Government looking for screeners to work busiest U.S. airports

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Some of the nation&#39;s busiest airports are in line to get federal security screeners to replace the private employees now checking passengers and carry-on baggage for weapons and bombs. <br> <br> The 30 airports starting to hire federal security screeners include Atlanta, Chicago O&#39;Hare and New York Kennedy. The Transportation Security Administration faces a Nov. 19 deadline for hiring more than 30,000 employees to staff airport checkpoints. <br> <br> The other airports are: Athens, Ga.; Baltimore; Bedford, Mass.; Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago Midway; Chicopee, Mass.; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Hartford, Conn.; Kalamazoo, Mich.; Muskegon, Mich.; Newark, N.J.; New London, Conn.; Newport News, Va.; New York LaGuardia; Norfolk, Va.; Orlando, Fla.; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Raleigh, N.C.; Spokane, Wash.; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Tampa, Fla.; and Worcester, Mass. <br> <br> Earlier this week, agency officials said they planned to redesign the checkpoints at 113 airports this summer and begin hiring federal workers to staff them. <br> <br> Screeners are paid between $23,600 and $35,400. Interested applicants can apply through the agency&#39;s Web site or by calling toll-free 1-877-631-JOBS (5627).