- Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees are feeling the strain of a federal government shutdown that has reached its 34th day.
- A TSA worker from Kona, Hawaii, has begun living in his van six days per week because he can no longer afford to commute to and from his home, Hawaii News Now reports.
- Other TSA workers are reportedly receiving eviction notices, delaying doctor appointments, and living without prescriptions since the co-pays have become prohibitively expensive.
- Over 800,000 furloughed federal workers will miss their second consecutive paycheck if the shutdown continues into Friday.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees are feeling the strain of a federal government shutdown that has reached its 34th day.
A TSA worker from Kona, Hawaii, has begun living in his van six days per week because he can no longer afford to commute to and from his home, Hawaii News Now reports. The worker reportedly spends just one day per week at his home with his family.
According to the report, other TSA workers are receiving eviction notices, delaying doctor appointments, and living without prescriptions since the co-pays have become prohibitively expensive.
Some TSA workers at Hawaii airports have begun to resign from their positions, though the number of resignations is unclear, Hawaii News Now reports.
TSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the number of its workers who have resigned during the government shutdown.
“When you look at how much a screener is getting paid compared to other federal agencies, you can see why the screeners in particular are in the situation they’re in. They’re living paycheck-to-paycheck,” Joshua Christie, the American Federation of Government Employees’ chief union steward, told Hawaii News Now.
TSA employees have been required to work without pay during the federal government shutdown, which began on December 22. (They will be eligible to receive back pay once the shutdown ends.)
But since January 14, TSA has reported higher rates of unplanned absences among its employees than during the same period in 2018.
Some airports, like Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Miami International Airport, have had to close security linesbecause of worker shortages, leading to unusually long lines.
Over 800,000 furloughed federal workers will miss their second consecutive paycheck if the shutdown continues into Friday. During the shutdown, TSA has given workers a $500 bonus and maintained their transit and parking benefit.
Originally published on Business Insider.
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