The TSA’s appearing administrator, Ha Nguyen McNeill, advised the House Committee on Homeland Security on Wednesday that her company has misplaced 480 safety officers since the shutdown started on Feb. 14.
She additionally emphasised the mounting monetary pressure that the TSA’s workforce has handled whereas working with out pay.
“Many in our workforce have missed bill payments, received eviction notices, had their cars repossessed and utilities shut off, lost their childcare, defaulted on loans, damaged their credit line and drained their retirement savings,” she stated.
According to McNeill, the TSA’s callout charge has elevated from its typical baseline stage of 4% to as excessive as 40% at some airports, with some staff not displaying up as a result of “they simply cannot afford to report to work.”
McNeill stated the excessive callout charges have resulted in the longest wait times in TSA historical past and will pressure some smaller airports to shut if the shutdown doesn’t finish quickly.
