FAA Confirms Only 776 Employees Will Receive Trump's $10,000 Shutdown Bonus; Unions Say Thousands Were Left Out
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that 776 air traffic controllers and technicians will receive $10,000 bonuses for maintaining perfect attendance through the 43-day government shutdown.
FAA confirms 776 workers will receive Trump’s $10,000 bonus, as aviation unions say thousands who worked unpaid during the shutdown were excluded.
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The bonuses must be issued by Dec. 9, according to an FAA announcement. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the employees “never missed a beat” and continued safeguarding the flying public during the shutdown.
The National Air Traffic Controller Association (NATCA), which represents more than 20,000 aviation workers, reported that it was notified that 311 of its members will be included in the bonus group. NATCA stated that thousands of controllers who reported for duty without pay throughout the shutdown were not included in the recognition.
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) union said 423 of its members in the FAA’s technical operations division, along with an unspecified number in flight program operations, were selected for the bonus. PASS noted that more than 6,000 of its represented workers performed their duties without pay during the shutdown.
NATCA previously said that nearly 11,000 fully certified controllers worked up to 10-hour shifts, six days per week, during the shutdown. FAA estimates from late October placed the number of unpaid controllers at 13,000.
Many workers took sick days to secure temporary employment to cover essential expenses, which contributed to staffing strain. FAA data showed that shortages led to reduced flights at 40 major travel hubs nationwide.
Duffy acknowledged the financial pressure on federal workers and stated he did not intend to penalize controllers who missed work. He said on CBS’s Face the Nation that workers needed support and a paycheck, not disciplinary action.
The FAA did not immediately respond to Fortune’s request for comment. President Donald Trump first proposed the $10,000 bonus earlier in the month on Truth Social, where he also criticized air traffic controllers who missed work and urged them to return to their posts.
NATCA said it cooperated with Duffy during the shutdown to address its effects on workers and expressed interest in further discussions to extend recognition to employees not included in the current bonus list. PASS stated it is reviewing the FAA’s information and evaluating how to ensure all employees who worked through the shutdown receive acknowledgment.
