Next NSPS Phase Could Start Soon

By: fedweek

The next phase of DoD’s national security personnel system could start as early as October and will run through the spring, with affected components moving employees into the system as they are ready, DoD officials say. The Pentagon has not yet specified which functions will be put under NSPS but likely will do so soon. As in the past, those coming under NSPS will be only employees who are not represented by unions (some employees who are in positions that are eligible for union representation, but where no bargaining unit exists, have been moved into NSPS). For those put in NSPS, the major immediate impact is a move to a pay banding system with pay for performance elements. Even though DoD has won an appeals court decision allowing it to carry out the labor relations, adverse action and appeals rights provisions of NSPS, it is not applying those provisions at least for the time being. Spending bills now pending in Congress would restrict or de-fund NSPS, and an appeal of the lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court appears likely.