TSA Absences Rise to New Peak Amid Shutdown

Source: The Wall Street Journal.

U.S.

TSA Absences Rise to New Peak Amid Shutdown

The agency has sent extra staff to airports in major cities; ‘We will not compromise security standards,’ spokesman says

By Alison Sider
Updated Jan. 20, 2019 3:22 p.m. ET

The Transportation Security Administration has sent extra staff to airports in major cities as it faces its highest level of absences since the partial government shutdown began last month. ... The agency’s unscheduled absence rate climbed to 8% Saturday, up from 3% a year earlier and 7% on Friday. Baltimore/Washington International Airport became the latest major airport to have staffing trouble. It is closing a checkpoint due to “excessive callouts” by TSA workers, the TSA said.

TSA employees, who are responsible for screening passengers and scanning bags, are among the 420,000 essential federal workers still working but not receiving paychecks while the government is shut down. TSA employees missed their first paycheck just over a week ago, and the agency has said workers are reporting that they are unable to continue coming in to work as financial pressures mount.

The TSA has sent extra staff to airports in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Miami and Atlanta, where the problem has been most acute, spokesman Michael Bilello said. But more checkpoint closures are likely as TSA strains to keep up—it has already tapped the established pool of workers who can be shifted around the country and has been adding more workers who can be sent as reinforcements. ... “TSA’s capability is still limited and will ultimately lead to increased lane closures in order to maintain security effectiveness. We will not compromise security standards,” Mr. Bilello said. ... Winter storms that dumped over a foot of snow in some parts of the country and iced over roads also contributed to staff not coming to work in some areas, Mr. Bilello said.

The move to close a checkpoint in Baltimore follows similar issues at airports in Miami, Houston and Atlanta in the past week as staffing issues have made it more difficult for airports to keep all their security checkpoints open.
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Write to Alison Sider at alison.sider@wsj.com

Read more: TSA Absences Rise to New Peak Amid Shutdown

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TSA employees missed their first paycheck just over a week ago, and the agency has said workers are reporting that they are unable to continue coming in to work as financial pressures mount.

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