ATLANTA — TSA workers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are being asked to return $1,000 gift cards that were recently given to them by filmmaker Tyler Perry.

Perry initially tried to give cash to TSA workers who had been working without pay during the partial government shutdown, but federal rules prohibit TSA employees from accepting certain gifts, including cash.

He later returned with $1,000 gift cards, which were distributed to workers at the airport.

The gift cards were given as TSA officers continued reporting to work without pay during the shutdown impacting the Department of Homeland Security.

Federal ethics rules restrict government employees, including TSA officers, from accepting certain gifts tied to their official positions.

Workers are now being told to return those gift cards after they’ve been handed out.

The situation follows efforts to support TSA workers who continued working without pay during the shutdown.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to restore pay for TSA officers after they worked for weeks without pay.

Officials say wait times at Hartsfield-Jackson have improved, but travelers are still being urged to arrive three to four hours ahead of their flights, especially during busy morning hours between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m.

More than 450 TSA officers have quit since the partial government shutdown began in mid-February.