Return to Article: Administration calls language gutting Pentagon pay system 'premature'
-
81859
In the words of Reagan, "Well, here we go again". I think it is time to hold their feet to the fire. I can't tell the Democrats from the Republicans. Their all in the same bed together.
-
81681
Dear Senator or Represenative,
I am writing to urge you to follow the example of the House of Representatives and support repeal of the statutory authority for the National Security Personnel System (NSPS) in the Senate version of the Defense Authorization Bill.
For almost six years, the Bush Administration has systematically eroded the civil service protections and collective bargaining rights of federal employees. This profound erosion of rights has occurred despite overwhelming evidence that government employees are not deterred from fulfilling their mission to protect and defend our country by their civil service protections, union membership or their collective bargaining rights.
There is no better example of the indefensible and misguided erosion of federal employee rights than the National Security Personnel System (NSPS). NSPS has been found by lawmakers and the courts alike to be inconsistent with the wishes and intent of Congress, the principles of fairness, transparency and accountability and the goal of attracting and retaining a professional federal workforce. In short, there is a growing consensus that NSPS undermines the vital mission of the Department of Defense thereby placing our national security and democracy at risk.
There was not nor is there any need now for the NSPS. Civilian defense employees have never let their rights at work interfere with the expeditious fulfillment of their mission.
I urge you to honor the work of civilian defense employees while insuring that we maintain a strong national defense by supporting the repeal of the statutory authority for the National Security Personnel System in the Senate version of the Defense Authorization Bill.
Sincerely, DOD
-
81377
I have been under NSPS for almost 2 years and in my area I can tell you it is a failure. The main one is lack of integrity in the chain of command. In over 20 years, every evaluation I have ever had were either outstanding or far exceeds standards. A year ago I used the chain of command to report use of government assets and personnel in a private business operation (making a profit of over $20,000). At the same time there were serious security violations that were covered up (actually "handled in house"). I deployed several times and received multiple letters of appreciation and commendation. I also saved between $10-12k in travel expenses during these deployments. For the first time in my career, I was rated as just meeting standards and given 1 share. Basically it was a pay cut for me while those who supported the private business operations were awarded 4's with 3+ shares.
I have now successfully escaped the bonds of NSPS and will be moving back to a GS position! If possible, I will be joining a union to fight NSPS ASAP.
-
81330
The Obama administration ran on the platform of government reform and accountability. As I see it, the Carol Shea-Porter amendment forces the SECDEF to be accountable for the future NSPS. This is squarely the SECDEF's responsibility. To my disbelief, I read today that the Obama Administration called the Shea-Porter amendment premature. Am I hearing right? What part of foot dragging on NSPS fits the model of Obama's pledge of accountability in government? Perhaps those were only election promises. This life-long Republican will not make the same mistake in November 2012. NSPS is a miserable failure and the Obama administration is following suit.
-
81318
Having worked for the VA and IRS I have to say NSPS is desperately needed there. Not a day goes by without another scandal at VA. And the IRS taxpayer assistance folks haven't completed 8th grade math. The taxpayers are fed up with incompetents making twice what they do. its past time for accountability to start with the fed workforce and end this job for life mentality
-
81304
Does anyomne else get the irony with Walt Haine's comments? I could point them out one by one but I won't waste my time. But I did note that he claims to have 34 years 'in government' And I'd bet my bottom dollar that he was one of those dime-a-dozen 'ers who retired from the military on the proverbial Friday afternoon to only be 'converted' into a cilian position on the following Monday morning into the very same desk and seat that he occupied while on active duty. ANd I'd bet tyhe he actaully knnow the people who handed the job to him. Like I said, these are literally a dime a dozen in DOD orgs.
-
81300
To Union Yes - Not! I beg to differ. We have people in the union under NSPS.
Using your subordinates "atta" girl or boy to get good ratings seems very misleading and unfair. I thought NSPS was supposed to be based on the individual's contribution. Silly me! But the amount of responses that articles like this generate is amazing. When I did my research project on NSPS for my college degree, even civilians had problems with it. It will be interesting to see if the 3-man board takes into consideration all the negative comments as other than sour grapes. I worked under a demo program. What a morale buster. No one would dare take a tally of the hours and hours used to go this far with NSPS or the amount of money dumped into this project. It was probalby enough to avoid the economic chaos we have now.
-
81299
As we are and will learn with the present administration, just because NSPS states accountability or its equivalent multiple times and provides symbols that ring, does not make it so. In the end, as usual, we will find that the devil is/was in the details. We are pumping out alotta crappy legislation like the Americian Car companies were pumping out crappy cars in the 60s and 70s. As a result, we will find that we went no-where fast (you may also add we sped to bankruptcy because we feared bankruptcy).
