Air traffic controllers take 'trauma leave' after close calls, communication failures in Newark Airport

Some air traffic controllers are on a 45-day "trauma leave" as Newark Liberty International Airport experiences ongoing staffing shortages amid the fallout from communication outages. Under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA), air traffic controllers are entitled to a 45-day Continuation of Pay (COP), or "trauma leave," for mental health conditions, like stress, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), from an identifiable work-related incident. "Frequent equipment and telecommunications outages can be stressful for controllers," the FAA said in a statement Monday. "Some controllers at the Philadelphia TRACON who work Newark arrivals and departures have taken time off to recover from...