Matt Shuham contributed reporting.
The Transportation Security Administration reported Sunday that many of its staff have been calling out of work because they can’t afford to get there.
According to a TSA press release, “many employees are reporting that they are not able to report to work due to financial limitations.”
“Airports may exercise contingency plans due to call-outs and traveler volume in order to maintain effective security standards,” the press release added.
TSA has been experiencing far higher unscheduled absences during the shutdown, with 8 percent of employees skipping work on Saturday compared to 3 percent a year ago.
That has forced screening area closures at some airports, including at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, where “Checkpoint A” was closed Saturday “due to excessive callouts.”
Still, TSA reports that, on Saturday, 99.9 percent of passengers waited less than 30 minutes and 93.8 percent waited less than 15 minutes.
[Pictured above: TAMPA, UNITED STATES – January 14: TSA workers pick up food and other items at the pop up pantry in the police training facility at the Tampa International Airport on Monday, January 14, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. The food pantry was organized by the airport and came together with Feeding Tampa Bay and United Way Suncoast providing resources for government employees including, TSA, CBP and FAA workers, who are required to work but aren’t getting paid during the government shutdown. (Photo by Eve Edelheit for The Washington Post via Getty Images)]
