Return to Article: Pentagon changes policy for NSPS pay raises in 2008
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89186
Actually, now I truly believe that the NSPS system is great because it rewards outstanding workers. For years under the GS system I was an outstanding worker and received very little or nothing in raises, evaluations, and appraisals. Now I am satisfied because I am FINALLY being rewarded for my excellence. I am receiving much higher pay raises which I never had gotten before in my career. And I am not one of those who looks for brownie points in the office by organizing parties, social events, etc. Finally I am being rewarded for my hard work in my designated position.
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82138
After initially being a big supporter of NSPS I finally see how a command can screw it up. As a superior performer for my entire career I could not miss with pay for performance. I transferred to a new command where NSPS is manipulated. The good old boy network, the department heads, run the pay pool, and they take care of their own. If your supervisor is not part of tne network then you are screwed. Our command is always missing deadlines, by months. Here it is, 2 1/2 months away from the end of the evaluation period and job objectives are being sent back to be re-written. Looking forward to the amendment on the defense bill that will kill NSPS.
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78460
Here we go again with NSPS 2009 dog eat dog competition with my co-workers simply trying to get that extra buck that everyone is now vying for. I would much rather compete against myself by excelling in a professional manner and exceeding my own work ethics and expectations. At my agency the YC-2's and professors get the biggest pieces of the pie. Lower level YB-2's might as well just shine their shoes. NSPS is the absolute pits.
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72920
NSPS is great if you are not a lazy government employee. I was very pleased with my pay out as a YC-02. I got a 6 percent pay raise, which I would have never received if I was a GS employee.
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69104
Here is some advise. Read the regulations for yourself. I applies for a job and was told if your in the same pay band you only it is a reassignment and your can only get "up to" a 5% increase. The HR folks are correct but there is more to that story. Before you do not apply for a job due to the lack of a pay raise, look at the regulation 5CFR 9901. If your a YA-2 close to the bottom of your pay band and you apply for a YC-2, know this. You must be within the pay band. In some cases this could be a substantial increase way above the 5%. Also not that from what I have found the job announcement minimum is the minimum they have to pay you as well. If HR shortend that band on the announcement, they must pay you within those pay amount if your selected for the position. I surprised some of the HR personnel when I told them what I had found on my own.
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67650
I lost my job. 34 years faithful service. Impeccable record. It's too late to talk about NSPS. The results are already taking place. Call me when it's your time to go.
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67031
I just had my first NSPS evaluation and it was dreadful. The results....I never saw it coming. There were no objectives that were created and assessed at some point during the year. Right before the final evaluation, I was told to use objectives that really didn't apply to me or what I had been doing for the last 6 months let alone the last 12 months. When I questioned the change of objectives, I was told to write my assessment the best I could and that it would be taking into consideration once it went in front of the pay pool panel. After the pay pool met, I was, again, wrongfully "informed" that I received one rating when in fact I recieved another rating that happened to be lower. Which resulted in no annual pay increase or bonus. I was never written up for marginal work, I was never warned about unexceptable work habits so the rating was a hard, swift kick. I think the system is extremely unfair and a sure way to mistreat some undeserving individuals. I think the system could be a good system if applied properly but unfortunately their are way too many upper management people with bad intentions. If anyone reading this has any idea how I can fight this system or join someone else's fight, please contact me.
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67030
I just had my first NSPS evaluation and it was dreadful. The results....I never saw it coming. There were no objectives that were created and assessed at some point during the year. Right before the final evaluation, I was told to use objectives that really didn't apply to me or what I had been doing for the last 6 months let alone the last 12 months. When I questioned the change of objectives, I was told to write my assessment the best I could and that it would be taking into consideration once it went in front of the pay pool panel. After the pay pool met, I was, again, wrongfully "informed" that I received one rating when in fact I recieved another rating that happened to be lower. Which resulted in no annual pay increase or bonus. I was never written up for marginal work, I was never warned about unexceptable work habits so the rating was a hard, swift kick. I think the system is extremely unfair and a sure way to mistreat some undeserving individuals. I think the system could be a good system if applied properly but unfortunately their are way too many upper management people with bad intentions. If anyone reading this has any idea how I can fight this system or join someone else's fight, please contact me.
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66504
Does anyone know if this story at - Federaltimes.com - DHS officially ends pay for performance - has any merit to it? I have asked my local CPO and they know nothing. My other questions are going unanswered as well: example - was one's data (prior to NSPS)in "My-Biz" backed-up? Was it even legal for "whoever" changed a person's info in "MyBiz" to reflect the NSPS rating system, if so how to they justify a prior GS rating of "9" to be a NSPS rating of "3"? We have been told that we are rated like are counter parts on the military side, can you imagine what a "3" would do to a military career....
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65792
I agree this system is unfair. I look at it in another way. I have not been in the system for a full year, so I don't get any of the extra benies from it like the bonus part or parts of shares. So my extra is nothing... Sucks if you start at the end of the year, and miss an extra step from your previous job because you switched jobs.
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65242
PAY FOR PERFORMANCE UNDER NSPS is like communism, to many corrupt humans that harbor hatred and racism this is a Major Door opener. This nsps has varied the stench of unfairness and repeatedly change the rules that shaft those who served our country is not just unfair it's an all time low. To all government workers this is a major slap in the face. Where is the integrity, merit, and honor, this is Not what NSPS Promotes. GS is what President Bush referred to us as, but from my understanding we are no longer GS we are YB's, YA's YC's YP's. We work because we have to work and to take money from us in the manner that its being taken is just unfair and we have no say at all, is not the American way. Justice and fairness is what we need and want. NSPS will destroy the government work force.
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64411
I don't mind getting evaluated on my performance but I don't agree someone taking my cost of living pay increase and dividing it into this system. We all pay the same for bread, gas, childcare..etc. Also if they shouldn't judge me on how many booster club meetings and christmas parties I go to and tie that to my income. Evaluate me on how I do my job and that alone. Just got my results and that didn't happen. I guess you kiss up, you move up! Just my opinion.
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62721
NSPS is unequivably the most unfair, discrimatory system in most recent time. It sounded great when it was initially introuduced to us as staff members in theory in terms of pay for performance. It's no secret and I know I'm preaching to the choir that NSPS has saved a ton of money for the government and continues to save. Congrats to HLS for not buying in to the system. As a GS-13 equivalent on paper but not in pay, I have had a 50% turnover in staff of very talented individuals whom I do not fault for seeking employment elsewhere due to a 5% reassignment versus a 8-10k annual raise for the same job listed under the GS system. After all these folks have families. I've even tried to compensate those talented folks at the years end appraisal but in my organization, there is limitations there as well i.e. I wanted to give those most deserving a 100% recommended pay out. However, it turned out to be a management directed 70/30 split. IN fact I was selected as the Employee of the Year for my organization, held down a full time GS-11 position in addition to mine and receive the same spilt as well. I hope that the new president will address the flaws with this morale degrading pay for performance system when he gets setteled in the White House. You can't continue to multi task personnel without properly compensating them or at a minimum expect them to go over and beyond the call to duty when at the end of the day....you may be the proud receipient of a 5% raise if your lucky.
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61179
One possible good note it that the Dept of Homeland Security has dropped NSPS and is planning to revert back to the GS system. At least that is what was in an article in the Federal Times Oct 2nd. So may be there is a ray of hope. But here is a thought. Lets say a person applies for a YA-02 to a YC-02 and gets the small 5% increase. But under the old system the YA-02 position was a GS-09 and the YC-02 was a GS-12. Lets say they drop NSPS and revert back to GS levels. How would that work. Seems to me they would have to revert your YC-02 back to the GS-12 position and then have to provide you with the GS-12 pay. I know under the normal GS system you can not go from a GS-09 to a GS-12, correct? Seems like a possible real mess to me.
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60541
I was a GS11, moved north for a GS9 (substantial pay raise due to cost of living - what a joke), and have just completed my 1st appraisal under NSPS. The MyBiz Performance system has it's flaws. Use to be that you received feedback from your supervisor and both parties signed the document. Now you write your own appraisal, forward to the RO, and he/she forwards to the AO. Somewhere and it might be that my supervisor is only an E7, but I do not believe that the military have a clue just how important this evaluation is to our employment and promotion. As a matter of interest, my Chief asked me just what did the shares mean to me? Okay, told me the story. Our evaluation is no different than theirs. So if we get no feedback, how are we to feel? Worthy? Worthless? I admit, I feel as though this whole time has been fruitless. If I get many more than the 1.5% as a pay raise, I am lucky. What should we expect in the ways of any shares? And yes, I turned down a promotion to a once GS12 position just because the greatest pay raise that I could be provided was a whopping 5%. We the employees are the loser in this new Performance system.
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59294
As I learn more I find that this ia another problem. Example: I hire in as GS-9 level 1. I convert to NSPS and I am now in pay band 2. My supervisor is a GS-12. He converts to NSPS, pay band 2. He retired and I apply for and get his job. My thought is I get a substantial raise as his position is GS-12 equivilant and has a lot more responsibility. Great opportunity! Not so fast, my great plan has a fault, I get a whopping 5% increase in pay, MAX. This is a problem for anyone wanting to go up the ladder. Am I wrong here?
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57007
If NSPS is good enough for Federal Employees then perhaps it should implemented amongst our congressman and senators. Is Gordon England and his peers also under NSPS? I see NSPS being just another tool to decrease the government's financial burden. Perfect example is the old CSRS and what most of us are under today, which is FERS. FERS is a retirement system that takes your long years of dedicated service, and hedges "your good fortune" around a social security system that may not even around or bank rolled when its retirement time, and the stock market being at an upper crest when it's your time to retire. I wonder if Congressmena and Senators still receive that life time retirement for a 1 or 2 term stint?
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55653
I have not received my first appraisal yet. I am waiting to see what happens there. I originally thought the NSPS may be a good thing. Especially since I am new to the civilian side of this. I now see a problem. I was hired in as a GS-09 and converted to the YA-02pay band and there is a job opening that I considered applying for. Under the old system it was a GS-11 or 12 and would give me a substantial raise if I got it. But under the new system I can only get a 5% increase max. So why would someone apply for a job that has a lot more duties, responsibility and only get you a 5% increase?
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53468
1. NSPS has set the govenment about 30 years. In the 70's the DOD change the rules requiring military personnel to wait a period of time to be hire a a civilian employee for the government. The reason for this was senior people were creating position for themselves and then retiring and taking the position. I have already seen this happen at Keesler AFB. MS
2. The Air Force implementation of the program violates the rules they have advertised as the positives of the program. Example NSPS boasts that there are NO GRADES. Yet when I apply for some of the NSPS positions, The reasons published on the web site is "NOT QUAIFIED BECAUSE YOU DO NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE AT THE NEXT LOWER GRADE". I tried questioning this finding with the Col in charge at AFPC, he would not address this just tried to say I wasn't qualified. I pursued it and now Ithen I was denied rpriority placement into a position of the same grade when returning from overseas. I have the documentation where a civilian at AFPC directed that the results of my inquiries be place in my personnel records. I have had 1 interview since this happenned. I contact the Director of AFPC last year about unfair labor practices, he directed to the Deputy director who told me to file a complaint if I wanted because he was done with it. I filled a EEO complaint against the Female CPO chief,over a year ago and the AF had until 15 May 08 to make a determination. They apparently have decided to ignore it.
3. The NSPS system was apparently created to reward your friends and promote nepitism. You, can pick who ever you want without any justification. You don't even have to advertise.
4. I believe that this program was developed in cooperation with the Unions, Because I contact the Nation Vice President of the union about the not qualified at the next lower grade and to just sent it to The Col at AFPC.
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52498
NSPS is the most dishonest system that the federal government has ever built. Neither the managers or the Federal Governemnt are in favor of it. Right now through the Federal Rule Making portal, which is at regulations.gov you can make comments on 5 CFR Part 9901; National Security Personnel System; Proposed Rule. But OPM has not alerted neither employees nor Subordinates of the open window to make comments to the NSPS publication. It will close for comments on 21 June and become rule after that. OPM has been so dishonest that they have not even told employees that the publication is open for comment. NSPS is a complete failure.
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48456
August 29, 2007 - "The AFGE announced it would file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court in order to stop the Department of Defense from implementing its National Security Personnel System."
Keep up the pressure! Write the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee: Democrate Carl Levin (MI), Ed Kennedy (MA), Joe Lieberman (CT), Robert Byrd (WV), Daniel Akaka (HI), Evan Bayh (IN), Hillary Clinton (NY), Jim Webb (VA), Claire McCaskill (MO). Republicans John McCain (AZ), John Warner (VA), James Inhofe (OK), Susan Collins (ME), Saxby Chambliss (GA), Elizzabeth Dole (NC), Rogar Wicker (MS).
Writing is more effective than e-mailing, but do both! Let's not wait for the Supremem Court! Too many Bush appointees! They may decide not to hear the case!
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48030
NSPS is designed to pay the performers and cut the dead weight. My guess is the top performers will be happy. And the oxygen thieves that have been stealing money from the government every pay period will get the message. Perform or go home. You people make me sick. You talk about losing money you never earned. What a joke. In the commercial world, if you don't perform, you get fired. In the GS ranks, you get a raise. Quit complaining and get back to work. We are at war, and you are crying about a raise you didn't get because you didn't earn it.
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47496
If perception is 99% of reality then we are definitly headed to a severe brain drain. The general perception appears to be NSPS is a bad idea, and only the managerial levels are satisfied or supportative of it. If the system does not take a serious look at orgnaizational mind set it will start see a measurable decrease in productivity. At this time it appears most are taking a wait and see towards their first round in the NSPS system. First looks are the most telling to the majority. If the first look is unfavorable, as it appears to be based on the responses here, then management better be prepared for the waterfall of bad productivity and departures that will further degrade performance and goal attainment. The bottom line is MISSION IMPACT will be serious and almost irreparable if mitigating actions are not taken very quickly.
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45296
NSPS simply will not formally respond to questions from DOD employees who take the time to research public law and challenge this years pay policy. NSPS established pay-band control points based on 2007 vice 2008 payscales. As a result non-manager DOD employees who were at the top of the 2007 payscale were prohibited from receiving any form of equal fair or proportionate base salary action from the NSPS pay pool in 2008 regarless of performance rating. The resulting base salary freeze was essentially the equivalent of a half step demotion when compaired to our peers in the GS pay schedule. Prohibiting base salary increase also prevented these employees from receiving a portion of the local market suppliment afforded to all other peers that were not at the top of the 2007 payscale. Other adverse impacts resulting from a base salary freeze include social security contributions/benefits, overtime pay, retirement contribution/employer match and retirement benefits based on your highest three years of salary. With twenty-four years of loyal and dedicated service I never though DOD would adopt a pay policy which prohibited equal, fair and proportionate base salary compensation. NSPS will surely result in a mass exodus of experience and talent from DOD into either non DOD GS pay schedule positions or the civilian sector.
