As the government shutdown stretches into a fourth week with no end in sight, many federal employees have been forced to take second jobs to make ends meet. That includes Jack Criss, who now drives for DoorDash on top of his job as an air traffic control specialist at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
As essential employees, air traffic controllers are mandated to work their normal schedules without compensation during a government shutdown.
On Monday, Criss spoke to Chris Jansing about his decision to pick up extra work, explaining that as a single father, he felt he “didn’t have a choice.”
“I have to do what I have to do in order to provide for my child,” Criss said. “She looks up to me for a high-level responsibility, and I take that responsibility very, very seriously.”
During a news conference with House Republicans last week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged that many air traffic controllers were being forced to make “choices” amid the shutdown, but he expressed concern about them taking on second jobs, noting the demanding work air traffic control requires.
“Well, I don’t want my air traffic controllers to take a second job,” he said. “I want them to do one job. I don’t want them delivering for DoorDash, I don’t want them driving Uber. I want them coming to their facilities and controlling the airspace.”
Criss responded to Duffy’s comments, telling Jansing, “The FAA has always told us that family was first, so it’s kind of a contradiction to say not to do what you have to do to provide for your kid if we’re putting family first.”
As an air traffic controller, Criss told Jansing that “safety is paramount” and that he’s learned to “compartmentalize” the stress so it doesn’t affect him at work. “You have to take your stress and shove it to the corner,” he said.
“Can different people do that better than others? Sure. Will some people have slippage? Perhaps, but you’ll never hear me say, or anybody in this industry say, that safety is compromised. I will always stand on safety, and I will always promote a safety culture,” he said.
Criss said that the shutdown has had an effect on his personal life and told Jansing that his daughter could see the toll it was taking on him. “It’s apparent to her that I am under more duress. She’s already expressed to me that I’m being shorter with her and that my patience is thinner, but she also has a decent and a very warm heart, so she understands.”
