High turnover seen among airport screeners

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- The turnover rate of U.S. airport security screeners is 2 1/2 times that of other federal workers despite a heavily financed incentive program, USA Today said.

The average turnover rate in the federal government was 8 percent in 2006-07, government records show, and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration tried to counter a 20 percent attrition rate with a $100 million incentive program.

But despite a congressional finding in 2000 citing "rapid turnover" as a security concern, the TSA struggles to keep workers in its ranks, the newspaper said Monday.

Ellen Howe, a spokeswoman for TSA, called the turnover rate "manageable" and points to the 180 hours of training as an answer to security concerns.

The TSA recognized the turnover problem in April 2006 with the incentive program but TSA Deputy Administrator Gale Rossides said most people find the job doesn't meet their expectations and quit.

The TSA also tried to bring on more part-time baggage screeners and those workers make up 25 percent of the program's 46,000 employees, USA Today said.