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42691
One of the largest problems of the system, yet no one has stated deals with new supervisors. Like wise supervisors who are trying to win favor or points off the backs of their employees. My supervisor turned in the lowest overall score of the directorate, this way he is well below the bell curve, this allows his supervisor to add points at his discretions thus my supervisor receives a better review from his supervisor. Therefore the lowest person in the pool will forever remain with no chance of promotion, regardless of the work done. I don't see a pay for performance, I see a chance for a few to abuse the system to increase their pay. This can be seen in the other direction as well, a supervisor who works for his people risks upsetting the balance and that supervisor runs the risk of a lower rating. Obviously a supervisor will always think of himself first!!!
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42169
It such a great system...NOT! I move to a new job in March for a whole 1% increase under NSPS. I was in the job for 6 months and found the job difficult but I was in a learning mode. My mid-term feedback was good and then 2 months later my rating was a 2.5 which rounded down to a 2, the result, no bonus no increases. Under the GS system I would have received over 3% cost of living. Lucky to receive this year 1.9%.
I cant believe I took a leap to learn a new job, while I could have stayed in the old job and received a 3 or 4 rating?
Management viewed my "coming over" with the 1% increase a substitute for performance.
I can't believe we are working in a system that can manipulate so many factors.
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41979
Well, I've experienced my first rating and performance bonus under NSPS! With my bonus, I'm making about what I would have under the old system. But in reality, I'm now down 2 grand in base pay from what I would have been with my old in-step system. Time to bail, if not out of NSPS, then out of the govt all-together. My rating went from highest to average all in the stroke of my supervisors pen, even though my work effort and success this year actually went UP. They want mediocrity and told us to all expect to be a "3" (mid-range, ie: grade "C"). Of course, this new system has immediately led to cronyism and favortism. I can pretty much bet a hundred bucks (and win) that my team leader and above all made hefty bonuses. I have complained bitterly that our performance standards are not measurable and thus bogus, to no avail, for over 6 months. They promised they would change them after the initial go around. Guess what! They aren't!! I'm outahere. 34 years of BS is enough...
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41833
I ditto and back up all the comments about how NSPS is unfair, inequitable, a farse, a way to save money for the government. Our agency just got their first payout from the first paypool process. We got briefed on how 98% of us did "better or at least the same, as we would have under the GS system." No one made a peep when it was time to ask questions. After the meeting, I have talked to people who I know should have said something, and no one did out of disgust... knowing that we were being lied to again. In fact, after several of us have gone back to our desks and DONE THE MATH with our officla payouts paperwork... I KNOW we were lied to... because by our calculations, the few people we know got 3s with one share have all done worse ranging from $1 to several hundred dollars! The catch is that to brief to the workforce that 98% of us did OK, they never added the detail that the 98% must have assumed the famous BUY-IN which we will only see once in this NSPS transition! WE ALL NEED TO ASK CONGRESS TO REPEAL THE WHOLE THING AND MOVE US BACK TO THE GS SYSTEM! I don't know if asking the presidential candidates about NSPS will work. I haven't heard them ever mention it. But whoever does... and is against NSPS AND WILLING TO REPEAL THE WHOLE THING will get my vote.
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41753
If the military was a profit making organization NSPS would stand a better chance of success and acceptance. There would be hard data which would reflect productive; the only way to determine members worth remains usage of evaluations of potential based upon past accomplishments. For the individual who is good at what they do and wish to continue doing it the new system risk creating the idea that they are not contributing.
Like any change the new system will serve future employees because this will be the only system they will have experienced; therefore higher personnel are tasked to present a positive spin on the change which is nothing more than what is expected or required of them. So let's get it done and move forward.
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41528
This NSPS is the biggest flop in the history of the government. How can you have some people (GS) get a cost of living increase and others (NSPS) get only a fraction of that. Even when you include the performance based payout it does not equal what the GS employees are getting. Also the pay pool letters are telling us what the payout breakswon will be such as 60/40 and then they do not pay it out that way. Instead I got 100% bonus and now pay increase. This is truly a dark day for government employees. Congress do something before it is to late.
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41478
The government wouldn't impliment such a program if there wasn't a cost savings somewhere. The within grade STEP promotions have been eliminated, instant cost savings! Civilian pay across the board will gradually decrease with tenure. I've already did some simple math and my pay will be shorted $1400 a year, starting this year, due to not recieving my scheduled STEP promotion. The bonus I got will be lost, due to this. It is nothing but a shell game. You get a bonus up front, but it doesn't translate into a pay raise, which over time you lose big, if you're a career employee. Basically, they're buying you out, and it turn into a rip-off, because over the course of your career it will translate into a $40,000 - 50,000 cost saving to the government, if you stay to retirement. In a nut shell, the civilian personnel pay is being reduced to help pay for other programs.
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41142
The Federal Civilian pay system should never be as complicated and unfair as NSPS. Employees should be able to easily understand the pay system that is applied to them and feel comfortable about it. It is obvious from 99% of the below postings that NSPS is an unfair and difficult-to-understand method. Even some Civilian Personnel Officers/Chiefs have a difficult time interpreting it. It should not be this way. There are serious long-term negative affects that have not yet been realized.
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41137
The Federal Civilian pay system should never be as complicated and unfair as NSPS. Employees should be able to easily understand the pay system that is applied to them and feel comfortable about it. It is obvious from 99% of the below postings that NSPS is an unfair and difficult-to-understand method. Even some Civilian Personnel Officers/Chiefs have a difficult time interpreting it. It should not be this way. There are serious long-term negative affects that have not yet been realized.
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41058
I want to believe in NSPS, but I see that I still need to learn...
Will the 3.5% pay raise all go to pay raises? (I have heard that some could go out as bonuses, instead. ...In my mind, bonuses are not pay raises...)
What happens to the money that previously went to step increases and bonuses? Wouldn't this now be the money that would form the bonus pot?
Also, why wouldn't the payband limits increase by the same amount as the pay raise? It seems that every year new employees coming in at the bottom of the payband would be further and further behind. ...and at the top, a top performer, couldn't accept a full pay raise because it could put him over the top?!?!?!
Finally, I know it's a stretch to ask, but to be thorough, is the money from unfilled positions available for bonuses?
Thanks,
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40783
NSPS is unfair--all have noted that in their post. But, I must admit, for us lower grade (previously GS-5--now YB-01), it is extremely unfair. Myself, and five other secretaries on my installation were included into the NSPS conversion. I love my job, but you cannot have a pay pool panel looking at 245 people who are GS-11's and above, and then all of a sudden see a GS-5 and expect to get any type of understanding out of them in regards to your job. Your supervisor is who knows you---the pay pool panel hasn't a clue who you are---yet, they are the one's deciding that your supervisor was incorrect with his rating of you. I don't believe that I should have been brought into the NSPS system anyway, Im not a supervisor---nor do I want to be---I love what I do---but don't assume, just because Im a GS-5 (YB-01, that I don't deserve a higher rating than a 3--I work my butt off----I consider myself at least a 4.5, ---Im looking for a GS job---like my new title states (YB-01 = Why Be one)....I don't want to be NSPS......let me know the Lawyers name !(:
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40676
I've got to admit to not being a fan of NSPS and for more reasons than just the performance pay aspects. Still I appreciate feedback from those it benefited. Such comments give one pause to consider perhaps it might work... and then I think again.
The most outrageous of the inequities that I see is the potential for abuse based on nepotism (or rather favoritism). Of course that will only affect those not in the favors their supervisor "du jour". It seems from many postings I've read in these articles from GS- 12-14s, that inequities do occur. The performance based system we had before (GS) worked; it was just that some supervisors couldn't/wouldn't/didn't make the time or effort to supervisor their subordinates. These same supervisors will remain after the new system, except now they will be able to recruit their sycophants at higher wages.
The most blatant is the ability of the pay pool to down grade ones performance rating. As I've said before, I understand the principle that you must earn your keep or suffer the consequences; but if your supervisor says you did excellent, no one else should be able to say you didn't. Just because funds may not be available, no one's rating should suffer. That affects your ability to apply for future jobs. Even the folks praising the system stated that the final outcome for any individual hinges on the supervisor's ability to write effectively. And as much as I actually like and admire my boss (without being one of the favored), I worry about their ability to ... carry the ball in this situation. The pay pool also brings back into play politics between supervisors vying for their subordinates, another worrisome thought for many of us who've been here a while.
My last concern is that in the future, besides all other considerations that may bog down the budgetary process, our future personnel fund pool will more firmly reside in the hands of Congress. This year we've seen the effect of an Executive branch at odds with the Legislative. Now throw into the mix the tendency of politicos to stand of a platform of fiscal restraint and reform. Before, the pay tables and law spelled out what you could get and how to progress steadily and assuredly towards a stable retirement. I can no longer see that clear cut path.
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40501
If this system was as great as some esxpress the question becomes.Why are we receiving so many negative comment from long standing GOV-employees? And why did AFGE take up the fight against NSPS!!!
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40462
I'm with the last poster. I just received my rating. It exceeds what I would have been eligible for under the old system. All of the gloom and doomers haven't forcast my situation. Maybe my command briefed us better than some other commands and the fear of the unknown is still there. My total shares equal almost a 6% salary increase, plus a 1% bonus. I know everyone didn't get a '4' like I did, but I have enough confidence in my ability that I look forward to being eligible for more than the next guy because of my performance. The downside I see is if you or your boss can't write effectively. The pay pool in those cases may not be able to tranlate your efforts into a proper raing, but I think we will all learn more on what the 'buzz words' that the pools are looking for as we get a few of these evaluation periods under our belts. I'm satisfied and don't see some evil undertone in the conversion from GS to NSPS.
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40360
The new NSPS system is GARBAGE! At the agency I work for, we are seeing quality individuals turn down promotions which mandate a transition into the NSPS system just so they can stay under the GS system. I have not found one person who is happy with NSPS and I am already seeing hardworking, loyal, and career-minded individuals leaving in mass numbers. The DoD pushed so hard for NSPS and they are getting it. As a result they are in the early stages of "dumbing down" the DoD as a whole and it is tragic. As I look at all these web postings, I see very few (if any), who really support NSPS. Way to go DoD!!!! Do you really think your employees will want to work for an agency that screws over their employees? I don't think so!
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40359
The new NSPS system is GARBAGE! At the agency I work for, we are seeing quality individuals turn down promotions which mandate a transition into the NSPS system just so they can stay under the GS system. I have not found one person who is happy with NSPS and I am already seeing hardworking, loyal, and career-minded individuals leaving in mass numbers. The DoD pushed so hard for NSPS and they are getting it. As a result they are in the early stages of "dumbing down" the DoD as a whole and it is tragic. As I look at all these web postings, I see very few (if any), who really support NSPS. Way to go DoD!!!! Do you really think your employees will want to work for an agency that screws over their employees? I don't think so!
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40345
I just got my payout for this year under NSPS. Under the GS schedule I would only have been entitled to an $1,823 General Schedule base increase (GS14 step 4). However, my base salary increase under NSPS is for $3,550, (not including a bonus). I think some people under NSPS may be pleasantly surprised. In addition, the cost of living or LMI under NSPS will therefore significantly increase my pay well beyond the GS schedule locality pay I would have received. I can't complain.
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39870
I have been Civil Service for 6 years and am63 years old. I bought back my active military time. In the 6 years I have worked, I have had 4 different Supervisors while working the same job and the present one is leaving next month. I have had 3 different Chiefs above the supervisor. And the present one is due to change. The quality of the supervisors has varied wildly. Some were extremely incompetant. Others ok. How is this revolving door suppose to do anything spectacular with the new system? Some of these supervisory people were poorer at their jobs than the people they were rating were at their jobs. I see this as a problem with the new NSPS system.
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39626
"Dude, Where's My Pay Raise?"
We are told to challenge our NSPS ratings and reports at a certain time. My only question to these people will be "Where's my bonus? This is not a bonus, this is my pay raise."
Oh, hell, why even bother?
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39625
I thought that COLA, at least, was to let us keep up with inflation. Now they are taking that from us???? Where is Congress on this?
I am not all that happy with the way that this has been sold up and down the chain of command. A very real and key problem in the government is the lack of quality leaders in civilian positions. We don't pick managers in a DWCF environment based on their ability to lead. We pick them based on their ability to market. To sell to the Navy Yard (for instance) and to the Pentagon.
Many engineers (in particular) view other people as necessary evils, but the path to more money (GS-14 equivalent and above) lies in management not in engineering excellence (in other words, for every engineer who gets acreted to the GS-14 level, 50 will get their 14 through selection for management). Bottom line is that Di and Tip-off are right -- an unfair system is made more unfair because we don't start with a good complement of leaders (and therefore we have a tainted pool of decisionmakers with respect to allocating who gets their COLA -- in other words, who gets to buy better food or live in a nicer house or apartment). Why, oh why, hasnt Congress fixed this problem?
-
39356
Di, you are correct. In the two system state of today, employees may have different pays, even with all other things considered equal. But then that is merely the start of something bad... If inequities bother you, under NSPS, newly hired, inexperienced, but socially connected individuals can/will make as much as seasoned skilled employees.
One of the major objections to NSPS is the vast inequities of the system. There is no path to retirement other than please your boss. While that may be a noble sentiment, as long as the boss's priorities lie with the organizational mission, it must not be the all encompassing criteria. Pleasing the boss is not always synonymous with the mission. And few are likely to be treated equitably under NSPS. In the future, under NSPS, currying favor will carry more weight than job performance.
-
39351
Allocation of the pay increase for the upcoming year is totally unfair and completely unethical. If there are two employees of the same grade and step, for example, and one has been converted to NSPS, while the other remains in the General Schedule, there may be a disparity in pay even if their performance is at the same level. GS employees will receive the full pay increase, while NSPS employees receive partial increases. Even if the GS employee performs at a lower level than the NSPS employee, the GS employee will more than likely receive the full pay increase. Is this fair? If conversion to NSPS is inevitable, then at least grant all employees, including NSPS converts, full and equal pay increase, until every other federal employee has been converted to NSPS.
