Yosemite employees worked for weeks with no pay before the government hired them

Many seasonal employees at Yosemite National Park worked up to six weeks without pay due to federal budget cuts and mismanagement of hiring processes. They initially volunteered while awaiting federal payroll hiring but are now receiving hourly wages. Several workers expressed feelings of exploitation, driven by their passion for conservation. Seasonal workers fulfill necessary roles during the park's peak months, with over 100 typically hired annually. This situation was exacerbated by recent layoffs of full-time federal employees, leading to a further reduction in staffing levels.

Some seasonal employees at Yosemite National Park worked for as long as six weeks without pay this spring and summer as park supervisors scrambled to manage hiring amidst federal budget cuts.

Employees said they are now receiving hourly wages but have not been paid for the work they were asked to do as volunteers while they waited to be put on the federal payroll.

Yosemite depends on seasonal workers to perform a variety of jobs from May through October, when the park receives most of the more than 4 million visitors that typically enter the grounds.

Jesse Chakrin, the executive director of The Fund for People in Parks, stated that the National Park Service hires thousands of seasonal workers a year across America.

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