Government shutdown takes toll on air traffic control personnel
The longer the shutdown goes, the higher anxiety and stress levels rise for workers supporting air traffic control.
Michele Sandiford
October 22, 2025 9:24 am
< a min read
- The current shutdown is taking a toll on technicians and others who work in air traffic control. In response to a recent union survey, 700 employees working in air traffic control jobs detailed stories of financial difficulties, like turning to local food banks, canceling medical treatments and seeking part-time jobs. The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, or “PASS,” says those hardships can carry over into the workday. The longer the shutdown goes, the more air traffic control employees feel their anxiety and stress levels rise. The union warns that can be a big distraction on the job.
- The Department of Homeland Security is charging that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a bias against people with certain political beliefs. DHS’s press office is publicizing an internal investigation that found instances of FEMA employees noting Trump signs and other political rhetoric while canvassing homes in recent years. The investigation comes as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has targeted FEMA for major changes. Some FEMA employees have said Noem’s changes are making the agency less effective. Noem has referred the investigation to the Justice Department and the Homeland Security inspector general.
- The Department of Homeland Security’s decision to reassign and fire some cybersecurity staff is drawing new scrutiny in Congress. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, House Democrat James Walkinshaw and other Dems are asking questions about personnel moves at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The letter says the moves may violate the Antideficiency Act. DHS has moved to lay off 176 staff at CISA since the shutdown started. CISA employees are also among those who have been reassigned to other parts of DHS in recent weeks.
- While still far from a spending agreement, some lawmakers are looking for alternatives to pay certain federal employees. A recent Republican-led bill aims to provide immediate and regular compensation to excepted employees who are continuing to work without pay. The Senate bill is expected to be considered later this week, but some Democrats have already indicated they would not support the legislation. They say it provides pay for only a portion of federal employees and excludes furloughed workers.
- Taxpayers face potential delays from the IRS as a government shutdown limits its operations. The agency says it’s closing its Taxpayer Assistance Centers that provide in-person tax help. They’ll reopen once the shutdown ends. The IRS says it will still process refunds for error-free electronically filed tax returns, but may see delays processing other filings. The agency says it will provide “limited” live phone support and most automated toll-free lines will remain operational.
- A Department of Government Efficiency representative says IT layoffs at the IRS are necessary for an agency reorganization. The IRS, after already losing about a quarter of its workforce so far this year, is one of the Trump administration’s biggest targets for recent reductions in force. Many RIF notices went out to IRS IT employees. Sam Corcos, Treasury’s chief information officer and DOGE representative, says RIFs are a “painful” but necessary tool to get the agency’s stalled IT modernization efforts back on track.
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