-
39287
Ok, help me understand something. NSPS is a pay for performance program. Didn't the GS system also have a system where step increases had to be approved by the supervisor? If you did not meet the standards there was no step increase. Of course supervisors failed to do their job and signed off on all step increases. Under the GS system wasn't the annual increase a cost of living increase to just barely maintain a constant and even value in salary? Under the GS system didn't they have a bonus and hour award program to recognize your best performers? Across the board under NSPS we are getting less of a cost of living adjustment. It looks like we are already starting off in the hole. If we do everything we are expected to do and since they have done away with step increases we have to hope we get enough shares just to maintain the exact same pay level we had the year before (i.e. cost of living adjustment). Is this hole getting deeper or is it just me? Now under NSPS they did away with the seperate bonus and award hours program and lump it into the annual raise. So they tell us don't pay attention to the man behind the curtain pulling all the strings. Something tells me under NSPS in the end when they mix apples and oranges we are getting spoiled milk. Oh and as a added bonus they can give the end of the year increase as a lump sum bonus and not an annual increase. Great idea, now we start off next year even deeper in the hole and as the years go by we are getting so deep in the hole can anyone hear people speaking Chinese?
-
39234
NSPS is not a fair system.
-
38865
I have not been in the system long, I'm going to resign and finish going to school to get my degree and teach, the heck with NSPS
-
38842
So will the paypool money be accounted for? Every cent?? How do we know some of that money won't go to the war efforts? Do they want us to work for free? No incentives in NSPS. I went from a Helpdesk position to a System Administrator position at the conversion, more responsibility, more work, less pay than a Helpdesk position...lovely. I will no longer encourage people to work for the government (NSPS converted), they'll be better off in the civilian sector or old GS position with more pay for the same work. It's going to go back to "who you know"..
-
38703
NSPS pay for performance at Kadena Air Base has proven the NSPS system of share distribution is absolutely not based upon individual performance. The Pay Pool managers have clearly stated their policy regarding performance ratings under NSPS in the following manner: There will be no more than one or two employees on the entire installation that will be rated as Role Models and receive a rating of 5. No more than a few will receive ratings of "Exeptional Performer". The vast majority of employees will be given a rating of 3. This is not a system of individual performance, but one of quotas since they have stated that the funds allocated to NSPS for performance payouts is significantly insufficient to properly reward employees based on their supervisors recommended ratings. Thus, performance ratings and shares are being lowered by Pay Pool managers to coincide with the limited funds - not because the employees ratings are inflated, just as a way to ensure the money can be "evenly distributed". This is not pay for performance. Despite three levels of approval of the performance reviews, we have been informed that the Pay Pool managers have, indeed, downgraded all appraisals to ensure this policy is enforced. By administering this philosophy, the vast majority of employees have been forewarned that their performance ratings will be 3s. This would indicate a significant decline in performance for many employees, yet no safeguards are built into the system to protect employees from unfair deflation of appraisals from Pay Pool managers who have no knowledge of the employee's performance or job duties. NSPS must be challenged by a system-wide class action lawsuit by all Federal employees. Regardless of how they have tried to sell the program, the application of NSPS is proving disasterous.
-
38658
Just imagine an engineer and a program manager, both GS-12 step 10. The engineer gets converted to NSPS. January pay raise comes around, PM gets 2.5%, Engr gets 1.5%, NSPS is such a lovely system.
-
38292
The new system sounds a lot like the old system. How can anyone guarantee that supervisor favoritism is eradicated? At least the new system tries to make PFP a factor. The GS system has always been lacking PFP because it was never intended to be a part of the pay formula. After 30 years in Federal Civil Service I think it is time to try to get rid of the employees who do nothing on a daily basis and expect to be paid as much as the employees who actually work hard. I personally am glad to see some reform in the Civil Service System. If you work hard and earn your pay each and every day please write and tell me who you are so we all can congratulate you!!! OH, by "working hard" I do not mean showing up for work every day? I know many government employees who do nothing on a daily basis and so do you! Hooray for PFP! It will be an uphill battle but it will be worth it in the long run. We will have a better Civil Service and perhaps better government. Next battle will be to put ALL employees on a PFP basis. One step at a time is all we can do with such a large employee structure.
-
38210
I have a supervisor that hasn't even taken the time to sit down with me to go over my objectives. My supervisor hasn't even taken the time to even LQQK at my objectives in my biz let alone responding back to me concerning these. My supervisor has missed ALL deadlines set by the personnel office. NOW WHAT am I do to? I have been a so called model employee throughout my 18 year career and YOU now want ME to write good things about myself? I'm done!... Please let me know where I can sign up for the class action law suit!
-
38094
This year I didn't get a bonus, or time off award. Now no raise next year. My step increases are gone, and now I have to write my own performance appraisal, which is at the total mercy of my supervisor. Our raises and bonuses are in now in a pot, and if he/she likes me enough, I might get some. There is SO much room for politics and unfairness. So, where is the incentive to work harder? Where is the incentive to stay working with the DOD?
-
37933
Just remember, being at the top of a pay band is a very bad thing, no "across the board" equals "no raise" no matter your performance :(
-
37462
In the final analysis, we can sit here and take it in the shorts or we can stand up and do something about it. Similar to FERS before it, the true purpose of this new pay for performance system is to supress wages and save labor costs for the Department on the backs of its employees. At the same time this is occuring SESrs in the Department are receiving 12% incentive pay let's see, we're loosing half of our cost of living -- and receiving 1 or 2 shares of some contrived bonus and that's supposed to be acceptable. Where's the justice, fairness, equity in that. And, let's not even talk about how Congress has let Federal employess down. Time for action fellow feds, time for a class action!!!
-
37377
How is DoD goigng to get new people when all the older people retire. There use to be a good thing to work for DoD. Between NSPS and A76 they have became worse than the private sector. I know I am jumping ship soon.
-
37332
The 1st posting sounded positive but after that it all goes downhill. Currently employees who perfom better than others are given performance awards or quality step increases. The award budget is already factored into payroll budgets. COLA's usually cover the annual rise in insurance cost. The award system at least rewards those of us who don't mind doing our jobs and then some. If you don't perform you don't get an award. But you still get a smaller version of a governement entitlement program with the COLA. I'm really hoping the 1st post was right. If this turns out to be the cluster that it has the potential to be, the Government will never be able to keep quality workers. The DOD really wants out of the personnel bizz anyway. It's not thier core competency. But to contract the duties that a sworn employee (remember the oath!)performs puts our security at the mercy of for profit contractors. I don't work for profit, I work to serve my country for a resonable compensation. I'd do it for free if the security of the country called for my service.
-
37268
NSPS has been pretty fair. We just completed our rating cycle - the average was just over 3.0 which means 2 shares - in our org shares are HGHLY valued since we don't inflate the ratings throughout the agency. Average payout will be about $1700 with 60% going to salary and 40% to bonus money (better preformers should get $2400) on top of that expect the 1.5 - 2% COLA in 2008 and your at or above what the GS will be getting in 2008. Seems fair to me.
-
37081
I can not believe the Pentagon, or anyone else for that matter, truly believes hard working federal employees are buying this so called "pay for performance system" as a better way to reward "valued" employees. Obviously I'm not the only one who sees this as a cost-cutting system that was sold to federal employees by by salesmen selling "snake oil." This is my first appraisal under this system and I can't wait to see how much I receive, or do not receive. I know I lost my Award Days, bonuses do not add to base pay, and I can not see a performance pay raise sufficient to cover the lost annual COLA and my step increase that I no longer receive. Next year should be much more fun when all NSPS employees really take it in the shorts. I have 32 yrs (combined active duty and civil service) with the Air Force and I have never seen anything like this. The Pentagon must think they are dealing with complete idiots. If they want us to take pay cuts, why not just ask. I would be willing to take a cut of X% as long as Congress, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Air Force, and all senior leaders and other officials within the NSPS covered agencies take the same cut. Quit lying to us. Whatever happened to integrity and ethics. Makes me wonder. Think about this...are all pay pools going to payout the same $$/% for identical ratings / shares within the same career field across the services or will some get a higher % than others? I'm not fooled.
-
36929
NSPS has to be the worst thought out system ever. It is the biggest dis-service an agency could do to valued-hard working employees that they want to keep. If the true goal was a system that was performance-based and merit based, someone really missed the mark. I agree with however said we need to put Congress and the Senate under this system and then see how far this goes. I think this system would have all it''s funding cut over night if that happened.
-
36910
So what is everyone doing about this? Just sitting down and signing over your rights to this new system?
I did a search of attorneys who could be handling a class action lawsuit and there isn't ANYONE.... Lets get going?
-
36519
Having been through the NSPS wringer this last week - I am looking for positions that are not NSPS - I am willing to move to any other agency that is not going to this system. What a mess! Appraisals used to take a couple hours, it took over 2 weeks to get one simple appraisal done, and then it was sent back because it was "written to high and needs to be justified more" - in a block that only allows 8000 characters? How the heck are you supposed to fully justify superior performance when you only have 8000 characters and every objective has to be addressed as well as the contributing factors to the objective - which were mandated as "3" per objective? Also, in our command we were told that we couldn't write anyone that didn't make command-wide policies a "5", that technicians could never be "5's" because they weren't making policy for the command. Talk about the good 'ole boy system gone crazy! Give me a GS position anyday over this garbage.
-
36506
Since been promoted on the system all others I am suspose to be a Lead over are making more than I am due to the only increase I received was a 5%. I am disappointed in the system. when time came for evualuations,it is only for Supervisors to award those who can evaluate themselves on paper and not show the real performance in the work area. I hope this does not continue to be our way in the Government.
-
36482
Here's an idea. Lets roll the members of Congress and the Senate into NSPS and give them pay for performance.
-
36386
I am currently under this system and spiraled in 1.1. Since I am in HR we are now of course spiraling others and I speak from experience when I say it is the worst system ever. Constantly employees are in retreat to return back to the GS system. Recruitment efforts have become more problemsome because no one wants to go for 5% when last year it would have been 20%. That is a huge drop in pay. Those of us in the marvelous NSPS w/out a union are just "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic".
-
36108
Any one out there familiar with DHS pay policy? Will those under Pay Banding at DHS also receive a 1.75% increase in January? Thanks.
-
35360
Under the NSPS pay system under a few series GS-09s get a 20,000 pay raise when they enter supervision in NSPS in the YC-02 pay band. Yes it's true. Under the GS system they would have gone from GS-09 to GS-11 with a fair pay raise....20,000 more in NSPS...come on! That's a hell of a lot more than I received when I was management reassigned with 5% to manage over 500 people. Where does this makes sense? Exactly...no where!
-
35167
All I can say is...I hope the promoters of NSPS remember that their decisions not only affect the DoD employee(s), but the employee's children/spouse as well. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he/she thinks is right because others will disapprove. Remember, all men/women have fears, but it is those who face their fears with dignity who have courage too!
-
34897
Even is I get a 4 (which I most likely will, maybe higher given my performance, but for arguements sake lets say 4.0)- I lose quite a bit of money under this new system. I'm making $2500/year less right now and with scoring 4s this year and next (based on how things are currently run and average value of shares) I'll be making approximately 5K less per year in 09. A high performer is losing money. Pay for performance?? They are going to lose a Ph.D who has resulted in millions of ROI for his organization and DoD. I can make more (I've got collegues making more than twice) outside of the DoD-and have the same job security-none. I really feel sorry for our "valued performers"
-
34874
I came over to DoD in February. The job I took was posted as a GS-12. I interviewed for a GS-12. I was offered the job as a GS-12. Just 4 days before I started (after leaving previous GS position), I received a confirmation letter offering me..62K (incl locality). I actually received a PAYCUT. I was a GS-11/step 5. I was furious! The sell of NSPS has been nothing more than the words of a used car salesman.WORTHLESS. I have decided to leave DoD. I will take my expertise to another agency and they will have what they are reaching for: unskilled, unexperienced, and low paid students. I sure hope we dont have another 9/11. With all these low paying students running DoD, I would be very afraid of DoD protecting me or my fellow brothers and sisters fighting overseas.
-
34537
I agree with a class action suit- seems like the only was this will be resolved.
-
34317
It's interesting that everyone seems to be able to see the problem with the system but NO ONE wants to do anything about it. I talked with my local union rep and the Union has told the locals to not do anything toward NSPS until there court case is resolved. Yes, I'm in the union but got put under NSPS anyway. No one within my chain of command or the HR people can tell me why, other than "We are following Army's lead!" I'm all for a class action suit. The union will not get involved, EEO says I'm not being discriminated because of age, sex, color, religion or national origin. The ACLU says my Civil Liberties have not been violated. I took my grievance to my congressman and his office personnel tell me, "We do not get involved in labor disputes." That leaves only a class action suit. I'm all for it. Where do I sign up? I think if enough people get involved they would drop the entire NSPS thing. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the plan. Your cost-of-living is going to pay for yours and others performance. I have not figured out what the cost of living has to do with work performance. If you go to the NSPS website even they do not indicate that cost of living will be used for the performance pay.
Putting the cost of living into your performance pay can and will most likely reduce your retirement pay over the years because performance pay is not carried over in your base salary. If each of you remember the first thing you were told about NSPS is "converting to NSPS will not affect your pay". No converting didn't but look where we are going now that you are locked into the system it can and now it's starting to show. What are you going to do when you loose some or all of your COLA for an area because now it's not a cost of living in an area but "How difficult it is to fill your position!" Do we civil servants need to do what the Air Traffic Controllers did? Maybe a sick out? Better yet, ban together and do it legally and file a class action suit.
-
34255
Right now I am spitting mad at what the recent NSPS decision by the SEC DEF to give NSPS workers only 1/2 of the 3.5 % pay raise that other GS worker will get automatically. According to sources, the other 1.75% will go into an unfairly run pay pool that favors the upper management under NSPS. Under the 'Mock' pay pool that was conducted last year I got only 1 share of the pay pool (1.0547%), while most other got 2 shares. I expect this because I was promoted in 2006, but this should not be a factor in my appraisal, but apparently it was.
Under the new decision, NSPS workers would have to get a pay raise of 2.92% and a total pay raise of approx. 4.7% (including the bonus portion of the pay pool split) just to break even with the GS workers who DON'T HAVE TO SHOW PERFORMANCE JUST TO GET THEIR COLA!!!!!!!!
To add insult to injury, GS workers who are entitled to a step increase would still be entitled to that IN ADDITION TO THE 3.5% PAY RAISE THEY GET.
NSPS workers do not get step increases any more under the present system, and will never get any more step increases. All of our raises for performance are now tied up in the COLA.
Where Do I find an attorney, we need representation and a class action lawsuit against the president's and SEC def's unfair practices against hard working engineers like my self, who quietly save the government thousands of dollars each year, without making a fuss about it.
Myself and my fellow engineers feel like we are being cheated with no recourse!!!!
I have ALWAYS had outstanding evaluations, but now my pay is not based on my performance, but rather on some seeming agenda.
