(AURN News) — The IRS is locking its doors for nearly half its staff. As the government shutdown enters its second week, the agency announced that 46% of its workers will be furloughed starting Wednesday — leaving about 39,870 employees on the job out of roughly 75,000, according to the IRS’s new contingency plan.
That’s a major shift from last week, when the agency said it would remain open using leftover Inflation Reduction Act funds. Now, most IRS operations are closed, leaving taxpayers in limbo just as extension returns come due next week.
National Treasury Employees Union President Doreen Greenwald says the public should brace for longer wait times, growing backlogs and delayed refunds — calling it “another day of frustration for taxpayers.”
Adding to the confusion, Trump administration officials had warned there would be no guaranteed back pay, but an IRS memo says furloughed workers will be paid once the shutdown ends.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
