The Internal Revenue Service will place more than 34,000 employees on furlough as part of cost-cutting measures during the ongoing federal government shutdown, officials confirmeed.
The IRS announced that 34,536 of its employees representing close to 50% of its current workforce will be temporarily sent home without pay starting this week as the government shutdown enters its latest phase.
The move is part of a broader set of shutdown protocols designed to conserve resources while key federal funding remains stalled in Congress.
Under the furlough plan, the agency will maintain only critical operations, including certain enforcement activities and essential taxpayer services deemed necessary to protect government property and data. Non-essential processing functions and many taxpayer assistance services will be halted until funding is restored.
IRS officials warned that the staff reductions are likely to delay refunds, increase processing times for returns, and limit the agency’s ability to respond to taxpayer inquiries. The disruption comes at a sensitive time as the agency continues to roll out new digital systems and strengthen audit enforcement measures.
The mass furlough is one of the most significant workforce reductions announced by any federal agency since the start of the shutdown, underscoring the widespread impact of the funding impasse. Treasury Department representatives have urged lawmakers to reach an agreement quickly to minimize disruptions to both federal employees and American taxpayers.
