The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has officially implemented its new Transportation Security Compensation Plan, previously referred to as pay equity for all TSA employees. This plan honors the commitment by Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Alejandro N. Mayorkas to invest in TSA’s workforce through a modernized pay structure comparable with their colleagues on the federal government’s General Schedule (GS) pay scale, regular step increases and a clear progression for pay mobility and growth. Since the inception of TSA, the workforce that secures the nation’s transportation systems has been paid at a lower rate than the rest of the federal government.
On July 27, DHS Secretary Mayorkas and TSA Administrator David Pekoske joined Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security Bennie Thompson (D-MS), American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) President Everett Kelley, AFGE TSA Council 100 President Hydrick Thomas and TSA employees at Ronald Reagan National Airport for a press event announcing TSA’s new compensation plan, which went into effect earlier this month.
“Ensuring that every TSA employee is paid fairly, at the same levels as our federal counterparts, has been my top priority,” said TSA Administrator Pekoske. “TSA’s new compensation plan ensures this, and I want to be clear that we are not going back to the old pay system. Our ability to recruit and retain a vigilant, professional and engaged workforce has been significantly improved by the promise of equal pay, which is now a reality. I am grateful for President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas, Congress and AFGE President Kelley for supporting this effort so that we can continue to meet our mission.”
“Fighting for fair pay for the TSA workforce has been one of my highest priorities and I am proud that we have accomplished this critical goal,” said Secretary Mayorkas. “Pay equity is an important milestone but it is not a capstone, and I look forward to continuing to support the entire DHS workforce alongside our partners in Congress and across the Administration.”
Since the announcement of the new compensation plan back in December, TSA has witnessed a marked decrease in employee attrition levels, a subsequent rise in retention rates and increased applicant interest across various TSA job categories.
- TSA’s new compensation plan covers all TSA non-executive employees from Transportation Security Officers (TSOs), vetting and intelligence analysts, inspectors, cybersecurity experts, Federal Air Marshals and canine handlers to management and administrative professionals.
- TSA’s attrition rate has dropped 61% since October 2022. Attrition rates in FY19 and FY22 were 18% and 19.1%, respectively.
- 96% of the new compensation plan funding went to individuals who serve on the TSA frontlines, which includes TSOs, canine handlers, Transportation Security Inspectors and Federal Air Marshals.
In December 2022, Congress approved and President Biden signed the fiscal year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Act, which included funding that ensures TSA employees are paid at the same levels as their federal counterparts. On July 2, 2023, TSA officially transitioned to TSA’s Transportation Security Compensation Plan. No employee salary was reduced as a result of the compensation plan.
