The government is days away from a Nov. 18 shutdown, which could force Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees and federal air traffic controllers to work without pay just as the busy Thanksgiving travel season begins.

  • Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    Why is it that people are forced to work without pay when it’s Congress that’s not able to do it’s job?

    Let them all stay home and absolute chaos erupt. Maybe then Congress will be able to come to some sort of compromise if they actually had consequences to face.

    • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      If they are forced to work then they must be paid, but payment is delayed until after the shutdown ends.

      They could stay home instead, in which case they’ll probably be fired and obviously won’t get back pay.

      As of 2019, furloughed employees (those not allowed to work during a shutdown, like park rangers) also must be paid after the shutdown, as if they had shown up to work.

    • Bakkoda
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      1 year ago

      If you don’t pay me why the fuck would I go to work? Is there a law preventing federal employees from basically furloughing themselves?

      • Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        Pretty sure air traffic control is required by law to show up for work during a federal shutdown even if they aren’t being paid.

        • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          “These folks are responsible for the very important and stressful job of making sure planes don’t crash into each other.”

          “Should we pay them?”

          “Nah.”

      • bdonvr@thelemmy.club
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        1 year ago

        iirc pretty much yes

        Non-essential offices and staff close, essential staff are forced to work unpaid

        Generally they will be paid back after the shutdown ends

        • mosiacmango@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          They have always been paid back, but they are not legally required to be paid back.

          They do it because if they didn’t, they would have mass quieting, i.e actual consequences. Refusing to backpay even once would end this shutdown game forever because 99% of “essential” workers would walk the fuck off immediately the next time.

          Congress fully understand what fuckery they are up to, and are 100% counting on people not calling them on their bullshit.

          • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            they are not legally required to be paid back.

            Employees who are forced to work have always been legally entitled to payment for their work after the shutdown ends.

            In past shutdowns, employees who were furloughed (forced to stay home) were not legally entitled to payment after the shutdown, but nevertheless were paid as if they had shown up. As of 2019, they are now legally entitled too.

      • Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        Yes, I know. That was auto correct being stupid not me. I never type ’ it always does it automatically even if it isn’t required sometimes.

          • Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca
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            1 year ago

            Why is it stupid when it corrects 99% of important shit correctly and doesn’t correct the 1% of mundane shit that only Grammer Nazis care about?

            • Chakravanti
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              1 year ago

              You’re wrong. It “corrects” already correct shit into shit shouldn’t and AIN’T.

              Also, stop saying Nazi anymore. They’re about to literally kill you doing that shit before too long. So get out of the habit now. Also, they can track you here.