Narrative:

I came in for a late night shift at atlanta ARTCC; area 7. One other fpl was scheduled to work with me; that person did not come to work. The fpl scheduled to work was held over on overtime making it a 12 hour shift. The supervisor did not attempt to call in an overtime for the mid-shift. The supervisor called an fpl to ask (not order) them to come in early for their shift; they stated they would 'try;' no guarantees. The supervisor told me that I could go to the restroom before XA00 am and after XC00 am; other than that; I was by myself! I was alone in the area from XA00 am till XB00 am; and was the only one in the entire building certified on the airspace for area 7; atlanta ARTCC. I worked 2 radar scopes; total of 6 sectors; alone. There was no one else in the building certified on that airspace. The supervisor who had the 'front desk' did come to check on me a few times; most likely out of guilt; since I'm sure he knew what was going on was unsafe. The situation I've just described is not supposed to happen. The FAA said that it wouldn't happen; especially after the lex crash. To my knowledge; this is the 3RD such occurrence at atlanta ARTCC. I am sure there are other times that it has happened; it is just that I have first hand knowledge of 3 instances. We are being forced to work unsafe sits. We are short-handed in terms of staffing. The FAA refuses to acknowledge this fact. Also; don't forget about the fpl who was held over for a 12 hour shift. There is no accountability in the FAA when sits like this occur. They just sweep it under the rug. If however; there would have been an emergency or catastrophe; then it would be looked into thoroughly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZTL CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING SHORT STAFFING ON MID SHIFT WITH NO APPARENT STEPS TO CALL IN OVERTIME.

Narrative: I CAME IN FOR A LATE NIGHT SHIFT AT ATLANTA ARTCC; AREA 7. ONE OTHER FPL WAS SCHEDULED TO WORK WITH ME; THAT PERSON DID NOT COME TO WORK. THE FPL SCHEDULED TO WORK WAS HELD OVER ON OVERTIME MAKING IT A 12 HR SHIFT. THE SUPVR DID NOT ATTEMPT TO CALL IN AN OVERTIME FOR THE MID-SHIFT. THE SUPVR CALLED AN FPL TO ASK (NOT ORDER) THEM TO COME IN EARLY FOR THEIR SHIFT; THEY STATED THEY WOULD 'TRY;' NO GUARANTEES. THE SUPVR TOLD ME THAT I COULD GO TO THE RESTROOM BEFORE XA00 AM AND AFTER XC00 AM; OTHER THAN THAT; I WAS BY MYSELF! I WAS ALONE IN THE AREA FROM XA00 AM TILL XB00 AM; AND WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE ENTIRE BUILDING CERTIFIED ON THE AIRSPACE FOR AREA 7; ATLANTA ARTCC. I WORKED 2 RADAR SCOPES; TOTAL OF 6 SECTORS; ALONE. THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE IN THE BUILDING CERTIFIED ON THAT AIRSPACE. THE SUPVR WHO HAD THE 'FRONT DESK' DID COME TO CHK ON ME A FEW TIMES; MOST LIKELY OUT OF GUILT; SINCE I'M SURE HE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON WAS UNSAFE. THE SITUATION I'VE JUST DESCRIBED IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN. THE FAA SAID THAT IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN; ESPECIALLY AFTER THE LEX CRASH. TO MY KNOWLEDGE; THIS IS THE 3RD SUCH OCCURRENCE AT ATLANTA ARTCC. I AM SURE THERE ARE OTHER TIMES THAT IT HAS HAPPENED; IT IS JUST THAT I HAVE FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF 3 INSTANCES. WE ARE BEING FORCED TO WORK UNSAFE SITS. WE ARE SHORT-HANDED IN TERMS OF STAFFING. THE FAA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS FACT. ALSO; DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE FPL WHO WAS HELD OVER FOR A 12 HR SHIFT. THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE FAA WHEN SITS LIKE THIS OCCUR. THEY JUST SWEEP IT UNDER THE RUG. IF HOWEVER; THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EMER OR CATASTROPHE; THEN IT WOULD BE LOOKED INTO THOROUGHLY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.