About 46 percent (34,429) of employees for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are being furloughed amid the current US government shutdown. The decision was announced by the Department of Treasury Wednesday.
Doreen Greenwald, national president of the National Treasury Employees Union, lamented the effects of the shutdown on the US public.
“Today, due to the government shutdown the American people lost access to many vital services provided by the IRS,” said Greenwald. “Expect increased wait times, backlogs and delays implementing tax law changes as the shutdown continues. Taxpayers around the country will now have a much harder time getting the assistance they need, just as they get ready to file their extension returns due next week.”
The IRS announced the furloughs in a memorandum letter to its staff, emphasizing that furloughed employees will neither be paid nor on duty.
“When you are on furlough, you will be in non-pay, non-duty status. Paid leave, such as annual, sick, court or military leave, which has been approved for this furlough period is cancelled,” the memo strictly guided. “Also, during the furlough, you must remain away from your workplace (if you are reporting for work at your post of duty) and you are prohibited by law from working, even on a voluntary basis. If you are in travel status at the time of furlough, return home unless otherwise directed by your manager.”
Since the Trump administration took office in 2025, the IRS has cut the number of its employees by nearly 25,000. However, the furloughed employees will receive back pay when the shutdown ends.
Moreover, according to The Associated Press, President Trump “said roughly 750,000 federal workers nationwide were expected to be furloughed across agencies, with some potentially fired by his administration.”
