A federal judge in Washington, D.C. is continuing to consider a union request
to block parts of the Defense Department’s national security personnel system.
There is no deadline for a ruling, although there is an expectation of some
word from the court before March 1, the earliest date DoD could put certain
labor relations provisions into effect, unless blocked. The labor provisions,
should they be allowed to take effect, would be department-wide immediately;
however, the pay for performance and other elements of the system would be
phased in, starting with a group of about 11,000 no earlier than the end of
April. DoD is expected to soon issue new guidance on many elements of NSPS,
following an internal review brought on by criticisms from many quarters that
the system as earlier outlined was too complicated. Training on NSPS was
suspended pending that review.