TSA Chief Says Screeners Need Whistleblower Protection, Denies Tipping Screeners about Testing

By Aaron Poehler

Published on November 15, 2007

While Hawley refrained from specifying precisely what steps he will take to ensure screeners are covered by the federal Whistleblower Protection Act in the future, U.S. Rep. William Pascrell (D-8th Dist.) indicated that Hawley intends to have screener protection in place by year's end.

While most federal workers are currently protected against retaliation under the Act, post-9/11 policy currently offers airport screeners only limited whistleblower protection. As a result, several TSA employees have recently claimed that they have suffered retaliation from TSA officials after reporting legitimate problems within the agency.

Hawley went on to deny that TSA officials had intentionally tipped off baggage screeners about pending covert testing. Though Hawley admitted an April 2006 email was sent to hundreds of TSA officials warning them of planned security testing, he asserted that the email was sent without authorization by a TSA employee who intended to warn the email's recipients of unauthorized individuals possibly posing as security testers or transportation officials.

Hawley declined to name the employee who sent the email.

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