National Security Personnel System

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The National Security Personnel System (NSPS) is a pay for performance pay system created in 2004-5 under authorization by Congress for the United States Department of Defense (DoD)^[1] and rushed into implementation in mid-2006. NSPS replaces the General Schedule (GS) grade and step system with a pay band system intended to provide more flexibility in establishing pay levels. NSPS has differing policies concerning tenure, hiring, reassignment, promotion, collective bargaining, pay, performance measurement and recognition, etc. It purportedly retains EEO and Veterans' Preference protections although the system is too new to tell whether or not this is true. There is a significant level of controversy as to whether or not the flexibility gained with the new system is at the expense of the Federal employees within DoD and whether or not the flexibility gained has come at a bureaucratic price requiring significantly more effort on the part of managers to document performance and manage compensation. Pay increases that were automatic under the GS system do not exist under NSPS.

1 Pay schedules
2 Controversy
3 Notes

[edit] Pay schedules

NSPS defines several pay schedules (PS) within four Career Groups (CG), all which break down pay into two or more pay bands (PB) ^[2] ^[3].

[edit] Standard CG

The Standard CG includes four PS:

Professional/Analyst (YA) This PS include positions in both professional and analytical occupations, to include attorneys. It consists of three PB.
Technician/Support (YB) This PS comprises technician and support work in the CG and includes 3 PB.
Supervisor/Manager (YC) This PS is for employees who supervise work in the Standard CG. There are three PB.
Student (YP) This program privdes for noncompetitive appointments of students to Federal positions.

[edit] Scientific and Engineering

The Scientific and Engineering CG covers professional, technician, and supervisory work in the enigneering and scientific disciplines. It includes three PS:

Professional (YD) Work classified in this schedule is limited to professional engineering and science disciplines. It has three PB.
Technician/Support (YE) This PS comprises specialized technicican work in support of professional engineering and scientific work. It has four PB.
Supervisor/Manager (YF) This PS is for employees who supervise work in the Scientific and Engineering CG. It has 3 PB.

[edit] Medical

The Medical CG consists of four PS:

Physician/Dentist (YG) This PS is limited to physicians and dentists based on distince compensation practices and career progression. It has just two PB.
Professional (YH). all other professionals in the medical field are covered by this PS. It has three PB.
Technician/Support (YI) This PS includes specialized technician and other medical and health support work. It has three PB.
Supervisor/Manager (YJ) Employees who supervise work in the Medical CG are classified in this PS. There are four PB. Only supervisory physicians and dentists are eligible for PB4.

[edit] Investigative and Protective Services

The Investigative and Protective Services CG has four PS:

Investigative (YK) This PS covers investigative and security work and consists of three PB.
Fire Protection (YL) This appllies to fire fighters, fire chiefs, and fire protection inspectors/specialists. It has 4 PB.
Police/Security Guard (YM) This PS has two PB and applies exclusively to two occupations: police officer and security guard.
Supervisor/Manager (YN) Employees who supervise work in the Investigative and Protective Services CG are classified in this PS. There are three PB.

[edit] Controversy

{more data for this section is needed, to include implementation, scope, pay banding, promotions and reassignments, hiring practices, training, union battles, successful and unsuccessful court cases, elimination of MSPB oversight, similarity to the DHS MaxHR system, etc. This data will not be found on any official Government website but rather in the news and blogs.}