TSA employees at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are facing a frustrating setback after being told they cannot keep a major donation from Tyler Perry.
Sources close to the situation say workers were instructed to return gift cards that were handed out by Perry’s team to help them get through the ongoing government shutdown. The billionaire filmmaker originally went to the airport himself with cash, hoping to provide some relief for staffers who had been working without a paycheck for six weeks. He was quickly turned away, however, because “federal rules prohibit TSA employees from accepting direct cash gifts.”
Not wanting to give up, Perry’s representatives spent time talking with airport management, HR, and legal teams to find a legitimate way to help. After those meetings, the team came back and gave out gift cards worth $1,000 each to the struggling workers.
While the move was a “huge morale booster at the airport,” the joy didn’t last long. Over the weekend, the airport’s federal security director flagged the distribution, and workers were told they would be “forced to hand back any gift cards they received from Perry.”
This has put many employees in a terrible spot. Since the cards were given out days ago, some people have already spent the money on necessities like rent and groceries. Sources mentioned that “portions of the funds may have already been used,” making it unclear how the government expects that money to be returned.
For now, these federal employees are stuck in the same position, showing up to one of the world’s busiest airports every day without pay, while red tape prevents them from accepting help from the community.