Where is this going?? All the young engineers will looking elsewhere to work, while there is an aging government engineerin population that is very upset and eager to get the hell out!!!
-
34176
I need advice as a former General Schedule employee that was converted to NSPS a few months ago. Now I have accepted a position with DISA that is part of a bargaining unit and is not converting to NSPS. Before NSPS I was a GS-7 0032 step 5. The position at DISA is being offered to me as GS-7 2210 but at Step 1. DFAS HR whom handles DISA new hires stated what you go NSPS you lose your steps even if you convert back to General Schedule. I feel I should be able to retain my step 5 and just because 2210 series falls under "Special Salary Table" that is beside the point. Any advice?
-
34175
I need advice as a former General Schedule employee that was converted to NSPS a few months ago. Now I have accepted a position with DISA that is part of a bargaining unit and is not converting to NSPS. Before NSPS I was a GS-7 0032 step 5. The position at DISA is being offered to me as GS-7 2210 but at Step 1. DFAS HR whom handles DISA new hires stated what you go NSPS you lose your steps even if you convert back to General Schedule. I feel I should be able to retain my step 5 and just because 2210 series falls under "Special Salary Table" that is beside the point. Any advice?
-
34099
NSPS Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) utilized as a disciplinary tool in a matter of "conduct" or "behavior" which in itself was minor. The employee had the audacity to ask (a fellow employee) about the parking policy at the Navy Yard regarding contractors vs govt employees. That incident provoked the ire of the Division head who not only reprimanded the employee, but enlisted his immediate supervisor to write a PIP.
He further harrassed the supervisor throughout the PIP period preventing him from the independence required for fair evaluation. The HR Department finally counseled the Division leader to "back-off" and stay away from the employee. The employee's description of the incident that provoked the PIP serve was defined by an EEO representative as one of conduct not performance.
Further fouling up any fair resolution for the employee, The NSPS Performance Improvement Plan is a gotcha test for performance. It reads: "failure to perform adequately on ANY of them will result in an overall finding of unacceptable on the objective as a whole."
-
34039
NSPS does not only unfairly affect my pay now it unfairly affects me in the future. All of the money that I would have been given as a Government Service COLA and that would have been a part of my retirement pay calculation is now in a bonus category that is not a part of my retirement basepay calculation. As an employee with 28 years of service this is not the retirement service I was told that I was retiring under. Why was I not given a choice of systems as with FERS and CSRS? Can anyone please tell if there is a Class Action Law Suit that I can join? Is there a law suit that I can join as a Federal employee. Please help.
-
33947
Be careful GS folks! I lost $9,500 when AFPC "reassigned" me to an NSPS positon outside of a spiral. According to Public Law-Title 5, 9901.231: you only "convert" to NSPS when your entire organization converts (aka - the spiral). If you move to an NSPS position outside of a spiral, you lose all the benefits of a "conversion", eg-WGI, special IT salary, etc. NSPS does not recognize the GS special salary tables (999B, etc) and so you also lose your specialty pay. I lost my 2210 pay and my WGI. What ever happend to NO LOSS IN PAY!!!!
-
33891
Mike asks how can we get our views in front of Congress. Sending the link to this site via e-mails to your Congressman and Senators is a start. Also make sure to contact members of the Defense Appropriations Committee members as well.
Though e-mail is quick there is no guarantee it will make it past the first reader in the office. I would also suggest printing out these comments and fax them to members you have identified to contact. Together we can make a difference but we must do more than sit back and gripe. We need to be proactive.
Already, my agency is facing a retention and recruitment problem as our employees are being hired away for more money that what NSPS offers. Probably also because workers are fed up with DoD as well.
-
33873
To Jerry:
You wrote your objectives wrong: instead of meet milestone within 30 days (bad), write meet milestone within 15 days of receipt (good). Problem solved, your metric was 15, you made it in 10...metric exceeded by 33%: done!
-
33832
I have a modest proposal that may address Tony's concern to a degree - No supervisor may receive a rating higher than the average for all of their subordinates. Supervisors are supposed to be leaders eliciting optimal performance from all of their subordinates. If a supe has a 2, 3 & 5 for her subordinates, she can't do better than 3. No rounding up. I think this may help introduce some equity, motivate pay pool reps to be passionate advocates for their subordinates during those star chamber deliberations and prevent skimming by top management, a pervasive phenomena that helped lead to the well deserved demise of Merit Pay (as if P4P were something new-we've had experience with it, all bad). I've heard anecdotally that skimming has pervaded the spiral 1.1. The lack of any published demographic analysis of those results lends credence to those folk tales. I love the ongoing dialog this article has generated. How do we get all these views in front of congressional decision makers? Email the link?
-
33830
NSPS is the biggest abuse of favoritism yet. Larger shares are going to top managers and their favorites. NSPS is the biggest waste of taxpayer dollars and govenment employee manpower in history.
-
33816
My metrics are based on hours/per and completion of.
However 90 percent of my work is based on performances beyond my control.
As an example, I am responsible to meet a milestone in 30 days. Meeting this milestone requires a second party to provide me with a product in 15 days. However a third party delays providing a required item to the second party until the 22nd day, causing the second party to deliver to me on the 35th day and I meet my milestone on the 45 day (my effort actually took ten days instead of the fifteen budgeted, exceeding MY performance requirement, and the second party delivered in 13 days, exceeding THEIR performance requirement). Because I had to constantly follow-up on the non-delivery of the product, my hours incurred on the project were exceeded by 15 percent.
Based on my agency metrics, I overran my completion milestone by 50 percent and my hours per by 15 percent. I am unsuccessful and unable to perform to standards. I would not get even the 50 percent of the "cost of living", even though I completed MY work in 66 percent of the budgeted days and 80 percent of the budgeted hours (after receipt of the product). Pay for performance? Right!!!
-
33752
How does this new NSPS system ensure that favoritism or fraternization will not play a role on one employee being rated higher than another employee? I know first hand that supervisors where I work have their favorites.
-
33721
An eventual implosion of the career civil service is what is desired to further the agenda to politicize and privatize all of Government.
-
33654
fools, the other half of your COL is going to help fund the rest of the DoD converting to NSPS. That, and according to NSPS all the Congressional increases do is increases the bottom and top parts of the pay bands...
-
33583
The agency pretends to pay you and you pretend to work -- not a bad bargin.
-
33581
Prior to NSPS, and for as long as I can remember, the January pay raise was always referred to as a COLA.
You will now note that the NSPites are now referring to it as the GPI. So as far as they are concerned they aren't messing with our COLA! They are playing word games with us and our pay.
Everyone is correct when they say the DOD has no business reducing our COLA in the manner they are under NSPS. Cost of living and PFP are two different things!!
I can't wait until they start messing with LOCALITY via the LMS that is going to be a fire storm with DOD.
-
33580
Its time to join the real world. Performance based pay raises is what thousands of companies already do. People need to stop looking for a handout and actually do some work. Most of the people who complain about performance based pay wouldn't make it in the real world.
-
33578
A cost-benefit analysis would expose the complete stupidity of this system. If you add up the (true) time and other adminisrative costs including the employees, supervisors, and pay-pool execs, I'm sure it would run over $7,000 per employee. All for some (alleged) improvements in performance and motivation. Even if I were to accept the claims, it wouldn't justify the cost. As management experts will tell you, supervisors can set the minimum performance standard, but employees control the maximum, and I see this as a tremendous across-the-board de-motivator.
-
33570
The move to cut our COL increase in half has nothing to do with pay for performance. It has everything to do with the DoD trying to save money. I agree with one of the comments made earlier. DoD has no right to mess with our COL increases which are not performance related. Employee morale is going to suffer. As a result, the DoD will see a large move of personnel to non DoD agencies. This is the "straw that broke the camel's back" for me....I personally don't plan on sticking around.
-
33530
My organization is under NSPS. After management attended a mock pay pool, we were told that no more than 5% of us would be rated higher than "3" so we cold fit into the Bell Curve.
In other words, unless you are the boss's pet, there is NO incentive to do better than mediocre.
The Department od Defense has succeeded infinding another way to screw their employees.
-
33514
How unfair !! So I am to understand that not all government employees are to be treated fairly? Time to looks for another job elsewhere.
-
33513
This just goes to show you that our government in their infinite wisdom have no idea what they are doing in NSPS. THE SYSTEM IS BROKE, ACCEPT IT AND MOVE ON. You should cut your losses now, get rid of the those who waisted millions of govt dollars in coming up with this system. You are kidding yourself if you think anyone else other than those buddies, friends and golfing partners are to going to get a performance award. To even consider cutting the "COL" raise (which is to offset the cost of living and has absolutely zero to do with performance) is just flat out ridiculous. I agree with the previous comment. How about all those high ranking officials who can so easily make pay decisions about us take the cut. I don't think that will happen. It's no wonder why you have more and more government employees going to the private sector. Now you may just have one more. But obviously, by the decisions you make you don't care.
-
33496
OK. I want to write my lawmakers. But I want to make an intelligent statement. Can those of you smarter than me plese tell me where the NSPS falls in the proposed legislation I found so far that is not in favor of NSPS (see below)?
H.R.3222 Title: Making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Murtha, John P. [PA-12] (introduced 7/30/2007) Cosponsors (None) Related Bills: H.RES.596 Latest Major Action: 9/14/2007 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 353. House Reports: 110-279; Senate Reports: 110-155
SUMMARY AS OF: 7/30/2007--Introduced. Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2008 - Appropriates funds for FY2008 for the Department of Defense (DOD) for: (1) military personnel; (2) operation and maintenance, including for the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, environmental restoration, overseas humanitarian, disaster, and civic aid, and former Soviet Union threat reduction; (3) procurement, including for shipbuilding and conversion, National Guard and reserve equipment, and purchases under the Defense Production Act of 1950; (4) research, development, test and evaluation; (5) Defense Working Capital Funds and the National Defense Sealift Fund; (6) the Defense Health Program; (7) chemical agents and munitions destruction; (8) drug interdiction and counter-drug activities; (9) the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund; (10) the Office of the Inspector General; (11) the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund; and (12) the Intelligence Community Management Account.
-
33491
For years my contribution to the CFC has been tied to my pay raise. Every year I have increased my payroll deduction as my pay has increased. I am sure they will understand this year when I tell them I can't afford to participate. From now on I will be contributing to my own charity. And if I do fill out my retirement papers the reason I will give is the NSPS conversion. I can't aford to spend the rest of my life without a pay raise. Congratulations republicans, who have finally succeeded in abolishing the civil service system.
-
33489
I would really recommend that all who have issues with the unfairness of NSPS to spend time addressing your issues in a venue that can actually make a change. My experience at voicing a complaint with NSPS here or in other comment sites is that it is a waste of energy. While we have good and valid concerns, there isn't any value to spending time here. Write you Congressman --- Congress is already less than enamored with NSPS. Also, I think that groups need to form and seek legal counsel for it seems that this system is violating at least one federal law of discrimination. We really can't afford to sit by and allow this to happen. For me, you just don't muck with my retirement benefit. I am hoping that we can get our collective voices heard for, from what I can see, the intent is to keep us divided without a consolidated message, we can be conquered. Fight Back.
-
33487
I can retire at the end of the year and will do so. As a retiree I will receive full COLA increases. Would not surprise me if in a few years my paycheck will be bigger than that of my co-workers that stay under NSPS.
-
33485
My comment is more of a question actually: I work for the Regulatory Division which is a separate line item all to itself in the annual budget. My question is how can Regulatory dollars be lumped with other colors of money in the pay pool which may see some of those dollars go to high performing individuals in other Divisions/Branches? If the money is earmarked for Regulatory functions, then which appropriations laws and regs are being broken by this eventuality under NSPS?
-
33482
I feel like I'm being disadvantaged more than most. Since my old GS 13 step 10 salary is at the top of my new NSPS pay band, I will not be eligible for any further salary increases (other than half the GPI next Jan). My salary will be frozen at that point for the foreseeable future. That will have a tremendous impact on my retirement annuity. The only way I can increase my annuity is to keep working and earn 2% for each year. But the retiree COLAs have averaged 2.6% over the last 10 years, so it doesn't make any sense to continue working. The small one-time bonuses I might earn will have a negligible impact on things. All these changes are resulting in a lack of incentive to continue my Federal career, although under normal circumstances I would have opted to continue working. Guess they're getting us CSRS folks to do what they wanted - quit so we can be replaced by younger workers with lower pay and benefits. And they're obviously not worried about retaining experience and institutional knowledge. Can't wait to get outta here in Oct 08.
-
33480
The SECDEF's decision to deny Spiral 1 employees 1/2 of their FY08 pay raise and give the other 1/2 to the pay pool for bonus payout is incredulous. How lucky can we 110,000 be? NSPS propagandist say "earning" a "3" rating is a great reward for a year of outstanding work--then we lucky 110,000 may still receive, if rated "3," some of the remaining 1.75% raise as a bonus, but not in addition to a bonus. Not equitable; not fair. The 600K+ others within DoD not under NSPS will get the full raise "plus" a bonus -- but next year we'll all be equal and will "donate" our entire raise for a chance to "win" back a portion as a "bonus" for doing a good job. Why not do everyone the same this year and give all the 3.5% raise; then next year, have everyone "contribute their raise to the pay pool. Since the SECDEF believes NSPS is such a positive and fair system, why are the SESs being denied NSPS--they certainly deserve the chance to win a bonus in lieu of a congressionally authorized pay raise--oops, I forgot, they are exempted from NSPS; they continue to draw their salary plus bonus plus locality pay. Why? I forgot, we lucky 700K+ will no longer be getting locality pay, either. DoD leadership is plainly stating that for rank and file, it is "do as I say, not as I do" -- State Department has had a pay for performance system for years, and it has worked well for them -- but State did it wisely -- before forcing it on the lower management-employee levels, its senior leaders were the first to enter the system under--get this--the belief that if leadership pay was determined by performance then the worker level would have no problem with it. In DoD we would say that was "leading by example." obviously an unknown concept to DoD's current leaders.
-
33477
NSPS is worse than what we had before. Upper level executives take all the pay pool money, leaving us with less than we used to get even though our appraisal is above satisfactory. Someone needs to file a class action lawsuit before the rest of the workforce gets put in this. If you think it's hard to retain good government workers now, you haven't seen anything yet.
-
33456
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tried to force the MAX HR down our throats and was met with massive opposition so now it's renamed NSPS Now Screw Public (civilian) Servants.
