Many seasonal employees at national parks have not yet received some of the back pay owed to them after the recent government shutdown. These workers, including rangers and maintenance staff, handle tasks RVers and other visitors rely on. Those include keeping campgrounds open, clearing trails, and maintaining facilities.
Seasonal park workers in Northern and Central Rockies especially affected
Sources tell The New York Times that up to 100 seasonal park workers may be affected. They say the Interior Department is owing as much as $200,000. Some employees are still waiting for up to four weeks of pay, particularly at parks in the Northern and Central Rockies.
Seasonal staff typically begin work in the spring and summer, when parks are busiest. Many continue through the fall “shoulder season” to prepare for winter operations.
The law that reopened the government included a provision guaranteeing back pay for furloughed federal workers. Official guidance from the Office of Personnel Management states that such pay “must be provided at the earliest date possible after the lapse ends.”
“Future applicants” could be discouraged
Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado wrote to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, asking him to ensure the employees receive their back pay. In the letter, Bennet wrote, “Not only does withholding pay irreparably harm some of the N.P.S.’s most vulnerable staff at a time of immense difficulty and uncertainty, it discourages future applicants and further strains the N.P.S.’s ability to recruit the skilled, committed employees the agency and the American public depend on.”
Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association, said, “Working for national parks has always meant a secure, reliable paycheck. Our park rangers deserve better than this.”
Before Congress required retroactive pay, President Trump said it “depends on who you’re talking about.” He added that there were “some people that really don’t deserve to be taken care of, and we’ll take care of them in a different way.”
Interior Department officials will soon meet to review back pay for seasonal park workers. For RVers visiting national parks, seasonal staff play a key role in maintaining campgrounds, trails, and visitor facilities throughout the busy season.
Sources include The New York Times
RELATED
- National Park’s 2026 budget proposals generally not a plus for campers
- Legislation proposes new free admission day at National Parks
- National Park Service ranger training centers shut down without warning
- Visitors may not see the strain, but national parks are operating with thinner teams
RVT1237b
So, “up to” 100 not processed….total seasonal workforce around 7000. That means that 98.6% have received their back pay. Net, in just two weeks they have processed almost all the seasonals. 🤔
While everyone needs to get their back pay, this hardly seems like a crisis that will crumble our National Parks!
Here’s the alternate headline: “Vast Majority of NPS Seasonals Paid!!!” Oh, but that wouldn’t make people click. 🙄
No kidding…. almost 99% made whole within 2 weeks FLAT…. that seems like a pretty top notch effort and follow thru, IMO.
But those 99% were not the ones that continued to work. The ones that did work should be the ones paid first!
How about the $10k bonuses for the TSA workers that showed up for work during the D shutdown? Like those? Happy about the bonuses? Personally, I love them and am grateful this Thanksgiving for the extra commitment to the JOB by those TSA workers. CBP & ICE should be the same.
And just how do you know that? I say, BS!
Look who the authors are, as usual.
More “could”, “would”, “should” reporting.
I knew when I saw an intentional quote by The New York Times, it was headed south.
The real solution is to get rid of the dead wood career politicians that play this annual government funding game. Quit trying to put band aids on the problems they create.
…here we go again – the sky is falling again or yet, or more, but only in the western states! I can’t even comment on this – see my apology to Gail on an NPS article she wrote and included in this newsletter and previous to this one! Enuf!
Yep really used to enjoy this newsletter have been reading for years but slowly moving away due to articles like this
I can appreciate your sentiment Kev, however, I would hope you wouldn’t end reading or whatever to this newsletter. It is an overall benefit for Rver’s – just skip over the writer(s) who have a history of histerics. Like a Tv show, you don’t have to watch it! Safe travels and take care and look forward to spring! Winter too, shall pass! HA.
I agree 100%. The slant on stories like this are terrible and usually end up being proving wrong, yet you never see a retraction or clarification. TDS is strong in these articles!!!
Someone please correct me if I am reading this wrong:
If I signed up to host a campsite in Death Valley but because Death Valley campgrounds were closed due to the government shutdown, unlike those that actually worked, Bennet demands I get back pay for doing absolutely nothing other than living rent free in an empty campground? For hours I *might* have worked?
Is that what he’s pushing?