NSPS and Unions

Essay by swshraderjrUniversity, Master'sA+, May 2006

download word file, 2 pages 0.0

This paper serves to analyze the National Security Personnel System (NSPS) and how unions feel about the new system.

In order to fully evaluate the NSPS it is important to briefly describe it and compare it to the system that is currently in place. The NSPS was created from the National Defense Authorization Act in 2003 as a way to "establish a flexible and contemporary system, consistent with statutory merit principles and prohibitions against prohibited personnel practices for managing the Department of Defense human capital." (Federal Register, 2005) There are many that view the NSPS as a key pillar in the Department of Defenses transformation of its civilian workforce. In layman's terms, the NSPS will revolutionize the antiquated system in which the federal workforce is managed.

There are many who believe that the current system in which the federal workforce is managed should have been replaced years ago.

There is no uniform evaluation process for employees and the way pay raises are set up are perceived as unfair to higher performing employees. Under the current system, every year or every few years depending on the pay step the employee is in will automatically entitle him to an pay increase regardless of that employees performance. The NSPS gives the employer flexibility to set the employees say and give pay increases whenever they feel the employee is worthy of that increase.

The NSPS does much more than give the employers flexibility in setting pay. It is an all encompassing system that will affect things such as staffing, classification, labor relations, and many more. In effect the Department of Defense feels that by moving away from the current General Schedule system, it will become more competitive in setting salaries and it will be able to adjust salaries bases on various factors,