Keep the General Schedule Pay Scale (GS) it worked, was effective, and morale was better creating a smooth workflow. The NSPS seems to be on a sliding ruler, everyone makes their own interpretation of what it means, how it works, and each agency declaring changes to the rules to fit them because their agency cannot fit under the NSPS umbrella. Pay for performance will only reward the management's favorites, buddies, and brown-nose suck-up people therefore affecting productivity, morale, and causing contention (hate & discontent). This would create a Hostile Working Environment within the government. What an utter state of confusion! Just what we need for Al Quada to move on the United States in this state of confusion and vulnerability.
The NSPS should not be connected in any way to the Cost if Living increase. The Cost of Living increase is to offset living expenses; in other words to keep our heads above water.
I recommend the President, Congress, all Committee members, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates take a reduction to their salary of 6.4%; which is what DoD workers will lose this year without the Cost of Living increase 3.5% and 2.9% increase in Health Insurance.
-
33448
Finally decided to weigh in on this issue. We are scheduled to convert to NSPS this year. I can tell you I am greatly concerned because of the control that management will gain under NSPS. I am supposed to trust these people to be honest and trustworthy in administering the evaluations and pay pool?
Since 9/11 only retiring military have been hired for vacant poswition, eliminating any chance for advancement. The average distribution of civilian awards money for the past several years is less than 50% of available funds. I haven't received an evaluation in three years. And I am to trust these managemnet people to be fair and honest. God help us all.
-
33447
What now we are taken away part of our cost of living increase for the pay pool?
Then some of us will be getting our own money back that we should have receive in the first place. My opion is this system is broke befor it really gets started. I see in the futur where this will end up the good old buddy system kicks in. Then the ones that are really doing a great job it want mean nothing. Even the hiring process is going back into who you know. I know this for fact its heppening here at Ft Sam Houston, Tx. The NSPS will be the same way in time and the pay pools.
Why take money from our cost of living increase to start with?
-
33446
""""..actually trying to make people bail out of their jobs."""".
Bingo, someone else see this also, It is more commonly referred to in the lawyer community as CONSTRUCTIVE DISCHARGE, and it is against the law to practice it in the private sector and doing so exposes an employer to potential law suits.
The govt. and DOD on the other hand seem to be exempt form the laws of this land, but this isn't new news now is it!
I wont even begin to adress the AGE DISCRIMMINITION embodied within NSPS also. That is for another time.
-
33445
There is a serious flaw in the timing for the annual performance payouts. The NSPS makes a big deal about completing the appraisal process and computing performance payouts in time for the first pay period of the calendar year - concurrent with the general pay increase. However, a major element of the payout computation - the amount of the general pay increase (GPI) and the split between base pay and locality pay - will not be available to include in payout computations that will be made in early January.
OPM traditionally publishes the Exec Order defining the split between GPI and Locality Pay - and resulting pay tables - during the last two weeks of December. This means pay pool managers will NOT be able to include the GPI - one of three elements in the pay pool - in payout calculations which must be approved and communicated to employees by the end of November.
It appears to me that our November payouts will be based on only about half the funds that should be included in the pay pool.
Effectively, we are implementing a half-baked system -- DOD will have to process a retroactive payroll correction after the GPI split is established and performance payouts can be corrected.
Perhaps DOD should make this process the subject of one of it's "leans six sigma" studies...
-
33440
Here's an idea....let's sick all the government audit agencies on them...oh wait, they were all spiral 1.1 and are now getting screwed too! As a government employee, I'm going to take the extra $2 I now stand to earn a month thanks to this change, and buy lottery tickets! I have just as much chance for coming out ahead!
-
33439
Dear "John at DoD", I hate to break the news to you but ... they have proposed a similar pay-for-performance system for the military. And guess what?! It is OUR CURRENT system that they are referencing. Please read "Panel backs military pay-for-performance", Mar 6, 2006 issue.
And I quote: "The committee's recommendation is to begin paying soldiers based on the time they have spent in a specific grade, instead of overall time in the service. That way, a soldier promoted early into a higher grade will earn more than the people he left behind, even once they are bumped into the grade automatically. "
Seems like we already have a performance based pay system.
To me, that is the ultimate irony.
-
33429
My fellow civilians we are down to our last strike to turn NSPS away. Write your congressman and sentators. Support your local union in fighting for your job and benefits before it's too late. As Dean said above management has just taken away the cost of living raise. Next it will be your retirement??? Leave??? If they don't eliminate your job all together and contract it out. If your not fighting now, you better be looking for another job.
-
33409
I just wanted to say that all you Bushies out there who voted for him thanks for dragging me into this mess.
-
33392
I worked in DoD HR up until about 1-1/2 years ago when I began to see the hand writing on the wall. At that point I bailed out and went to Commerce which remains under the merit-based GS system. You all should know by now that the federal government is a BIG system but since many do not like change - or it didn't even occur to you what was ahead, here you sit. But there is still hope since you can begin looking NOW! Unfortunately, you will be right out there competing with the rest of the DoD workforce. Best of Luck!!
-
33391
I cannot get over how many people still in the GS world and those already in NSPS are complaining about the COAL going away. This was clearly spelled out from the get go. The unions pleaded with DoD employees to write their Senators and Congressmen of this impending disaster and put a stop to it over 3 years ago.
Do you need to be told again? Write them today! If DoD gets their way, and so far they have, and the unions get whacked...its all over. Not only will NSPS be taking your money it will also be the authority to start reducing your entitled benefits such as reduction in annual and sick leave accumulation. Higher health care cost to the employee...so on and so on, actually trying to make people bail out of their jobs. And if they can't get you to leave with those incentives then they can resort to eliminating any job(s) they choose at will with ZERO recourse on your part.
Wake up! NSPS is not only about DoD saving money. It is about the total destruction of a once functional government institution with satisfied, loyal employees and turning it into a workplace of scared, distrustful and paranoid, indentured civil servants.
It is sad how the government we all work for has turned on us this way. So shameful...it is a total disgrace.
-
33386
half of the cost of living increase rolls into the pay pool. in 2009 all of the cost of living increase rolls into the pay poll. this will mean that should you get rated as a 2, you will recieve nothing. theoretcially, this should substantially increase the value of a share. But what do we really have for evidence that this occurs. if a share is worth $1,000 this year, and $900 next year, they can just say that the money availble for the pool is less. the entire pool could end up being comprised of the cost of living money, and nothing more. who would know, how would you prove it?
-
33376
NSPS has been implemented much to the dismay of DoD workers. This week we were told that our COLAs were being cut in half and that the other half was being put into the pay pool for distribution. This is probably not what was intended by Congress, but many good folks are now actively looking for jobs that are still under the old GS system. Pay for performance has had the opposite effect of what was intended. A co-worker summed it up best, "You're a valued performer, so we're giving you half the pay raise that the guys on the firetowers and the chicken inspectors are getting". A class action lawsuit should be mounted to stop NSPS in its tracks.
-
33375
NSPS employees will not benefit as well as GS employees under this system. It seems the government is moving in a backward direction, this system is not designed to keep up the pace with the annual cost of living. This could lead to another "GREAT DEPRESSION". This system is beneficial to the government, not to their employees. Now what am I suppose to do with an extra $26.00 per pay?
-
33373
Why would anybody be surprised by the change? The Unions have been telling everyone what NSPS was all about ever since it was first introduced (as the Defense Transformation for the 21st Century). This minor "bump" is nothing compared with what is in store of DoD employees if NSPS is allowed to come in full board. People, get off your rear-ends and call your congressmen and senators now! If the 2008 Defense spending measures go through without NSPS modification language, it will be all over. By the way, after DOD, the other gov't entities will follow...
-
33362
If this pay issue is not remedied soon, the government will be loosing valuable, hardworking employees who are tired of being overworked, under appreciated and under paid. Those that are designing/impletmenting this system need to realize that working for the government doesn't have the same benefits it did 15 years ago. Eventually, employees may become exasperated and ultimately pursue more lucrative employment options.
-
33354
First COLA, next Locality. I am in San Diego and our cost of living is incredibly high, but I have no confidence that our current Locality rate will be maintained. Also, it was pointed out today that since there is no COLA, if you have a supervisor who doesn't like you, you could possibly only receive bonus shares and therefore your salary would never increase. We are also pretty much guaranteed to receive a rating of 3 with 2 shares (a share in our mock pay pool adding up to less than .5%). Can't wait for that < 1% bonus.
-
33353
Does anyone have any information on the "Volunteer Civilian Force" President Bush promised to send to the Middle East to rebuild the infrastructure? I think NSPS is the perfect venue to assign DoD personnel to these tasks. You have 60 days to report to duty and if you refuse, you get fired. And guess what?, now under NSPS you have no appeal process for this action. Good way to weed out us soon-to-retire governement workers. Think about it.
-
33350
If NSPS is such a great system for the DOD, why not apply it to the military personnel as well? Could you imagine the level of outrage that would ensue by declaring that step increases and General Cost-of-Living increases for uniformed personnel will now be replaced with performance-based pay increases? Further tell them that most military personnel will get ratings of "3," resulting in a modest pay raise (or a one-time bonus). Meanwhile, the very few "role models" whose superiors are better writers will get 2-3 times that amount each year.
-
33349
I am a Lead CPAC Personnelist. I train supervisors and employees on NSPS. In my training, it was mandated and I have taught that NSPS would not effect the cost of living for 2 years. Now we're being told it will be effecting us before the 2 years are up. This is extremely deceptive, and it has made a liar out of those who taught what you told us to. I am very disappointed in any and everyone who has had anything to do with the performance part of NSPS. I am working hard to find a job out of this system and I am here to tell you... I am a great performer!!! I have tried to have an open mind and I've put a smile on my face in front of my students, but this is really hard to swallow. Shame on you.
-
33347
Just go back to the GS system. The more paperwork that the middle manager need, the less work we can get it done because all they do is to try to write a perfect evaluation for him/herself and their subordinates. We need to work smart, not to work stupid. We can integrate a section of for current GS system to see if the employee shall increase step or not. Too easy to get it done. We already had a huge gap on the baby groomer generation and next generation. There will be less and less American willing to work for the Govn't. Think deep...! God save those stupid souls.
-
33331
The following is on the NSPS website under frequently asked questions. It seems DoD can't even keep their website current with the changing decisions made concerning NSPS.
"What happens to the January General Pay Increase (GPI) for employees in Spirals 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3? All eligible employees in Spiral 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 will receive the equivalent of the 2007 GPI, as prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management."
-
33321
I will complete my one year rating period 30 Sept 2007. I am scheduled to return to a non NSPS position in November 2007 prior to the 6 January 2008 pay pool payout. According to NSPS rules, I will not receive my portion of the earned payout because I will not be on the payroll as of 6 Jan 2008.
I believe that I've earned whatever pay out is due me because I received a fully successful rating for the rating period and should receive my portion of the payout regardless to where I am actively employed in the federal service. I am curious as to how many employees under NSPS are affected by this rule.It is very frustrating to work hard and not be compensated. I don't think that it is fair and the rule should be changed.
-
33317
NSPS has our small pool of personnel skirmishing (no outright fisticuffs, yet) over what seem to be the choice assignments, that is, those that may look good on an eval and curry favor with the pay-pool. Reminds me of when I worked for a truck manufacturer. Whereby, the first shift would hide parts (quite literally) so the second shift couldn't meet their production numbers and endanger the folks' positions on the first shift. All-the-whilst, management (upper) was clueless. We are at war! Now more than ever, we need to work together. NSPS is a divisive and disruptive force that will endanger the very security it purports to engender. This is a result of outsourcing DoD personnel functions.
-
33307
I am encouraged by the postings I read. There are still many in support of NSPS; and there will always be optimists, narcissists, and those who take the word of those to whom they have pledge loyalty without asking questions. I, too, appreciate loyalty; but it must be a two way street. If you wish to see one example of the implementation methods the DoD is hoping will convince its workers to buy-in to NSPS, you only have to take the NSPS Core Competency training on Army e-Learning system. There isn't a a single word on the NSPS; only reinforcement training on getting along under an environment of change. They, literally, discourage questions; which most leaders have been taught to make, if in a constructive manner. It's the most blatant example of propaganda I've ever seen in American literature to date. Please try it and let me know if I'm wrong.
As for specific adherents to and devotees of NSPS; Mr. Ketter, the more I see of your postings, the more I am convinced you are clueless to the issues and have no vested interest in our civil service system. I can only surmise that you have no goals herein; other than to poke, prod, and otherwise agitate. Perhaps you are actually an avatar seeking to foment the population and provoke a response? These are the only reasons I can subscribe to for your statements.
Finally, my "Thanks!" goes out to all of you who advocate a response to these issues through our legislature. I truly think that is our only salvation.
-
33306
The 3.5% federal civilian and military cost of living allowance for this year is supposed to adjust everyone's salary for inflation, across the board. The COLA should not be used by anyone as part of a "performance pay" scenario. Is it legal for the DoD NSPS program to take away from anyone, a part of the legally authorized COLA increase? This is a gross unfairness at the highest level. After all these decades employed by the Federal government, I never thought it would come down to this, a total lack of ethical and equitable treatment for Federal employees.
-
33298
At the beginning of 2007 I took a paycut to come work for the DoD under the pretense of two step increases. My decision was more so swayed by the job content, as it is a field I am quite fond of, so I sacrificed pay for job satisfaction. So far my experience has been HORRIBLE. During the DIRECT hiring process my resume and file were "lost" twice taking a 6 months from the word your hired to finishing paperwork. I was hired for a workload that does not exist so I help where I can and sit the rest of the time. My clearance may take the full two year probation time to complete, so no real work for 2 years! Now I find out that my step increases and pay raises are in question? The term "performance based" within the government system seems to be more "politically based". Whats sad is I already know that my rating will be 3 while my "performance" will be based on what little work I do (give me something to perform on!). Citizens should note that within the DoD many employees ride on the shoulders of few. They will all have spotless appraisals and none will recieve fives this in light of only a handful of individuals complete the work for the entire section (who also are rated a 3). While I sit here I become further behind in my field not gaining "useful" experience. I can without a doubt say that my enthusiasm and go getter attitude were stripped from me when I walked in the door. After the two year step program is complete and my tenure here is secure I will be moving on to one of the many better paying offers while maintaining the possibility of returning to government work if the situation develops a more positive light. I like the idea of helping the country but the cost is too great even for a DoD employee who thought this would be the best, most rewarding job the market could offer.
-
33290
Ten years ago I left working for Department of the Army as a civilian employee (after 15 years). Since then, I have fared much better as a contractor and now as a civilian agency employee. And thge best part is I don't have to worry about NSPS!
-
33261
I am an NSPS phase 1 employee. I've been offered a position with another DoD component. Under the rules, I can only get a 5% salary increase, but under the General Schedule, the increase would have been 7.7%. The system is definitely designed to save DoD money, not to help the employee.
