Air Force makes progress with NSPS implementation

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  • By Air Force News
WASHINGTON --  WASHINGTON -- The Air Force has deployed more than 39,000 employees to the National Security Personnel System. When fully implemented, NSPS will cover more than 128,000 Air Force employees and affect civilian employees, civilian supervisors and military members who supervise civilian employees. The Air Force completed its first appraisal cycle under NSPS in October 2006. Pay pools were held for covered employees in December 2006 and first payouts were made in January
2007. 

"We are pleased with our progress and will continue to make adjustments where necessary," said Brig. Gen. K.C. McClain, director of force management policy. "We are already seeing a return on our investment with greater communication between employees and supervisors, people talking about results and mission
alignment and increased flexibility in rewarding performance." 

In January, McChord converted 200 nonbargaining general schedule employees from
the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings and tenant units to NSPS as part of the first spiral. In order to help those employees better prepare for their first appraisal review on Sept. 30, the 62nd AW recently hosted a mock pay pool, said civilian personnel officer Jim Dicus, 62nd Mission Support Squadron. 

"It gave everyone a chance to look at the system and see what they need to get better at," Mr. Dicus said. 

Some of those lessons learned included making sure employees keep a diary of their accomplishments and awards and supervisors clearly justify ratings with support documentation that are the results of each job objective, Mr. Dicus said. 

On May 18, the U.S. Court of Appeals decided American Federation of Government
Employees vs. Gates (formerly Rumsfeld), ruling in favor of Department of Defense. A summary of the findings are: The court rejected the unions' challenge on NSPS labor relations. The court found that the manner in which NSPS was designed and implemented provided appropriate due process and employee protections. 

Since DOD hasn't implemented the adverse actions and appeals portions of the NSPS regulations, the ruling permits DOD to do so, but leaves open the possibility that the unions can challenge portions of these regulations once applied to DOD employees. The court also noted that the extensive review process in the appeals regulations "easily qualifies as fair treatment."
 
The injunction remains in place until the court issues a mandate to implement the decision, normally done 45 days after decision rendered. The unions filed a petition for review from the full Court of Appeals July 2. The injunction will remain in place until further notice. Air Force officials currently are preparing for the next NSPS deployments. Spiral 2.1b is scheduled for and will allow "catch-up" for installation officials who have identified employees who need to be converted. Spiral 2.2e is scheduled for March 2008 and is scheduled to bring in Air National Guard employees. Future spirals will be identified as implementation plans firm. 

McChord is on hold for guidance on the remaining 800 civilians as part of the next cycle, Mr. Dicus said. 

"NSPS is critical to supporting the Air Force national security mission," said B. J. Barger, deputy director of force management policy. "The NSPS personnel management flexibilities are needed, given the Air Force's role in preparing for and responding to ever-changing national security threats." 

For more information on NSPS, visit the 62nd MSS Sharepoint page at https://62msg.
mcchord.af.mil/62MSS/cpf/default.aspx. 

(62nd Airlift Wing public affairs contributed to this article.)