"Numerous employees have reported to me that their bank accounts are at zero or negative," a Dallas-based TSA agent tells USA Today
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NEED TO KNOW
- TSA employees are facing severe financial hardships, with some reportedly sleeping in their cars, as the ongoing partial government shutdown has them working without pay
- Over 300 TSA employees have left the agency since the shutdown began, according to CBS News, with some call-out rates reaching double digit percentages
- Staffing shortages and absences are causing long delays at airports during the busy spring break travel season
Some TSA workers have reportedly resorted to sleeping in their cars to reduce spending amid the ongoing partial government shutdown.
In mid-February, Congress failed to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), sending the federal government into a partial shutdown. As a result as many as 50,000 TSA workers across the country are currently working without pay
Federal workers impacted by the shutdown received a partial paycheck on Feb. 28 and miss their first full paycheck around March 13.
The lapse in funding has caused a concerning rise in staffing shortages and absences as the busy spring break travel season begins. In recent days, travelers across the country have experienced hours-long delays and lines going out the door at some airports.
While the shutdown is certainly affecting travelers, the impact is dire for TSA workers.
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“Numerous employees have reported to me that their bank accounts are at zero or negative,” Johnny Jones, a Dallas-based TSA worker and secretary-treasurer of AFGE TSA Council 100, tells USA Today. "No funds for daycare, no funds for food. They just want to know why the hell they can’t get paid when we have money to shoot missiles into other countries."
“There is a significant part of the workforce that is working other duties outside of their duties at TSA," he adds. "I hope they’re not panhandling at the airport. There are people who are staying at the airport, not leaving, they’re sleeping in their car to conserve gas, consolidating their work life."
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A March 11 report from CBS News claims more than 300 TSA employees have left the agency since the start of the shutdown. The statistics obtained by the outlet also indicate officer call-out rates have reached double-digit percentages at some airports.
A few facilities have experienced significant staffing shortages, including Houston’s Hobby Airport, where 53% of workers called out on March 8. The following day, 47% called out. Meanwhile New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport has averaged a 21% absences rate during the shutdown, the highest among major facilities across the country.
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In an effort to support unpaid federal workers, some airports have started initiatives to bring in additional support. The Denver International Airport is asking the public to donate $10 or $20 grocery store or gas gift cards. Similarly, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington state has established its own food pantry.
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