As for the pay-for-performance system, components, and sections within components, can split the annual increase between salary and bonus. For every dollar given in bonus, the component saves not having to pay that annually to the employee. Once again, the employee gets shorted, especially those that have a long time to work.
-
33249
The sad thing is this: The fact that NSPS wouldn't benefit the employees was completely predictable. It was NEVER about improving performance, it was about finding a way to pay federal employees less. IF the issue had been about performance, then the simple answer would have been to make managers do their job under the GS system. Getting rid of bad performers under the GS system was no more difficult than under NSPS, it merely required that managers document the performance issues. Instead you all got NSPS and they're trying to inflict some version of MaxHR on DHS... and it's all about cutting wages, eliminating step increases, eliminating the COLA, and reducing the cost (to the government) of employee's retirement. Guess you'll all be voting Democrat in 2008?
-
33235
In my constant search for NSPS information, something just occurred to me. How can a system that is designed for the normal worker to be a "3" going to create this super-productive, super-efficient organization? AFRC recently did a mock pay pool and 82% of the ratees were given 3s...and there were NO 5s! There are numerous slides on the Army NSPS website (5-8 Jun07) where it is mentioned that the majority of employees should be "valued" or 3s. Let's consider the Law of Unintended Consequences for a moment. If the vast majority of us are going to be 3s by design, then why try to be 5s? What's the point? Under spiral 1.1 something like 3.8% rec'd a 5 rating...that's about 420 out of 11,000! And of course even now we don't know what the value the extra effort was worth. I'd think if the numbers were so good, then the NSPS pushers would've inundated us with their "proof" that the new system is so good. Another possible unintended consequence...the refusal of workers to step up to the next level of jobs. The Army slides mention this a couple of times. Without creating a discussion on its rightness, might not there be an increase in sick leave use? What the heck, if you're "only" a 3 who's gonna miss ya?
Before closing I'd like to thank the folks who mentioned how the GPI money regardless of the percentage, that goes to pay for performance, fails to adjust the paybands! I missed that, because I really thought those would keep moving upwards...GREAT catch to you folks. Gotta go...I'm feeling a cold coming on.
-
33233
First of all; let me apologize to all, for helping elect bush I voted for him twice. I'm really, really, sorry. I have worked for civil service for 13 years now and am actively looking for another job. I'm tired of the way DoD treats their employees. This especially true since bush became commander in chief. I used to vote Republican, but will not do so ever again. I started as a GS-11 then I got a promotion to a GS 12 and now I'm a YC something making less money than if I stayed as a GS. All my appraisals have been rated high, but there are no more steps under NSPS. I would have gotten a step increase a few months ago if I had been able to stay a GS. Also under the GS system I used to get a few days off, along with a bonus every year. Under NSPS there are no more performance days off. Although Pay for Performance sounds good, NSPS is not it. Contrary to what gordan england says; this system is only a win for DoD it is a lose for employees. I'm counting the days till this administration is gone.
-
33232
I have just received Gordon England's letter of 7 Sept announcing the plan for full implementation of NSPS. I can only react in anger, disgust, and despondency. Why, while our nation is at War, does DoD insist on punishing its civilian workforce? I think this it is because cost savings have to be generated somewhere. Clearly civil service is politically the weakest link in the DoD family. Military benefit cuts are off limits for obvious reasons (and probably will be increased because of the war). Contractor costs are out of control with their spectacular cost overruns in a government environment where everything including procurement (!) is to be contracted out. Through honeyed words like "pay for performance", NSPS enables management to wring cost savings out of the DoD civilian payroll budget. So now for phase I, cost of living increases are to be cut 50% in Jan 08 and eliminated entirely by Jan 09. Phase II of this mistreatment will kick in when the contractor developer arcane local market survey results are implemented, which no doubt will be pre-determined to show that employee wages and market supplements need to be frozen or worse cut. Unless you are a high ranking retired officer seeking to double dip in cahoots with your current active duty senior leadership friends, I would not recommend a civil service career to anyone. The working level civilians will be squeezed, while the upper management (retired O-6s and above) will grant themselves generous payouts for success in wringing concessions out of the workforce. I can hardly recognize the changes in the Government and its ethics for which I have dedicated my career to.
-
33231
Rather than reiterating the many fine (true) points made by everyone I want to just add one note. This is not the end of DoD employees getting screwed. Soon they will also be adjusting your Locality pay with Local Market Supplements (LMS). Based on what the DoD determines to be a hot or cold labor market employee LMS will be increased or decreased based on local labor rates. Want to guess how many of us will get lower LMS in the future to go along with no annual cost of living increases.
NSPS will destroy morale for DoD employees. The federal government tells us that 40 percent of the government will retire in the next 5 years. I have news for them. Under NSPS they will all be retiring in the next 1-2 years. I know that many of my well experienced high performing colleagues are already looking to leave government or go to a non NSPS GS Agency. All that will be left will be the same non performers that they are complaining about.
Discussion is good and this has been the only venue to vent my frustration. However, we all need to do more than just complain. The Defense Appropriations Bill has not been passed as of yet. We all need to contact our Senators and Congressmen/Congresswomen to make our voices heard before it's too late. Don't let the Pentagon get away with their timing of this decision right as Congress is set to approve the Defense bill and we are screwed for another year.
Please visit senate.gov or house.gov and find your representative and e-mail of fax them your concerns and complains. I would print out all these comments as our feelings and fax them to your representatives as well as all the ranking and minority leaders of the Defense Appropriations Committees. It's up to you to make your voices clear to Congress and not sit silently by. The time to ACT IS NOW !!!! Take the 5 minutes and make your feelings known for the sake of all of us.
-
33227
This is exactly what I and everyone else where afraid of with the implementing of the NSPS system. This administration has done NOTHING to provide for it's worker's much less their Soldier's who fight a War everyday without the proper equipment (Digging through landfills to reinforce their equipment) and defense, much like Government Civilian worker's, we are defenseless in our approach. To think after 23 years of personal service that the implementation of NSPS would be more like a quicksand trap as opposed to a solid platform, is not a surprise to me. Stop Privatization and lining the pockets of those who know NOTHING about the way we have and done business. Their only concerns are themselves and the money they make, they DO NOT care about the quality of life of our Soldiers, their Families and our Civilian workforce, only themselves. Those of us who have gave and given our all to the Government of this Great Land we know and love, doesn't seem very appreciative to the servants that gave and give their all everyday of their lives and continue to do so. Thank you for you time.
-
33224
This is exacttly what I and everyone else where afraid of with the implementing of the NSPS system. This administration has done NOTHING to provide for it's worker's much less their Soldier's who fight a War everyday without the proper equipment (Digging through landfills to reinforce their equipment) and defense, much like Govenrment Civilian workwer's, we are defenseless in our approach. To think after 23 years of personnal service that the implemantation of NSPS would be more like a quicksand trap as oppsoed to a solid platform, is not a surprise to me. Stop Privatization and lining the pockets of those who know NOTHING abot the way we have and done business. Their only concerns are themselves and the money they make, they DO NOT care about the quality of life of our Soldiers, their Families and our Civilian workforce, only themselves. Those of us who have gave and given our all to the Government that we know and love, doesn't seem very appreciative to the servants that give and gave their all everday of their lives and continue to do so. Thankyou for you time.
-
33219
34 years of federal service and at the top of the pay range. No more COLA and only a one-time bonus to look forward to. I anticpate the LMS to dive below the locality pay for GS. Therefore, my high three will not be my last three years. Those who are pleased with NSPS are not looking towards the end of their career. From this end of the spectrum NSPS is NOT all that it is cracked up to be. Anytime the federal government does something it is not for the "benefit" of the employee. DoD created NSPS to save money at the expense of the employees. Under the GS system managers could get rid of poor performers - I saw it a number of times. If you are mobile then move to a non-DoD job now. Why fund the war at the expense of your paycheck?
-
33216
Thanks you sooo much to:
-DoD and OPM change agents
-Gordon England
-The Heritage Foundation,
-Ronald Sanders, past personnel adviser to Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte,
-Mr. George Nesterczuk, past Senior Advisor to the Director for the Department of Defense at OPM...who then went to the Ukraine to reform its bureaucracy..who also headed Bush's Presidential Transition Teams for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Merit Systems Protection Board, and Federal Labor Relations Authority.
-Unknown policy team members.....For a more flexible human resource management system.
-
33213
In my opinion the subject discussed above is misleading and questionable (see below). In addition, even the name NSPS is misleading, because NSPS emphasizes National Security combined with Personnel System, which is different missions.
Also, the President signs off on the Cost of Living raise which should NOT be allocated to an individual annual performance. An individual performance shares should be directly linked to their performance not to cost of living increases. In addition a pay pool panel should not be determining an individual performance annual payout/increase. Under the legacy GS system, the direct supervisors and the senior rater, which under NSPS is the Rating Official and Higher Level Reviewer, are the only two individual that have the direct knowledge to rate their employees. No system should be in place that allows a panel to have an impact on individual outside their supervisory chain of command. An exceptional writer can mislead a panel into allocating shares that are not related to performance or vise versus for a poor writer. A NSPS pay pool panel allows for human intervention to include networking element. In my opinion the NSPS should be suspended until a pilot program can be worked for 5 years or better. The value of a share should be established and known in advance, not knowing the value of a share is totally questionable. Also, why was the memo dated 7 Sep 07 on Allocation of Jan 08/09 General Pay Increase for NSPS, which is only 23 days before the end of annual rating cycle not known at the beginning of FY07? In addition, individual that have transferred/relocated this FY from GS system to NSPS system based on the rules of engagement at the time of a full cost of living increase will be subject to pro-rated cost of living increases now in the pay pool. The delayed/late notification on the cost of living will have a negative impact on individuals that have placed their trust in the US Government.
-
33210
The average employee will fall behind over time with this system. It is converting cost of living increases into "performance" pay, allowing the government to keep money that it used to use for step increases and awards, and overall pay everyone less. Additionally, what we would in the past get as raises, now will come in part as bonuses, which do not figure into future pay. Almost everyone will be worse off over the long run, even many of those that get top blocked. Employees will only fall about 1% behind each year, so we will not see the harm until years down the road. Unless you are only in government service for a short period and plan to move on, you will be financially harmed by the 'bonus" payments.
-
33209
Leadership oversight is the key in performance management & simple non-costly changes could have saved the TaxPayers millions by tweaking the system already in place -- NSPS takes the rewards of performance away from the supervisor & gives it to outsiders on a paypool -- Hopefully a well controlled Satisfaction Survey is given to assess this monstrosity & somebody wakes up.
-
33208
The GS system was designed to eliminate cronyism. The NSPS system has brought it back and made it policy. Also, when was the last time a supervisor wrote your evaluation? Just write yourself up as a level 5 and reap the cost of living increase meant for everyone else.
-
33206
Leadership oversight is the key in performance management & simple non-costly changes could have saved the TaxPayers millions by tweaking the system already in place -- NSPS takes the rewards of performance away from the supervisor & gives it to outsiders on a paypool -- Hopefully a well controlled Satisfaction Survey is given to assess this monstrosity & somebody wakes up.
-
33205
This entire endeavor is a waste of resources.
That something so useless and inspired by Rumsfeld and his lack of concern for workers is a bitter pill for most DOD employees.
This NSPS is a disgraceful waste of time, especially after enduring Rumsfeld and his misguided war.
-
33203
The GS system was originally designed to be as fair and equitable as any pay system in this country could be (look in the federal archives; the original plan should be there). It was designed to be a "model" for non-government employers who could mirror government and attract quality employees as well. The GS pay system was designed to be "non-political", to keep bias and (office) "politics" out of the pay raise decision. It was written to make it easy for supervisors to rate their employees and deny a WIGI/step increase for a poor performer. Since most supervisors complained that the process was "too hard", the government came up with NSPS - INSTEAD of holding those supervisors accountable for allowing poor performers to receive their step increase. Those supervisors have always been happy to draw the money for supervisory pay, neither willing to apply for a lateral non-supervisory position, nor take a downgrade to a non-supervisory position when they didn't want to perform as a supervisor. So now everyone is paying for the poorly performing GS supervisors who refused to do daily annotations of poor performers; a letter of caution (drafted by their HRO POC by the way!); and other short-lived documentation by their HRO POC, so that when it came time to deny the step increase, they would be ready. There are plenty of HR employees who have guided and advised supervisors over the years, to no avail. Where was Washington when those supervisors needed to be held accountable for their lack of supervisory duties? I bet under the NSPS system those same supervisors still will not have the time to document the poor performance, and will have a hard time assigning anything less than a level 3 for ANY employee... and, IF NSPS is to work the way it was designed, ALL employees should have level 4 and level 5 objectives built into their performance plan within their own pay band so that they CLEARLY know what they have to do to work for those levels. Bottom line is, until Washington (OPM) builds requirements into a supervisory role that shows strong indication of a non-biased supervisor (one who can leave their personal feelings out of their decisions - then NSPS has already failed before it has had a good start, and the taxpayers have been fleeced by how much it cost them for this poorly deisgned "replacement" pay system.
-
33202
Wouldn't it be nice if NSPS was modified to give supervisors a rating no higher than the average rating received by their employees. A supervisor is no better than his/her employees and if they can't get better than a 3 the supervisor shouldn't either.
-
33199
As I've said all along, NSPS is designed to save the government money; nothing more, nothing less.
-
33198
This NSPS system has all the makings of a collosal failure, not unlike many programs with too much bureacratic oversight. I agree with the commenters who understand that "ratings" and performance will continue to be subjective and thus unfair to many. I just think it's ironic that the worst president ever is the one implementing a "pay for performance" system, lol. Lord knows if it applied to him, he wouldn't get a dime. The irony is striking.
-
33197
As a manager and employee under NSPS all I can say is please let me out! Not giving cost of living, which is already less than the actual increase in living expenses, demotivates, causes pay shrinkage, and discourages participation. Attempting this sort of pay for performance in a non-sales based, non-prifit based service industry is idiotic. There is NO WAY to determine performance levels without equivalent products to compare. Even within my perview, I cannot say some people perform better just because they got more done unless the complexity of that work is also equal. All this decision does is further decrease salaries of valued performers who are the backbond of DOD, and under NSPS already disadvantaged when compared to GS employees, and serve to motivate leaving. We have to fill jobs in accordance with GS levels (yes when advertising for a YA-1 we have to specify the GS grade level and write a PD for that GS level) and even have to change PDs to allow poeple to earn more pay witin the same pay band. The system is a joke and Congress needs to put a stop to it.
