TSA Commuting Fairness Act: Study to Count Travel to Airport Parking as Work Hours

The "TSA Commuting Fairness Act" kicks off a study to see if the time Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees spend getting from airport parking lots or public transit stops to their actual work stations should count as paid, on-the-clock time. This isn't about the regular commute from home—it's specifically about that trek within the airport grounds. The TSA Administrator has 270 days from the Act's enactment to deliver the findings to the House Committee on Homeland Security and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Making Time Count?

The core of this bill is a feasibility study. It's all about figuring out whether it makes sense to count the time TSA workers spend moving between where they park (or hop off the bus) and where they actually start their security duties as part of their work hours. The study has to look at this travel time at small, medium, and large airports. The bill, in Section 2, explicitly requires consideration of "the time spent traveling between the regular duty location of a Transportation Security Administration employee at an airport and parking lots, and bus and transit stops, used by such employee at such airport."

Real-World Rollout

Imagine a TSA agent at a huge airport like JFK or LAX. They park, then have to take a shuttle or walk a long distance just to get to their checkpoint. This bill asks: should that time be considered part of their workday? The study will look at the average commute times (excluding the travel to the airport itself) and weigh the pros and cons of counting this internal airport travel as work time. For example, a TSA officer who parks in a remote lot and takes a 15-minute shuttle to their terminal might gain an extra 30 minutes of paid time per shift. The study will also explore using tech, like phone apps, to track when employees arrive at and leave these parking or transit areas. The study will also need to consider the feasibility of using technology, such as mobile phones, to track when employees get to and leave parking lots and transit stops. (SEC. 2 (4))

The Bottom Line

Ultimately, this is about data collection. The study is tasked with estimating the costs of treating this travel time as on-duty, including the downstream impact on retirement pay. It will also consider the potential benefits to both employees and the TSA itself. While it doesn't guarantee any changes, the results could provide insights into the daily realities of TSA workers and potentially lead to adjustments in how their time is compensated. This study could provide a clearer picture of the true time commitment involved in being a TSA employee, and could inform future policies.