seem to have had a result opposite to the desired effect. NSPS could lead to the empowerment and energizing of the Federal unions as it has to their internal solidarity in fighting at least this issue. Who wouldn't want to organize to resist this unbridled exercise of unanswerable power NSPS represents?
A final note, the competent and willing supervisor has all the tools needed right now to deal with poor performers and miscreants. I know, I'm an L/MER type. Check our record before MSPB. Organizations get the unions they deserve.
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30283
Alaska Me,
You ask a very good question, why not in the federal government. In concept and on paper I agree with you-- Eagles should be rewarded and poor performers eliminated from federal service. However, the devil is in the detail.
The private sector works on a different model. An organization that becomes dysfunctional and non-productive either changes quickly or the business is finished and everyone loses their jobs. There is a real incentive to have a robust performance management system, to be able to gauge productivity and to reward towards greater accomplishment.
The federal government is the opposite-- there is no incentive for the creation of robust PM programs or to gauge productivity because the people in charge would almost always fail any real analysis on performance. A quick read of articles about any agency bears this out.
Don't get me wrong- I hate the GS schedule. It drives performance toward the lower and lower levels because managers are not willing to manage toward better performance with the tools they currently have. However, pay for performance will be a total disaster because these same managers will now the means to drive pay lower and lower. Nobody should kid themselves that pay for performance is actually pay for performance-- it is the backdoor means to lower the salary and benefits line item in every Department budget and it will be an ugly nightmare. In the end, the government will return to a seniority system like the GS schedule out of self preservation-- so why bother causing this pain so unnecessarily.
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30282
I must agree with the HR Specialist and "D". I admit that from a pie-in-the-sky viewpoint, the NSPS has potential to do some good. It's the marketing and potential for abuse that cranks my tractor.
Marketing: The touting of NSPS over the current GS system and its supervisory controls amounts to disinformation. Both have vehicles for corrective action but rely on in-place management to exert them. If you have a good, knowledgeable boss who is actually allowed to manage constantly and consistently, rather than only during the rating period due to other job requirements, you might benefit from NSPS (long term financial aspects aside).
Potential for abuse:
1. The currently employed are limited in their ability to progress financially, even if they are successful in their job performance; while the new recruits without experience or a track record can bargain for their pay. Such recruitment tactics will directly impact on the budget and lessen the funds available for current bonuses and pay increases.
2. NSPS includes draconian measures that mean management can deploy civilians into a combat theater without any additional compensation, tax relief, self-defense capabilities, AND make them subject to the UCMJ.
3. NSPS is showing the disparity between upper and lower level compensation. 10+% vs. 1% bonuses? How is that equitable?
4. NSPS gives managers like Chris the ability to take their attitudes out on their subordinates, regardless of actual performance. Potential exists for pay reduction, demotion (as seen in Walker's GAO debacle), or even firing; with little recourse for remediation.
Add them up, folks, the bad out weighs the good 4:1. Between the deployment and UCMJ issues, the wide disparity of bonus distribution, to the possible abuses of managerial might, the current NSPS scares the snot out of me, and should any subscriber to Murphy's Laws. With such facts readily available, I'm amazed the administration is frustrated by the failure of the masses to buy-in.
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30263
Thanks Chris for doing your part to ensure that NSPS, HR MAX and all the rest of these thinly disguised regressive spoils systems are never implemented. People like you are the best union recruiters out there. Thanks again!
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30257
I read these letters with great interest. Chris as a manager already has the opinion that half of employees should not get any raise whatsoever. We've seen fully how jobs are protected once partisan politicians take over agencies and Departments both in Maryland and in the Federal Government.
We are the envy of the world for a stable and professional civil service and that is because the permanent career service is supposed to be non-partisan and protected. The seniority general schedule pay system has worked well over the years because it is consistent, clear, easy to implement, and for the most part as fair as possible within it parameters.
The NSPS system and the other systems crafted under HR reform are the opposite and with most managers not caring at all about performance management, to base paychecks on broken PM systems is simply insane. Until managers like Chris get a handle on their own bias, I wouldn't want my paycheck depending on his opinion of my performance. Multiply Chris type managers by 50,000 impacting hundreds of thousands of employees and you gain the scope of the disaster that pay for performacne is in the federal sector.
Please, someone besides China Lake employees- tell me where this pay for performance is working well. It certainly isn't working well at GAO-- they are organzing a new bargaining unit because of this pay disaster.
