Nearly 800 air traffic controllers and technicians will receive a $10,000 bonus for working through the 44-day government shutdown without taking time off.
The bonus comes on top of the back pay they are owed for their work during the shutdown.
“This award is an acknowledgment of their dedication and a heartfelt appreciation for going above and beyond in service to the nation,” Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said.
The department said employees eligible for the bonus will receive notice next week and should get their payments no later than Dec. 9.
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While Duffy praised the controllers who consistently reported for duty, he struck a different tone toward those who did not. At one point during the shutdown, he told Scripps News that employees who called in sick could face consequences.
"If they're sick, they're sick. I'm fine with that," Duffy said. "But if they're not showing up to work, and they're calling out for other reasons. And it's coordinated, and they collaborate on it, I don't want those people working in air traffic."
The Federal Aviation Administration has more than 14,000 air traffic controllers nationwide. With about 800 employees receiving bonuses, it appears most took some leave during the shutdown period.
Many employees spoke out during the shutdown, saying the lapse in pay strained their families and forced them to consider other jobs to make ends meet.
Staffing shortages contributed to nationwide flight delays and cancellations, eventually prompting the Department of Transportation to implement flight restrictions at 40 major U.S. airports.