-
81297
Funny..I just finished a NSPS training session a few hours ago. During the session it was very easy to show the students that most of what they thought or had heard to the negative was a mis-conception or mis- understanding. There are problems with the new NSPS system that I think need attention. The town criers are screaming because...What gets watched gets done. I have been in government for 34 years and I see this as the first real move to hold employees accountable. We went to pass or fail about 8 years ago because the 1-5 system that could have worked with a few adjustments and proper attention was gutted by inflating the scores. I can't tell you how many times I have heard the GS story "Whatever my supervisor says goes". With NSPS you have the opportunity to give your assessment..never had that one! Then there are 7 or more other people involved to make sure you got a fair shake. Talk time consuming if you want. If you did what should have been done with the GS system the time consumption would be comparable. Why did I still teach a class that I took the news about the potential for NSPS to go away in 12 months. Because we still have NSPS and I will continue to try to make it work and identify areas of concern and look for a fix. Sit around and moan the blues while I try to do what it takes to be a 4.
-
81293
For all of you who which to make comments about NSPS to the Defense Business Board (DBB), who is conducting a review of the NSPS, you can do so through tomorrow, 26 June 2009. Email your comments to DBB at: defensebusiness board2@osd.mil. Again, comments may be emailed through 26 June 2009.
Trying to be Helpful
-
81283
During the campaign Obama said that NSPS had to be either totally overhauled or cancelled. Now he's waiting on a report from a committee headed up by the agency that wants the system, DoD, for a report on it. Do you really think they are going to recommend going back to the way it was??? The details in SRA's report show high negativity but the report summary paints a very rosy picture encouraging continuation. Give me a break!!! Basically Obama has proven to be a two-faced politician saying anything to get into office then once there has shown his "true colors." You can be assured I'll never vote Democrat again. I made the biggest mistake of my life voting the way I did last November. Hurry up 2012!!!!
-
81279
"The Pentagon in March stopped moving new job titles under the NSPS umbrella pending the results of the assessment, which is expected to wrap up in late August or early September. But the amendment would go a step further by blocking Defense from hiring people after June 16 for positions already classified as part of NSPS. This is of particular concern, the White House said, because it "will cause significant, undue disruption to organizations currently operating under NSPS."
Just a note that this conversion stop only applies to NSPS, Not DCIPS, which is still moving forward because it falls under a different "law" than NSPS.
-
81274
Someone should tell Secretary Gates that DoD positions are still being created, advertised and awarded as NSPS under his BUMED commands. No one here in Eastern NC has seen any directive to stop hiring NSPS positions. It is news to the HRO folks in Mayberry!
-
81270
I've been a fed for over 33 years with four federal departments. I served as a journeyman pipefitter in the shipyards for 12 years; as a Presidential Management Fellow with the NIH; and in several staff, management and executive positions with the Internal Revenue Service and the Dept of VA/Research. And I will state without reservation that since coming back to DOD/Navy, and first reading about and then witnessing the complete abomination that was and is NSPS (which was and is in fact a near literal cut and paste 'system' from its then twin ugly sister so-called p4p plan from DHS), and now foreseeing its pending demise and more than appropriate placement in the dustbin of history, I would like to propose the following:
The administration needs to complete the cleansing process by either demoting or forcing into retirement or simply terminating any and all of the DOD's so-called senior-level 'leaders' who acted as disgusting toadies for the failed Shrub administration's NSPS, an incompetent, chicken-hawk infested, crony capitalist reeking administration that arrogantly foisted this abonimation called NSPS onto the DOD workforce with not a care about the millions that went doen the drain and/or the easily foreseen negative impact both on the organization and the public it serves. These yes-men and yes-women toadies have showen themseves to be nothing more than opportunistic sycophants. They all ought to be ashamed of themselves and leave on their own, or if necessary be forced to leave (with their tails tucked firmly between their legs). What are your thoughts?
-
81261
"Premature". What are you blind. Look at all of the personnel that are leaving NSPS for the GS positions that are still out there. The NSPS system was pushed on the backs of the federal WORKERS and it has brought fear and disgust ever since. The NSPS system does not work. WHY - look at the mindset of some of our current management - which rewards cohorts, kiss-ups and lackeys (yes we still have those types of people in the government). Some personnel quickly learned to move from NSPS position to NSPS position just to get the increases. This leaves a very bad taste for all of us that actually looked forward to a career instead of a job. Not saying that it is the same in all organizations but what I'm hearing and seeing is exactly what I am stating here. This bill sponsored by Shea-Porter is the best thing to come out of the House for a couple of years and I for one am grateful for it. Please get rid of the NSPS system and just have personnel do the job they were intended to do under the General Service (GS)system. Tell you what - when you have a Civilian Personnel office that is knowledgeable, fully staffed and fully funded you will see how well the GS system can work.