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30252
I have worked within DOD for 27 years at various locations and capacities. I am a supporter of NSPS in general and have received considerable NSPS training. Overall, I believe NSPS pay bands are fairly distributed and opportunity for salary increase within the band is available for value added work performed. Flexibility in hiring at a more competitive salary due to pay bands is now an option for supervisors. I am personally not opposed to a pay for performance system, this is how it works in the private sector, why not in the Gov't? If a person performs at only a fair level or below, they likely don't get raises in the private sector, and that makes sense. The NSPS pay pool panel process can help insure a fair appraisal review, for those who feel their supervisor might be out to get them. On the down side, training and execution of pay pool management has been extensive, intensive and laborious. First line supervisors are being hardest hit to give the appraisal and then present the panel manager's final decision to the employee. Also troubling is how the "pay out" guidance continues to be micromanaged to the lowest levels, which blurs the NSPS foundation of "security" and "pay for performance" with being more about less spending from the DOD budget for salary and incentives. For instance, the most troubling for virtually everyone here in NSPS is the expectation for 70-80% of us (based on published results of ratings and payouts) to embrace and be happy with a 3 level rating of "Valued Performer", which comes with no more than 1/3 (2 shares) of the highest payout possible. All these comments notwithstanding, I hope NSPS survives the battle brought forth by the Union. I strongly believe in accountability and consequences for poor performance and that did not happen with the former TAPES system we were under as GS employees.
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30241
John Heath, as an NSPS implementer I have been to the training and have seen the results of this program. Its one good quality is having an excellent picture for the employees and supervisors of what is going to be accomplished for the commands mission during the FY i.e. Job Objectives. The pay system is my biggest concern. Every Mock Pay Pool result that has been shared with us has shown the higher you are in the pay band the better your share value will be even with the equivalent rating performing similar work. You state that it's the poor performing employees that are complaining about the program (I have received performance evaluations with a rating of 4) however as a relatively new government employee I will still lose overall in this program and who knows how my pay will be distributed bonus, salary or a combo of both the last being the most commonly used throughout DoD. We have recently gotten direction from higher headquarters that we need to implement control points based on the old GS system, so much for the whole you can make this up to the maximum in this pay band lie. There was nothing wrong with the old system just bad supervisors not carrying out their roles to fire employees that did not perform.
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30231
For Chris-I think it's a bit short sighted to say that the unions' motive is trying to maintain dues from their bargaining unit constituents. The unions, among others, are trying to ensure that agencies honor the bargaining contracts they signed. It's evident that employees still need protections from those who would abuse the NSPS privileges to run amuck. I hold firm that people are a product of their environment. If an employee is a poor performer, chances are that a poor example has been set. Employees tend to emulate their leadership, just some food for thought.
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30230
I've been involved with NSPS for several years at multiple DoD organizations and have directly discussed the program with 1,000s of employees. The vast majority that I've spoken with generally have a favorable impression of the new system. While NSPS does require extra effort and has some wrinkles that need to be ironed out, in the organizations that I've worked with it has provided increased flexibility, transparency and protections. Granted the current NSPS population is not represented by bargaining units (unions); however, my observation has been that good employees tend to do as well or slightly better under NSPS and high performers do noticeably better. In my opinion, the only folks that need fear NSPS are low performers - which tend to be the ones doing the most complaining.
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30225
I am not part of the defense department, but I would like to make this comment. Chris doesn't seem to qualify as a supervisor. I believe all supervisors should be required to qualify at certain test levels in spelling, grammer, math and people skills. Chris, count your lucky stars you made it this far.
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30224
I currently work in the Fed HR as a Specialist under NSPS. NSPS is the perfect tool for management to abuse/punish/confuse and re-write the rules to ensure that they and their favored employees get the best of everything. They can sidestep merit principles as easy as this: You want to move your friend up the money scale its easy don't promote! do a management directed Reassignment and you can give them up to 5% increase (no competition). Management can do this up to 4 or 5 times in 1 year. And for those they don't like you can do the same except in you can take away money and there is nothing the employee can do about it. Unions become powerless, employees have no rights and management can decide to play even more games with your salary than there is space for me to write about. They can promote you and forget the GS mandatory 2 step rule, forget the grade minimun for the level of work. You supporters of the NSPS system do not remotely know/care, or are operating in a "perfect world" syndrome. This system is the perfect tool for abusing the employees the budget and getting away with it. You think your going to get a fair shake when you compete for a position, well NSPS makes it legal to ensure you get managements Idea of a fair shake and can do nothing about it. If you do not believe what I just said call any HR rep that understands NSPS and ask if what I said is true. You will get a huge wake up call when they say "yes."