-
33196
The fact that under NSPS the ECI can be rolled into the pay pool performance funds negatively affects every single NSPS employee. What this means is that if the SECDEF decides to roll ECI into performance funds like he has for 2008 and 2009, the top of the pay bands do not increase and therefore do not keep up with inflation. So in theory, whatever the top of the pay band is now, could be the the top in 10 years. So if you're at the pay band cap or control point cap, then you're pay could theoretically stay the same for the rest of your career --even if you're a top performing employee. I also feel that if the SECDEF decided to implement this ECI change so early in NSPS, then this will set a precedent of how it will be in the future. I hope that Congress or someone with power recognizes this and changes this right under NSPS.
-
33195
According to our management, if we were at the top of your GS step when you came into NSPS, then don't expect any raise that would put your salary above the step 10 of the grade you left. They may have moved to a new personnel system, but kept the GS mind set. We should get used to the glass ceiling thats been placed on our heads!!!
-
33194
There was a reason for Congress controlling the pay increases for government employees when the GS scale was finalized. Unfortunately, the folks will not realize what that reason was until it is too late. I could tell you, but I would be branded as one of those "gloom and doom" union-types that only cares about non-performers. Suffice it to say that what ever happens is now in the hands of the the workforce. They have been given alot of info and now they must make a choice to either act or remain silent. For those employees who profess joy for bringing in a system that rewards performers, I say that we have always rewarded performers. If we were rewarding non-performers, that was a failure (of performance) on the management.
-
33192
Does the additional discreationary amount that goes into your "Total Salary Share Product" count as your base pay for retirement purposes? If not, no matter how large the bonus compensation is in any given year, Federal employees are going to loose out big time when they retire. This will also be a great incentive to retire, since under retirement you get the full cost of living adjustment.
-
33190
New ideas on pay-for-performance come and go with every administration, both Democrat and Rebulican. I've been through three changes in the personnel system during my 28 years with DOD. The NSPS will be the fourth change. All of these pay-for-performance ideas are well indended and would work IF employee performance could be perfectly measured using an equal scale accross the entire DOD. The human element eventually undermines everyone of these new ideas, and it ends up being implemented in a way that generally provides equal accross the board pay increases. So I would like to suggest my own system that would probably be just as fair, and might be a little fun for employees. We should have a pay pool lottery. Everyone can pick their own 5 digit number between 0 and 99,999. Then at the end of the rating year, a publicized drawing is held. If you match between 0 and 3 numbers, you get a level 3. Four matching digits gets you a level 4, and all five matching digits gets you a level 5! I think my chances would be just as good in a lottery as in the NSPS.
-
33185
Maybe they will allow early retirement without penalties to save even more money..yeah I know, in my dreams. We are expected to take government training to maintain our proficiency, I say what the heck for? Just to continue to take in the shorts pay wise. I did notice all the GS-13's and 14's getting their promotions just before NSPS took effect. People making that kinda money could care less about the lower levels. At least for the most part.
-
33182
We all see what effects NSBS (as I prefer to call it) has on our current pay but look into the future and see what it does for those of you retiring in 10 of so years. Assuming you'll be at the top of the GS scales (step 10) or pay bands near retirement; this 'flexibility' allows the DoD to not increase the top end of the bands. Where in 10 years under GS, the step 10 in a given grade will increase around 35% assuming a 3% annual increase... however, under NSBS, that 3% will be added to the pay pool for that current year without shifting the top end of the pay band... effectively capping the max you can make, which will ultimately cap your retirement benefit. Everyone must be vocal, vigilant, and not allow this horrible, horrible system to implement... anyone in FERS wish you were CSRS?
-
33181
Morale was bad enough, but after reading this new change, I feel that I have wasted the last 30 yrs of my life. I will not encourage anyone to become a government employee, salaries are low, benefits weak, and incentives are all gone. My thirty years(retirement)will not even make my house payment, so I still have to go to work somewhere just to make ends meet. Cost of living increases are just that, "Cost of Living" adjustments to buy groceries and gasoline and they should be for everyone. Grocery and gasoline increases are not based upon merit status or pay bands, and health care costs are rising every year, but the ECONOMY helps dictate our needs. Its hard enough now, but this is the worst. Everyone needs that little raise because it was better than nothing and government employees do work hard regardless of the slurrs we constantly hear.
-
33180
I was looking forward to NSPS. However, due to some reason they decided that I had "bargaining unit status" and could if I wanted to join a professional union. I'm a GS-14 step 10 and I was looking forward to being in payband III so I could get some sort of raise or "step like" increase.
-
33179
NSPS has many great features and maybe when it is fully implemented and mature it will be a functioning system that truly rewards top performers. However, NSPS is in it's infancy and there is very little trust and confidence in either the system and how commands implement it. This is a bad decision to change the allocation of cost of living increases before employees have gone through at least one payout in order gain some trust in the system. SECDEF needs to relook - or Congress can expect lots of letters.
-
33177
I still want to know what portion of pay under NSPS counts toward the high 3 for retirement annuity calculation. If it is just base pay, then clearly, everyone gets screwed by this. If performance pay counts toward high 3 then only the non-performers get screwed, but they get doubly screwed. Probably serves them right for being non-performers.
Does anyone know what counts toward high 3 under NSPS?
-
33176
Here at Camp Shelby there is no Civilian Support. We have no Civilian Personnel on site. If we have a supervisor that does not like us or don't want to take the time to learn the NSPS program we are rated less than we deserved. This has been the case for some of the civilian employees. Our NSPS System is not up and running and there is no communication between employee and supervisor in regards to our evaluation. In my situation my supervisor changes every 2 years If I'm lucky. If I don't have that communication with them they don't have a understanding of my duties. NSPS is flawed and we are paying the price.
-
33168
The General Schedule system is not broken. The rules to deal with non-performers are there. Supervisors just need to use them. NSPS in the long run or maybe in the short run will affect negatively our civil service work force and consequently our employer, (government). It is written on the wall, we will start to see smaller raises or none, and promotions. Then, someone will notice moral is being drastically affected and they will try to pacify the work force for a couple of years. Then go back to smaller or no raises. It seems our representatives are not paying attention. In the short run it MAY save a couple of dollars but in the long run our employer will lose more.
-
33167
Great News!! This change is long over due and should have a positive impact on the better performers , they will now be rewarded for their efforts. No where else in the economy are people guarnteed a pay raise every year. Let alone for poor performance. After looking at the posted comments I see lots of hope that the shirkers will go some where else, unfortunately no one will hire you at your current pay scale.
-
33166
Having been in the first spiral and seeing the results, I moved to a GS position. If one reviews the numbers for DA in that first spiral, you will see that senior employees received more shares than lower graded employees. I figure the assumtion was if a person is in a senior position they must be a better performer. For the rest of us, NSPS is a demotivator. Good Luck!
-
33164
I can and will strive to be a top performer and will want to get the highest rating. However, I can't be sure that the supervisory chain can (1) tell me up front exactly what I need to do to get there; (2) can write a performance appraisal that adequately states that I did get there; and (3) can convince the pay pool adjudicator [who will likely be under a different pay system] that I am better than all the other employees whose bosses think they also are top rated. You can be a high performer, but if your boss is not an effective advocate, you are likely to lose out regardless of what you do.
-
33163
NSPS may stand for the "National Security Personnel System" - but it is grossly misnamed (it has NOTHING to do with Security). Ever since it's inception I adviced my fellow auditors it should be called the "National Performance Pay-Reduction Act." It's all about the dollars my friends. Wait to we really see what a share is worth after the Pentagon controls the size of your individual pay-out bucket. Retirement looks so good - but I feel for the new people. They will really get hosed.
-
33160
Very distressing.
I make charts and do metrics for work. How will I keep pace with inflation under NSPS?
Do I triple my production of charts and metrics to prove my worth to the organization?
Preparing a resume might be sound advice.
-
33157
First off I'd like to suggest a name change for the National Security Personnel System (NSPS) to a more accurate title called "Rumsfields Obliging Buddies-Unification System or short for ROB-US".I feel it should at least be named in honor of its benefactor.Simple put NSPS is only for those who can kiss up the best. The last couple years following NSPS in deciding when to retire, now I know its going to be before we go under this crazy system. After 38 years with the federal government I've seen numerous good old boy changes, but I truly believe this is the final straw that will break the camels back. My fellow colleges keep asking "why" I stay anyway. My response is simply I enjoy taking pride in my job and supporting our military. The pride started with my first job working on ejection seats to my present as an industrial engineer tech. When that pride goes away its time for me to do the same, and I see that happening with NSPS. Taking pride and honor in doing a good job supporting our men and women in uniform is no longer a priority. Kissing the bosses butt to get that raise and/or bonus is the priority, forgetting my job can cost a life and/or lives. I agree with the comment; "My dream for my fellow workers is that this system will either be stopped or revised drastically so it's fairer to all. Thank God I am going to escape before it affects me".
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33155
What a crock. I'm either transferring to an agency that still has the GS scale or applying for a GS12 at another location and receive save pay and the annual increases which would come out ahead. And yes, by the way, I can say that I am a recognized performer. GS-07 to GS-13 in under 6.5 years with many awards and a whole bunch of folks that will hire me at several locations!! Get ready for the bleeding as more folks figure out ways to abandon DoD positions and opt for positions that still pay their folks for the jobs they are doing in protecting this country. You folks making the rules better think twice about the system that you amusingly descibe as pay for performance as it will soon turn out to be known as the Bail for Proper Pay System. Hard to believe that during a time where DoD is trying other intiatives to "keep the best", the NSPS is slowly accomplishing the exact opposite.
-
33151
A simple analysis assuming the net performance award to "valued employees" is a combined pay increase and a cash award each equal to 1/2 the cost of living increase awarded to GS employees results in NSPS employees having a base pay 25% lower than GS employees 10 years down the road. Doesn't it give you a warm and fuzzy knowing the guy working in another agency doing the same job you are doing is going to be making 25% more than you.
-
33148
I am a proponent of NSPS because it has forced us (DoD) to reevaluate how we compensate our employees. However the issues concerning non-bargaining vs bargaining unit employees has the potential to create a huge disparity between the two as a result of the unresolved labor issues. Internal alignment is critical to the overall success of any organization and at this point the rules have not been applied in a consistent and fair manner. Perceived injsustice is injustice!
-
33146
What this does is allow supervisors to disportionally award their suck up golfing buddies who do nothing at work higher pay raises. I mean lets face it. This is a Rumsfield, Bush initiative. What more do you need to know to understand this system is corrupt?
-
33145
This should stand to show anyone who thought they were being told the whole truth and nothing but the truth that they were WRONG. You know if people learned how to use the GS sys and started USING IT, i think we could solve some of these poor performance problems we currently have. Also I think that with some changes to the GS system we could significantly improve it. Btw we need to learn that politically appointed officals don't really have the Perm Fed Gov workers in mind.
"Looks like 700,000+ government employees and their families and friends will be voting Democrat in 2008" Well thats just nutts, how could you being someone who swore to protect the constitution vote for those who want to turn our republic into a communist society....both sides are disrespecting our constitution....but the liberals are not the better option
-
33142
NSPS: Now there is an acronym that makes your blood boil. Management by objectives, it's been around for over 30 years. The sole purpose is too save money for the company or the government in our case. It has been doing just that, it is saving money at our expense. We the valued employees under NSPS are in the process of getting more work less money and all under the guise of "Pay for Performance". This could not be further from the truth. The morale of the workforce at my base is extremely low. Here is another example of NSPS taking our expected raise that is supposed to help us stay competitive with the civilian workforce and putting half into the pay pool for distribution to the most deserving employees. What NSPS is doing for me is getting me to start working on my resume. I along with other younger employees realize that there isn't much of a future for advancement for anyone in this system. Under NSPS you no longer get promoted you get management reassignments or if you self nominate it's considered a voluntary reassignment. This is done to save money. What a bunch of malarkey. I'm a supervisor and I have numerous employees making more money than I do because NSPS has a limitation on how we get a raise for the "management reassignments". We didn't have a perfect system under the General Schedule rules; however, at least we did see the potential for advancement. Now all we see is that the system is going to hold us down monetarily. If you have the education it really doesn't matter, the system is designed to keep salaries down and believe it or not people do work for money not just the enjoyment of working. With the aging workforce and more retirements in the future I see a mass exodus from civil service for jobs in the private sector. At the very least in the private sector you still have the right for grievances and the possibility of getting raises. NSPS has taken the security out of Civil Service. Trash it and treat your employees like they are more than just a number on the manning documents.
-
33140
Nothing should interfere with the cost of living increase.
-
33131
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Everyone - write to your Congressman now - beg them to dump this piece of junk system before they ruin Civil Service for good.
We had no trouble hiring, retaining and promoting good people before, wht did we need this system?
-
33129
Rarely does an article create sufficient outrage for me to draft a response. But in this case it appears that a worker under NSPS will get less pay than someone under the GS schedule doing equivalent work. And apparently the Pentagon can change the rules to suit their whim. By paying more to the perceived "top performers", NSPS may motivate the other 90% to seek employment in the private sector where pay is higher and less subject to the mood swings of management.
-
33127
Again I ask how is NSPS going to benifit the Government employees. I bet if we put congress or maybe just Defense Secretary Robert Gates under NSPS they would make changes for the better instead of for the worst. We need to get congress back to the basic (For the people by the people) in other words we the people need to elect all Government officials.
-
33126
So, now a pay raise is also tied to the performance of other employees? That sounds like a "teamwork" initiative, and if it is, then we can all wait and see how long it takes everyone to realize it only makes sense to work down to the weakest link.
-
33122
Will those supervisors who went under NSPS in February 07 be considered part of Spiral 1? If so why are we not given the one year grace period of getting the full cost of living as the ones going to NSPS in previous years?
-
33120
So, Union Members, since they have not been put in the system yet, will get the full "across the board increase" for 2008 and 2009? Depending on when Union Members are put in the system they may actually earn more in salary compared to those in the same positions that are not part of a Union. The interesting part comes in 2009. You may get a bonus but no increase in salary which effects your pension calculation. Under the old system your pension was always increasing in value. NSPS allows the Defense Secretery to make changes in the future, as they have already shown, that could make a significant impact on your pay, even if you are a "good worker".
-
33119
Here'a prediction---if NSPS "valued performers" receive less than the General Schedule (and less than bargaining unit employees slated to come under NSPS) expect a large-scale hue and cry that will severely affect employee morale. There's entirely too much subjectivity within NSPS for it to be ultimately successful---the very fact that everything is going to be secretive is a morale-buster--all pay pool decisions should be public knowledge--if officials can't easily defend their decisions then something is "rotten in Denmark"
-
33116
Another example of changing the rules AFTER we start playing the game. NSPS was touted to be a performance driven mechanism to encourage productivity amounst civilian employees when all along it was probably seen as a measure to reduce costs by not giving cost of living raises. With the typical increase in taxes and probable increase in health care premiums, we'll probably end up losing money again in January!
