Homeland Security secretary promises $10,000 bonuses for select TSA agents who worked during the government shutdown-but there's a catch | Fortune

"Kristi Noem, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, on Thursday promised that TSA agents who continued to work through the shutdown and were unpaid for more than a month will receive a $10,000 bonus. Some TSA agents had not been showing up for work since they were unpaid due to the government shutdown. TSA agents, along with other federal workers who went unpaid during the government shutdown, are expected to receive their back pay on Nov. 19, according to an internal White House memo obtained by Semafor."

""[TSA agents] guaranteed that America wouldn't shut down-no matter how badly the Democrats wanted average Americans to feel the pain," Noem said in a statement. "Their unsung patriotism deserves recognition. President Trump and I are so grateful for these patriots.""

"The catch is, though, bonuses will only go to a select number of TSA agents who went "above and beyond," according to Noem's statement. The Transportation Security Administration employs about 65,000 workers, of which more than 50,000 are transportation security officers."

The longest government shutdown ended after causing chaos at airports, cancelled flights, and unpaid federal workers. Kristi Noem pledged $10,000 bonuses for TSA agents who continued working through the unpaid shutdown period. Some TSA officers had stopped showing up due to lack of pay. An internal White House memo states that back pay for unpaid federal workers, including TSA agents, is expected on Nov. 19. The bonus program will target a select group described as having gone "above and beyond," while the Department of Homeland Security indicated it would use FY2025 carryover funds to pay bonuses.

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