Bill orders study on paying TSA officers for airport travel time

What does this do?

The TSA Commuting Fairness Act requires the TSA head to study, within 270 days, whether time employees spend traveling from airport parking lots, bus stops, or transit stops to their work post should count as paid on-duty time instead of unpaid commuting. The study must examine travel times at small, medium, and large airports, compare this to regular commute time, assess benefits to employees and TSA, consider using technology like cell phone tracking to verify arrival and departure, and estimate government costs, including retirement benefit effects. No pay or work rules change immediately.

Who does it affect?

TSA employees who work at airports, and the TSA agency, which must conduct the study and report findings to Congress.

Why does it matter?

The findings could shape a future decision on whether to reclassify this travel time as paid work, affecting TSA labor costs and employee compensation.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• Study estimates cost to government
• Includes retirement benefit effects