TAMPA — U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was at Tampa Intentional Airport on Monday, where she gave $10,000 bonus checks to 25 Transportation Security Administration workers who were nominated for “exemplary service” during the government shutdown.
“They’re all being recognized for exemplary service during difficult times but also for every single day when they show up for their jobs,” Noem said. “I’m so proud of them, and I’m proud of everyone in leadership who inspired them to do their jobs and do them well.”
TSA workers say the 43-day shutdown — which lasted from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12 — was hard. They weren’t paid during the shutdown, although they are expected to receive back pay.
Some of them were in a place they’d never been in, going to Feeding Tampa Bay for food and getting help from TECO for electricity bills.
“The shutdown was difficult, being a supervisor, a leader, to find the balance between the hardship I have at home and at work on a daily basis,” said supervisory officer Walid Chaieb.
“Everyday during the government shutdown, I had to walk the floor to talk to my officers, to bring the morale up, to make sure they were OK,” he said.
Another TSA worker, Phelice Barker, said: “It was difficult. It was days you get up and you’re like, you know you’re not going to get paid. You just got to do what you got to do. A lot of us depend on each other, so if I don’t go to work it makes it harder for her.”
Some union leaders have criticized the bonuses, calling the nomination process questionable, with only a fraction of workers getting checks.
“I would say those individuals sound like the Grinch. They should be happy when other people get rewarded for doing good work,” Noem said.
She said it’s unclear how many workers in total will receive the bonuses. She said the nominations are still coming in and that back pay would be in their bank accounts by the next pay period.
