Re: NSPS Pay Raise

Just received NSPS appraisal, first one since we converted. Received a very good rating (4) but unhappy with the distribution of the shares. A majority of the shares I received is designated as bonus, not towards my annual salary. Due to this divison, I will make less than my GS equivalent. I was told I could only appeal my rating, but NOT the distribution of the shares. Not unhappy with my rating, just the distribution of the money. Your Supervisor and Pay Pool Managers sign non disclosure statments as well, so you CANNOT have them explain their thought process nor can you find out/see what they actually wrote for your appraisal. Also told their is no written instruction or guidance for pay pool managers to follow as far as how they distribute the shares. As a general rule they try to follow what the supervisor/rater recommends. Again, you will never know what they recommended. Congress just changed pay policy as of 3 Jan 2008 for NSPS, 1.5% raise 1%tied to performance 1%loca

Re: Pay Scale

I won't speak for OPM. FedSmith has a very small staff of part-time volunteers who work to provide a free service for the federal community. Most of our readers fall under the GS system so our efforts went into helping the majority of our readers understand this complex system.

Re: Pay Scale

I was unaware that the staff is composed of volunteers. Please pass on a big THANK YOU to everyone. FedSmith is a very valuable service and is certainly appreciated.

Re: Pay Scale

I want to second the BIG THANK YOU to the part time volunteer staff. I know from personal experience that a whole generation of non-volunteerism has been created and charitable organizations have received increased donations but no volunteers to help deliver the services.

Re: And then there is NSPS - MORE CONFUSION

The NSPS system is really not that confusing, and you can get a bigger pay raise than you could under the GS system. For the record, the pay pool from which the NSPS raises and bonuses are paid includes more than just the pay raise money. It also includes the money normally spent on awards and step increases. Therefore, you could get a bigger raise than GS and still get a bonus. And even if the raise is a little less, it's not the end of the world and is still more than a lot of people in the private sector are getting.

Re: And then there is NSPS - MORE CONFUSION

And, that's the reason I'm leaving. With almost 33 years, I turned 55 last week, and we go under NSPS 3 Feb, I've decided to retire. I love the work I do, but I'd love it more knowing that I could be guaranteed a COLA that would keep pace with the economy (don't laugh). I've no doubt that I would get a big bonus each year (money available), but that doesn't do me any good when I'm sitting around in my rocking chair. PEOPLE, NSPS isn't confusing, it's a rip off. Leave DOD now.

Re: And then there is NSPS - MORE CONFUSION

According to the way I I was briefed and what I read from our pay pool business rules, if I get graded a 3, I get about what I would have received under the old system with a full COLA. If I receive a 4 (which I did), I beat what I would get under the old system. Why is that confusing or bad? I think most of the unhappiness is fear of the unknown. Maybe our command explained NSPS better than some other places, (some nay-sayers would suggest they lied better) but I couldn't be happier with the opportunity to compete for higher compensation than everyone else. I don't like sitting next to some Bozo who is retired on the job, yet gets the same increase I do because the system is not set up to penalize him for poor performance. We have just completed our first pay pool under NSPS and I was treated more than fair. I will admit that there is unfairness in the system for those who either have poor writing skills or your boss doesn't do his or her job writing up their review.

Re: And then there is NSPS - MORE CONFUSION

"FEDUP USMC" underscores one of the sucesses of NSPS. Attention: If you're a current GS employee suffering from an overwhelming sense of entitlement, please follow FEDUP out the door and out of MY Federal Government.

Re: And then there is NSPS - MORE CONFUSION

Has anyone addressed the impact on retirement calculations between two people who are at the top of the GS grade (GS15) and top step (step 10) and one of these becomes an NSPS employee. The first year if both retired and they both had the same number of years, GS grade and step they would receive the same retirement pay. However, the longer the NSPS employee in in this new system tey will fall behind the GS employee in retirement benefits. The reason is that the cost of living increase is not fully given to the NSPS employee in his base salary - retirement is figured on your base salary. Please someone explain this to me and let me know why this is fair and equitable.

Re: Special pay tables for IT personnel

I think we can assume from comments on this site that all federal employees are underpaid, overworked and abused by the system in some way. I guess we all work in a sweatshop and are much more worthy than our employer recognizes. I guess we should all quit and go work for the better opportunities in the private sector where the benefits are better, the pay is more, the abuses do not exist and no one works under a pay for performance system.

Why is everyone waiting around to quit?

Re: Special pay tables for IT personnel

Since "manager" in D0D uses such flawless logic to argue that no one has any right to complain since they all have great jobs, let's use his/her own logic on him/her. Manager should NOT compain at all if his/her boss beats him/her with a knotted rope. After all, he/she has a GREAT job and is getting paid so much - therefore has no right to complain about anything at all

Re: Special pay tables for IT personnel

When I fell under the IT special pay a while ago, it was trumped by locality pay. My locality pay, the Boston area, was more than the special IT pay, so I got the Boston rate.

