.png)
Fiscal Year 2024 PFP/NPA— A Step Behind
By Ivan D. Butts
NAPS National President
Hello, my NAPS brothers and sisters. As we start this new year, we again are faced with a Pay-for-Performance (PFP) program that leaves us well into the fiscal year’s second quarter without knowing the goals, targets and indicators needed for us to achieve success in the FY24 National Performance Assessment (NPA).
As in years past, we at NAPS Headquarters again are frustrated at the USPS’ hurried process of attempting to lessen the delay in getting this vital information to you in the field. There are some realities that both the USPS and NAPS must acknowledge.
The PFP program is not designed to provide EAS employees with clear objectives before the start of the fiscal year. To recap, the resident officers began meeting with the USPS about FY24 PFP this past June. NAPS received the first documented proposal on Aug. 3, on depths of indicators.
The next document received, the scaling proposal, was on Oct. 24; six targets with a 25% weight factor still needed to be completed. The complete proposal and associated documents needed for NAPS Headquarters to do its due diligence in reviewing the FY24 PFP proposal were received on Dec. 26.
The first opportunity NAPS had to meet with the USPS regarding our questions and concerns for proposed FY24 NPA goals, targets and indicators was Jan. 9 (we now are in the fourth month of the fiscal year). We first asked when the field would get its first scorecards. The USPS responded it could take months to develop scorecards for the field.
This leads us to the points made during our fact-finding hearing concerning the 2016-2019 pay agreement. The USPS PFP program is too voluminous to be effectively administered.
The other issue and disservice with the PFP program is it has replaced a vital key employment benefit that virtually every other employee in the industrialized world enjoys—acknowledgment of service. The 5.2% pay raise authorized by President Biden for federal employees recognized their service. Employees in industries similar to the USPS recognize their employees with pay raises for their service, as well as bonuses for performance improvements.
Craft employees get step increases in recognition of their service. Postal executives give themselves retention bonuses in recognition of the value of their service. But the EAS employees who serve America day in and day out by ensuring the mail continues to move receive nothing in recognition of their service.
What we have is the PFP/NPA process. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy talked about goals before the congressional committee with supposed oversight over the USPS saying, “Our goals have been unattainable for years.” I am in 100% agreement with our PMG.
I have not been a fan of the PFP/NPA process since 2009 when USPS leadership at the highest levels stole PFP payouts from EAS employees. Subsequently, we have had years of no NPA payouts.
NPA payout has been better the past two years, but this affirms my belief and position that the system can be rigged for or against. What is needed is what every other employee in industry, other federal agencies and the USPS (other than EAS employees) receive—increases in pay in recognition of the service being rendered.
In solidarity…
Categories: The Postal Supervisor