-
33113
I figured this was going to happen when I first started reading about the DoD pay for performance system. This gives each department who gets off the GS system, the ability to stop the Congressionally-approved increase for everyone. Now I understand that a person should not be rewarded for not doing their job, on the other hand, Congress said nothing about their increase being tied to performance because their increase is not coming from within the department. This should be a big neon sign that tells everyone the pay for performance system needs more work, or the current GS system should be tweaked a little to take the performance evals and directly tie them to level and step increases, the way it should have been done. I read the administration and their supporters are trying to do away with the GS system, and this seems to be following, but it is showing me that a lot of people are going to be royally screwed come time for their performance evaluation.
-
33112
This is a bad faith move. Somebody should tell the SecDef that his employees are angry. Changing the culture should be gradual, so employees can see the merit in the change - now they are just angry. What happens when good employees see that they do not earn a raise comparable to their GS counterparts because of the number of shares distributed??
Where did he get his managerial concepts - from Theory X? Bad move.
-
33109
As I did not realized that this new NSPS was completely taking over the traditionally cost of living raises, I think the traditional cost of living raises should not be changed until ALL agencies are converted to the NSPS. No one in the training for the NSPS mentioned anything about this new system would eventually take the place of the traditional cost of living raises. I have people in my office that some are converted and some are not and basically doing the same type work.
Thank god I only have four or five years until retirement, then again I believe this is what wanted and expected by converting to this system.
-
33107
HOT OFF THE PRESS: the NSPS will deny the government workers the cost of living increase. The NSPS (performance) should not interfere with the cost of living increase. Why is this being allowed to happen?
Did you hear our Health Insurance is increasing 2.9 percent in 2008? Let's see how that would work out: with a 3.5% raise and Health Insurance going up 2.9%, that leaves .6% for the cost of living increase. If Defense Secretary Robert Gates gets his way your cost of living could be NEGATIVE 6.4%. Wow, the civilian is being hit with a double whammy. Will I have a paycheck left?
-
33106
Anyone want to guess how long it will be before it's changed so that a 3 rating gets 0 increase, and 2 and 1 ratings get cuts in pay? The same change will probably increase the raises that 4 and 5 ratings get.
A subsequent change will then place 4 ratings at 0 increase, and 3, 2, and 1 ratings will get pay cuts. After that, only the good-ole-boys in the clique will be rated at level 5.
You might not like to think in these terms, but I suspect that all current government employees who are not planning to retire until 2009 or later had better sit up and take notice.
-
33105
NSPS has proven itself to be unmanageable. Noone knows what is supposed to happen and everyone involved is ad libbing as they go and whatever the officials think is what happens. We were told in the beginning that everyone under the first Spiral appraisal would only get a 3. Now we are being told you should be given a rating comparable to your performance. NOW, next year the government is reneging on their promise to honor all cost of living increases. Where will it end? Congress has already acknowledged the inadequacy of the system by refusing to fund NSPS. I say end this nonsense and revert everyone back to the system that works, all it requires is supervisors with guts enough to call it the way it is on appraisals.
-
33104
I see a great number of grievances challenging every appraisal rate 3 or lower. I don't see how Defense can identify and quantify a clerical position or analyst position to the degree they can assign a numerical figure to a rating. Morale at Defense must be in that $600 dollar toilet.
-
33103
All you folks who are not protected by a union had better pucker up.
-
33102
Rather than encourage performance improvement and attract talented individuals to government service DOD has taken another step towards their ultimate goal of lowering salaries. Pay out to the favored few will be in the form of one time bonuses. Meanwhile the overall salary base will decline.
-
33101
I'm glad see some progess is made in our favor. because now we are being under paid. We need the cost of living raise
-
33100
Since when is cost of living based on performance? Do those who perform at a lower level experience less inflation than those who perform at a higher level? This looks like another opportunity for management to use the NSPS for unequitable and subjective favortism and lends credibility to those that argue the system is flawed and subject to political foolery.
-
33099
I'm glad see some progess is made in our favor. because now we are being under paid.
-
33096
The Cost of Living increase should have nothing to do with the rip-off NSPS (performance). What a farce! It's expensive living in the DC metropolitan area and that is why so many people commute from the outer areas. Commuting has become very expensive with the fuel prices and now the NSPS is putting it's sticky fingers into the cost of living raise. For years the government has been trying to bring the pay scale for civilians up the private industry in order to keep the employees, now the unfair and unjust NSPS will deny the cost of living increase. And you expect the civilian employees to just to sit back and swallow this bitter pill? No way! Where are our Congressmen and Congresswomen?
-
33093
Let me see if I understand this.
Congress passes an appropriation law that says I should receive a 3.5% pay increase. My buddy who is GS still will get his or hers just by getting a satisfactory rating, and probably use it to pay for the increase he will receive in his FEHB costs. Since I am NSPS, if I get a three rating, similar to my friend, I won't receive my full portion as Congress intended. Now my baseline salary has been affected for future increases, and I have a larger gap to cover with the FEHB increase, and now I am behind in salary of those equal in performance to me. Seems like NSPS becoming unfair and failing to accomplish it's intent because decisions like this during spiral implementation appear to be causing an unlevel playing field.
-
33092
This is further evidence of DoD's intent to manage funding under the guise of personnel management. Even if an employee now 'earns' this pay increase, payout comes a year later. This decision is going to demoralize and financially harm my previous GS-7 & GS-9 employees currently in NSPS and will serve as a motivator for them to find a fair-minded, non-DoD employer.
-
33086
What wonderful news on a Monday morning. I've got three years until I can retire...it looks better every day because of stupid garbage like this. If I'm a recent college graduate and see this sort of thing going on, what incentive have I to work for the government? Especially when it's easy to figure out who's going to get the money...those kiss-ups. There's no incentive to work civil service anymore...that went out with CSRS.
-
33083
If this policy gives DoD employees less of a raise compared to GS positions for the same rating then it is a complete failure.
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33082
So, our self-appraisal were due last Friday and we learn about this today. Each NSPS employee needs a full-time clerk to keep track of everything we have to record on our multi-page appraisal.
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33080
Again for you all that voted for the powers to be in the 80s are getting what you wanted, just to bad the rest of us are getting it, too.
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33078
So why is this news and why is it treated as being unexpected? Did you really expect all the fair, seemless, transparent, and trusted BS from DOD?
And remember, it is not too late to change their minds on those 90,000 other unsuspecting souls.
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33076
And so it starts.
No, I'm not against NSPS - it is roughly the same as the pay system that has fueled the private sector and driven our economy since the industrial revolution. It has problems in the conversion - private sector is profit driven to name the biggest difference - but it has worked for every other sector for a long time.
The biggest problems I see are: 1 - Due to the standardized schedules, Gov't management has been allowed to let the non-performer slide for so long, I'm uncertain how well they will be equipped to make the hard calls this system needs. 2 - Due to the standardized schedules, the corporate culture has come to accept that, short of violation of the law, continuing employment for the non-performer is a right, not a priviledge.
Let the whining begin over "I didn't get the same raise as (fill in the blank)."
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33073
This is not a change in policy if you have read the NSPS regulations. It is merely implementing the pay policy that is designed into the system.
The important thing to remember is that Congress no longer sets the pay raises for the DOD - the Secretary of Defense does as indicated here and in the regulations.
It is almost humorous that the employees are cautioned against comparing their NSPS salaries to what could have been their GS salaries. The NSPS was advertised as a better rewarder of performance than the antiquated GS system, but here we are cautioned against comparing our salaries between the two because that could result in an unfavorable impression of the NSPS rewards system.
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33072
During our in-brief and training just prior to starting in NSPS we were told that in the first evaluation period nobody would be rated above the 3 level. If I read this article correctly none of us will get the full pay raise Congress and the President approves.
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33070
I don't think the new pay policy is fair. The message going out to employees who according the plan are considered a "Valued Employee" but not worth a full pay raise. I can't see how you plan to recruit young people if they can't expect to receive a pay raise for doing their job. You are sending a very mixed message and I for one look forward eagerly to completing my time with the government then retiring which is less then four years away because there is no insensitive for me to stay even one day longer. You treat people with no feelings. I for one would never recommend the government as the place for a young professional to aspire to work.
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33068
King George is laughing all the way to the bank! Let them (the employees) eat cake.
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33067
A good article. However any way you slice it up, NSPS is Federal Government money saving scheme. It will be effective because a majority of supervisors will not have the time to provide quality inputs for their employees to their respective pay panels.
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33065
NSPS Spiral 1 conversion will receive half of the 2008 pay increase as an adjustment to their base salary. So this means that Spiral 2 according to the change below will not be afforded the same as the Spiral 1 group our annual increase will not happen unless the pay poll manages allot it for employees with acceptable ratings. "Another change is expected in 2009, when the full governmentwide increase will be allocated to the performance pay pools and distributed based on performance, Frank said". What will keep the pay pool from looking out for the high ranking employees? ex: I get a rating of 3/4 and you get the same, I am a YB2 you are a YB3, the pay pool are all high band employees so most of the money goes to the high band employees. Which is the same as before. The more your base salary is the more your performance bonus is. Are there going to be any low band employees on the pay pool to fight for the low band employees? THe way it is set up is no matter what my supervisor thinks of me and how well he thinks I fo my job if someone from the pay pool thinks different and the pay pool manager has the say I could get all 3/4/5 and never get a pay increase or bonus. If this is not correct please explain it better than the NSPS 101, and the one day NSPS class. I have the NSPS handbook but an employees pay increases depends on the employee being able to write a good plan and objective, and the supervisor having time to do the same. What happens to the employees that their supervisors are TDY 60% of the time and are in high profile positions? Thank you for you time.
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33063
I never had a "warm and fuzzy" about the NSPS for obvious reasons. And now the proof has/will come to pass.....The majority of hard working government employees will be literally "shortchanged", because of the shortcomings of a few....
And we could easily enforce the GS system? NSPS already has far reaching ramifications for the government by its design....the article reinforces that fact. Does anyone consider or care about the loss of stewardship that is inevitable? The NSPS platform works for private industry because of profit sharing with bonuses/promotions in order to motivate employees to be higher producers. The government is a nonprofit organization.....
Tthe GS system works, and maintains professionalism/integrity/stewardship. The reason(s) to scrap GS are inaccurate and lack true merit.
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33056
this is exactly what I expected from the 'Rumsfeld pay system' from the beginning!!!! it was a simple plot to save money and cut federal spending. the next thing i expect is to find we will never see another promotion - they cost too much - I was looking to be promototed once more before i retired BUT now i simply pray to retire!
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33055
Looks like 700,000+ government employees and their families and friends will be voting Democrat in 2008, in hopes that a Dem house, senate, and president will drive a stake through the heart of NSPS.
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33053
You new it was going to happen. Now your going to see how a lack of internal controls and a system that rewards being friends with the boss and not for doing your job fails everyone.
Now you can be an employee who has done everything asked of them gets completely abused by the system. This employee will get less of a raise than many of his/her counterparts in the other sectors of the government all because he/she just did their job. No more and no less.
This is the system that is supposed to reward solid performers?
Looks like a system to reward friends and punish those that do what they were hired for.
End result, mass exodus of those that can to other sectors of the government. The only ones left in DoD are those that have friends in high place.
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33050
It would be nice to put the politicians in Wahington DC on a pay for performance system. Lets see how they like it. The payouts could be voted on by registered voters from their district. This would be fair since they are government employees being paid by the taxpayers.
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33046
I'm willing to bet that's NOT how they sold the program to the unions and the employees. I would also speculate that, based on the way a similar plan was sold to DHS employees, the administration is changing the rules again. At the heart of this discussion are the pay-for-performance increases and the cost of living increases. The whole point of the pay-for-performance plan was to eliminate automatic step increases (inherent in the old GS pay system) and to mitigate the impact of the pay comparability act by moving to a commercial/private sector based pay band.
Now the administration is pirating the cost of living increases (of 3.5 percent) and pirating half that money to fund the pay-for-performance increases. In short, they're taking money, to which the employee is alreday entitled, and using those funds to pay for a pay-for-performance "raise" which really only makes select employees whole.
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33041
Pay for performance is one thing, but make performance measurable. Most of the job objectives that management has created are so subjective you don't know what you're supposed to do to get a high rating. Another reason for leaving as soon as you can, whether thru retirement or resignation. The good ole boy (girl) system will prevail.
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33038
Don't worry, this is just one of the many times you are going to get screwed under this system. This system just plays on your vanity of thinking that you are better than every other employee you work with. Sooner or later you will just be one of the guys and you will suffer from the paltry pay raises they give out to the person just doing their jobs every day, the guys who keep things running.
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33036
Without union representation, you are just along for the ride.
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33034
The idea of a pay system based on performance is a good concept. However it appears that the system (NSPS) that the pentagon has in place is based on lies. When initial training for NSPS employees was conducted they were told that it would not effect thier cost of living for 2 years. Now were told it will effect us the first year. It's a real shame we can't trust the new system. Perhaps we as tax payers should do a pay for performance evaluation on the Pentagon
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33033
This whole NSPS pay system is going to go back to the Good-ole-Boys way of getting work done.
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33030
This unequiable distribution of the pay raises in the NSPS versus the old system sounds like the basis of a class action suit. In the 1980's, there was a similar abitrary decision on how Special Rates for Engineers were to be distributed. This led to a major settlement against DoD. Congress needs to step-in and stop the exodus of experienced personnel from DoD because of the effects of NSPS discouraging good employees instead of encouraging them.
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33027
More fear in the work force, more weasel behavior. Pay for performance, like communism, is a great concept that won't work among corruptable humans. NSPS can be gamed. A lot of time wasted on learning the new rules and how they can be manipulated. A lot of whispering in the work spaces and resumes being updated. Let the games begin!
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33018
This NSPS has always carried the stench of unfairness, but to repeatedly change the rules of the performance game to repeatedly shaft those who serve our country is not just unfair, it is low.
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33016
In 2009, the top and lower limits of the pay bands, according to this announcement, will not increase. I'm not quite sure if this means performance awards are going to be paid solely in terms of an annual bonus rather than a change to base pay. It certainly means folks will "cap out" much earlier in their careers if the band is not adjusted, particularly if this going to be policy going forward. So, it's beginning to look like the nay sayers about NSPS are about to be proven correct. I hope not. Thankfully I'm still under the old system.
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