PHOENIX (AZFamily) — It’s day 30 of the government shutdown, and essential federal employees like air traffic controllers are feeling the financial strain.

Stress is part of the job for air traffic controllers, but when financial pressures are added, it becomes challenging to focus day after day with no end in sight.

“It does decrease the level of safety in the system because now you don’t know if the controller who’s talking to your airplane that day is thinking about how they’re going to be able to get dinner for their kids later that night because they don’t have any money in their bank account,” said Tim Kiefer , a retired air traffic controller.

Controllers struggle with basic expenses

Kiefer worked as an air traffic controller for more than two decades. He remembers going with

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