I think they should have had a Boston IT rate. I still make less than I used to while in the private sector in 2000!

But, I only work 40 hours, no pager duty, etc. Plus the FERS pension. With the pension you defer what you could be making and collect it when you retire.

Re: Special pay tables for IT personnel

Analyst's post doesn't make any sense at all. I'm not sure what the relationship is between pay raises and being beaten with a rope. I don't know what he or she is analyzing, but with flawed logic like that, I hope I never have to use it!

Re: Special pay tables for IT personnel

Since the dot.com bust, there has not been a need to provide extra pay for retention of IT workers. More IT workers are trying to get into government employment than are trying to get out.

Re: Special pay tables for IT personnel

Yet they still pay extra to the ITs.

Re: At the risk of being in the minority...

I fully agree with you Average Worker...

Rather than people griping about their pay, let's celebrate what we do have as Federal employees...a secure work environment. Be grateful for any raise you get, others get none.

For those who want to complain, why are you still here if the grass is greener on the other side???

Re: At the risk of being in the minority...

"Be grateful for any raise"--and anything else, including your job.

Don't forget that 1 of the tenets of NSPS is to create a "more agile, flexible workforce" that can be deployed wherever and whenever needed. If I had wanted to do that, I'd have put on a uniform.

It's obvious that both of you don't have a lot of federal service time. Any fed w/length of service realizes the dangers NSPS augurs. It's not about "pay for performance," but robbing the federal workplace and getting away w/it. It's also putting far too much power into first-level supvrs who may not have the skills to wield it fairly or properly.

Not for nothing have federal unions been seeing surges in membership.

Re: At the risk of being in the minority...

Like the NIH worker, I have private sector experience, but I also have nearly 27 years of federal government experience, and I still agree 100% with his comments. Besides, NIH worker wasn't even talking about NSPS.

I pray to God that the general public never finds this website and reads the comments in it that reveal what a bunch of spoiled, ungrateful whiners so many federal workers apparently are. Most of the private sector workers I know would be delighted to have a job like mine, with or without the across-the-board raises that most of us seem to think we're entitled to. If NSPS drives the crybabies and malcontents into retirement, it will have done the country a great service and achieved its goal.

Re: At the risk of being in the minority...

You're right. I was never guaranteed a raise in the private sector; however, I received one every year except one. The raise was generally in the 4-5% range. I think that's reasonable for people with advanced degrees.

Even the restaurant jobs that I did through college came with raises.

Re: At the risk of being in the minority...

To Fed DoD...you are the mistaken one. I have 32 years of Federal service and I am grateful for what I have. Neither NIH or I ever mentioned NSPS.

If you have issues with NSPS, you should write your congressman or senator instead of whining on this board.

One other opinion about NSPS, I find it interesting that everyone that has a problem with it makes it sound like their supervisors can't be trusted. While this may be true in some situations, I'm sure some supervisors are looking at their employees and saying they'll whine and complain about anything. NSPS was not put in place to screw all employees...I don't necessarily agree with it or have an opinion about it, except to say that sometimes what people see in the mirror when they look is not what others see...think about that.

Re: At the risk of being in the minority...

I have 22 years with FERS and I can assure you that before I came into federal service, I had multiple jobs dry up under me thru no fault of my own. I work with plenty of engineers in the private sector who would kill to have my 40-hour a week job with benefits, time off, and job security. I was a GS-12 step 10 before I went under NSPS. If I perform, I can beat the COLA's I was restricted to under the GS system. If I don't perform, I get less. I wonder how many folks who have expressed a dislike for NSPS either aren't top perfromers or don't like change at all? I will compete on my merits any time. This year, I was awarded shares that equal almost 6% of my current salary for 2008 to help my High-3, with a nice 1% bonus to boot! I couldn't have done that under the old system. The last year under GS, I got close to 3% as a bonus & the full COLA. As long as they pay me and keep me employed, I couldn't be happier, whether its NSPS or GS.

Re: NSPS better---someone swallowed the Kool-Aid

I find this interesting- anyone who has a problem with NSPS is attacked by most. Believe me, the main reason for NSPS is to save the government $. If you do not know that, you have been drinking the kool-aid. The main problem I see with NSPS is the lack of supervisor interest in getting it done right. To ensure I and my fellow employees received a good write-up, I wrote "suggestions" for the supervisors input for the appraisal. This is the problem- my supervisor is leaving soon so does not have the time or inclination to "mess" with the new system. I am sure that I will receive a fair apparisal- because I wrote it. But, I do feel sorry for those who do not have that option- and I may not have with the next supervisor. Most military members who are supervisors of civilian employees have no idea how important the appraisal is under NSPS. Go ahead, take your best shot at this post- but know that what I say is true.