-
81255
I think Representative Shea-Porter and Secretary Gates should look into what's going here in DFAS (Columbus and Indianapolis). Management has our accounting interns cutting out magazine pictures and pasting them into a collage that represents each intern's description of themselves -- during duty time no less! In another event of the same order of silliness, they make costumes out of newspapers -- during duty hours! Since DFAS is a working capital agency, I'll bet the military departments would be interested in what's going on and how their bill for services from DFAS is affected by this activity. I don't know about the rest of the readers of "Government Executive", but I don't see the connection between pre-school activity (or should I say shenanigans) and transforming government, particularly in a defense agency supporting an ongoing war! And performance? Well, they get paid, but the performance is questionable. I guess the coddling of Gen-X and Millenium-types goes on, with style! What in the world are we doing to ourselves?
-
81249
Seems to me this is a stall.
-
81226
Let me remind the author of this article that in one of your stories yesterday you reported that Mr. Berry, an Obama appointee who heads up OPM, stated: NSPS is not the solution. Sounds like a foregone conclusion, with a mask on it making it look legit.
-
81222
How much was spent to bring NSPS on-Line? It works fine, the GS step system is a relic and needs dismantling itself. Stop wasting the taxpayers money. If NSPS goes away reduce the steps to no more than 5 and Dont make them automatic. Also reduce sick leave allocated each pay period. 95% of employees never come close to using it. It's a waste.
-
81218
It seems Obama policy and Bush policy have a lot in common. I believe NSPS will be around for many years to come. Sorry DEMS.
-
81214
Old Rummy started two wars. He botched both. He then declared war on his employees with NSPS. Obama should stop listening to the DC gang. They have made a mess of everything From Iraq to Wall Street.
-
81211
I am happy to see the administration advocating a more balanced approach than the rush to judgment of Carol Shea-Porter.
Contrary to the claims of some, NSPS is not a universally hated system. In my command, the feelings are generally positive.
-
81201
What?!! EVERYTHING is seemingly on a FAST track that this President wants EXCEPT doing away with the time consuming NSPS debacle.
-
81198
Nothing wrong with making an "informed" decision.
-
81194
I am the only civilian working with all military at this location, (there are 9 independent locations within our district each one has 1 civilian and all the rest military, and each civilian has a military supervisor at their location) NSPS has been nothing but a huge NIGHTMARE. I was lead to believe that NSPS was a pay for performance program however the only individuals I can be compared with are active duty military that work 24/7. I know in the perfect world NSPS was not set up to compare you against others but against the work you did however, this is not a perfect world and I am compared against what active duty military are doing. I read a lot of articles and talked to people who were on NSPS before to being switched and by far the general conciseness was the first year it was good after that watch your back. I was converted to NSPS Feb 2008, the mock pay pool was a total disaster, NSPS system kept crashing in some cases a word document was used instead of the NSPS system. We though it would get better however it did NOT the mid-year and end-of-year were just as bad. Now I ask you is that really the kind of environment they were trying to provide the work force? We went from a system that needed some fixing (GS) to a disaster (NSPS). I will gladly return to the GS pay system!!!!!
-
81193
Again, the White House staff are missing a great opportunity to return to the sanity of the GS pay scale. PforP does not work in the govt - we are not for profit. QSIs and awards work to reward performance when used properly. The arbitrary pay caps for govt pay and award ceilings must be changed in order to attract/retain certain skilled workers. It's simple, really.
-
81188
Looks like the Obama crew has been influenced by the Gates Pentagon. Come on lawmakers pass it anyway, what is Obama going to do, veto the entire Defense Authorization Bill because of NSPS.....I think NOT. Remember, there is no line-item veto
-
81186
Alternately the administration could stick with NSPS and expand it to cover military pay. Watching the active duty military bring in their "big guns" to block this fiasco would do more to reveal how disasterous the NSPS system really is than anything that a federal employee could ever say.
-
81183
I guess Obama's letter to the Union penned during his campaign was just words on a paper. This letter purportedly stated that he was totally against NSPS and he would get it repealed if he became President. What a joke. He is now throwing the defense department employees under the bus. Quite frankly, I am surprised there is still room under that bus. Gotta fight with all the angry gay people that were already thrown under the bus earlier this month. Unreal. I wish I could change my vote.
-
81180
Why is it that the only people who GovExec.com interviews for NSPS articles are Union reps who have no members in NSPS? No union ever wants merit-based pay because the bulk of its membership thrive on getting by doing the bare minimum, never wanting to do more than have to in order to avoid being fired.
PROMO RIGHT: EVENTS
UPCOMING WEBINARS
NOVEMBER 18
Speed bumps for Teleworking: What are they and how to avoid them?
DECEMBER 3
Achieve Program Success: Unlock the Management Information in Your Data
DECEMBER 10
Practical Transparency: Applying Exchange Networks for Mission Results
PROMO RIGHT: DIRECTORIES
Post a Comment
To post a comment, you must provide a name and a valid e-mail address. Messages must be limited to 400 words. By using this Service you agree not to post material that is obscene, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable. Although Government Executive does not monitor comments posted to this site (and has no obligation to), it reserves the right to delete, edit, or move any material that it deems to be in violation of this rule.