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30215
I am in total agreement with Rep. Jay Inslee. We cannot let the rogue regime in power to roll back years of progress towards a Civil Service based on Merit Principles, and not cronyism and political connections. The NSPS is the brain child of neocons who have been calculating a way to turn Civil Service into a political spoils system for years. It is beyond belief that anyone would fall for a scheme pushed by Rummy, the disgraced former SECDEF who ruined the Army.
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30211
It would seem that people (supervisors and workers) are often myopic when it comes to their positions. Having a few years under my belt, on both sides of the desk, you will see all types. I must admit I am pro-union and damn glad of it. But you know there are supervisors out there that I like. Just like the rank and file there are good ones and not so good ones. The importance to the whole picture is people (including supervisors) have a need to do their job and to follow the 'play plan.' In working with supervisors that did not bother to dot their I's and cross their T's was where the failure was found. The system as is, will allow supervisors to do what they need to do, but it does involve them doing their job. The worker has his responsibility too, and s/he has to follow the rules also. A union protects rights of the workers and in the Federal Government because of the laws the supervisors also get what they get. All need to look back and see what has been gained and given the opportunity to show their abilities. What would be nice if teamwork really was in effect then so often someone saying it's not my job. To paraphrase and old ad from I believe GE --- "people are our most important product."
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30204
For Chris, I'm glad you're not my supervisor. You sound just like one of the good ole' boys. You have no proof of your statistics. Maybe those lazy, stupid employees have a hateful, vindictive boss. Before you call people stupid and lazy, you need to check yourself. Generally speaking, it's the guilty dog that always barks first. As a former manager, I looked for the good in people and exploited it. Maybe you need to take a few classes, starting with spelling.
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30195
Oh, thank heavens. Okay, despite my diatribes on the current administration's eroding of our bargaining rights and civil liberties, I struggle to keep an objective view on future leaders. Still, the opposition party's influx has kept me on pins and needles awaiting some sign of intelligent life.
NASA we have proof. Reason, justice, and the American way may just stand a chance. The republic may survive, recent FISA legislation aside.
Now if we can just set aside the fear mongering and take wise steps towards preserve our way of life, I feel we might stand a chance.
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30188
I agree with Denise, and would like to add that it is nice to see that there are some in Congress and the Senate who are able to see where the NSPS leads. The good-old-boy system didn't work the first thousand times around, and it won't work now, either. Just look at the countries where the civil service system became a political spoils system and you can see where our country is headed at breakneck speed.
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30187
Does anyone care about how our performance payout is dispersed? I can never get any infomration on this. I am 30 years old with 5 years in with the federal gov't and how my performance payout is dispersed will effect me in retirement. All the literature that I have read indicates that your performance payout can be in the form of a salary increase, a bonus, or a combination of the two. I have 30 years until retirement. If I keep getting a higher percentage of bonus than a salary increase then over the course of thirty years I will lose out of thousands of dollars in retiremnt because my 3-high will be affected all the while the GS employee may be better off.
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30185
Thats nonsense. As a current supervisor I can tell you MSPS is a dream when it comes to poor preformers. None of the hassle of the old system. NSPS is a management tool it not designed to save any money. We spend as much as or more money under this system so the conspiracy theorists need not apply. The only reason their is opposition is from unions who risk losing influence over their due payers. Unions are an absolute waste in the 21 st century. The only people who need unions these days are the under-educated and the no-skills workers. Most of the DOD/gov't people don't fall under those categaories, although 33% are lazy and inept. Half of all workers shouldn't get automatic step raises, they don't deserve it.
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30155
Brittany, I have no opinion on the good or bad of what Congress is doing, but you might want to do your homework before you write any more articles. The appropriations bill impacts more than collective bargaining and employee appeals. And the authorization bills impact much more than labor relations. Your statements are suggesting they do far less when they actually do far more than what you report.
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30142
Finally, a step in the right direction. I have always held that NSPS had less to do with national security and more to do with saving money by tightening the labor purse. Procedures were already in place to weed out poor performers, supervisors merely needed to document properly. As a former supervisor, I have counseled poor performers and provided opportunities for employees to improve. It was my experience that employees who were deficient were unaware of their shortcomings because previous supervisors didn't bother to discuss such things. I found that treating employees with respect and providing guidance was more than enough to spark a marked improvement in performance. Once the stellar performers saw a positivie change in weaker co-workers, everyone became a team helping each other and performance improved all around. I don't see that pay for performance will have any positive impact on employees. If anything, it will create a more cut-throat environment and cause cracks in cohesive work units based on who is better at sucking up.
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