TSA Screeners Call Out Sick As Newark Airport Sees Delays

NEWARK, NJ — Being asked to work on Martin Luther King Jr. Day without pay may seem ironic. But this was the situation for TSA workers at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday in the midst of an ongoing government shutdown.

TSA screeners at Newark Airport are among at least 5,000 furloughed federal government employees in New Jersey who have been going without salaries for weeks as a result of the shutdown, which started with a bitter budget battle between Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

As social media stories of excruciatingly long wait times at Newark Airport mount, many travelers have also been reporting a conspicuous lack of TSA agents at security checkpoints over the past weeks.

While specific data for Newark Airport wasn’t available, a TSA spokesperson told Patch, the agency’s national stats from Martin Luther King Jr. Day showed that the national unscheduled absence rate, 7.5%, was more than double that of Monday, Jan. 22, 2018, at 3.3%.

“Many employees are reporting that they are not able to report to work due to financial limitations,” TSA officials said Tuesday, commenting on the national data.

Average wait times for passengers at Newark Airport on Monday were about 40 minutes as compared to the “normal” 30-minute mark, officials stated. However, some travelers also reported minimal to no delays with "smooth security lines."

TSA officials previously disputed that a massive “sick out” is taking place among security agents as a form of protest at U.S. airports during the shutdown, with one spokesperson challenging what he called "anecdotal" reports that paint an inaccurate picture of workers abandoning their posts.

"TSA data shows approximately a 1 percentage point uptick in call-out rates compared to this time last year," TSA spokesperson Michael Billelo wrote earlier this month as part of a long series of Twitter statements about the shutdown. "This statistic does not comport with the unofficial and anecdotal narrative others have been providing to media outlets."

• See related article: Long Wait At Newark Airport During Shutdown? Fake News, TSA Says

But for a symbolic glimpse into how the ongoing federal government shutdown is affecting airports around the nation – including Newark Airport – one needs to look no further than the agency’s website.

On Tuesday, the following message could be found on the TSA’s online media room: “Please note, due to the lapse in government funding, you may experience a delayed response.”

When Patch reached out to a TSA spokesperson in New Jersey to comment for this article, we received the following auto-reply:

“Due to the partial government shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security of which the Transportation Security Administration is a component, has not been funded. As non-security-sensitive employees, TSA spokespeople have been placed on furlough until further notice. Due to the lapse in federal funding, this email will not be monitored, and I will not be able to respond until after budget appropriations are enacted.”

Within half an hour we also received an email reply from a different TSA spokesperson, who referred us to a Jan. 22 news release with national statistics on airport wait times for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

“Unfortunately, due to security concerns, we don’t go any more granular than national numbers,” the spokesperson added when asked to comment on specific stats for Newark Airport.

• See related article: 4 NJ Democrat Leaders Blast Trump, Shutdown At Newark Airport

WHAT'S CAUSING THE SHUTDOWN, ANYWAY?

The shutdown was born from a bitter Democrat/Republican budget battle that escalated over the holiday season. President Trump is sticking with his demand for money to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and Democrats, who took control of the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 3, are refusing to give him what he wants.

• See related article: 5 Ways Government Shutdown Could Hurt New Jersey

The shutdown isn't just affecting government workers and their families, many of whom had to pinch pennies over the holiday season due to the lack of a paycheck. It's also throwing a monkey wrench into IRS refunds, SNAP and WIC benefits, school/daycare food programs and immigration courts.

• See related article: NJ Congresswoman-Elect Refuses Pay Until Government Shutdown Ends
• See related article: New Jersey Workers Pine For Paychecks Amid Government Shutdown

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page here. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com