IRS furloughs almost half its workers as filing deadline nears

The IRS placed 34,000 employees — nearly half of its workforce — on furlough as the federal government shutdown continues. — Image credit: AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

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Summary

34,000 IRS employees furloughed

The Internal Revenue Service is furloughing 34,000 employees — nearly half its workforce — because of the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Filing deadline nears

The workers were sent home a week ahead of a filing deadline for taxpayers who received extensions for their 2024 returns.

Delays for taxpayers

Union leaders say taxpayers can expect delays in processing their tax returns, as well as payments and refunds.

Full story

The IRS placed 34,000 employees — nearly half of its workforce — on furlough as the federal government shutdown continues. Just under 40,000 workers remain on the job, and CNBC reports that most IRS operations are now closed.

The furloughs took effect Wednesday, a week before the Oct. 15 filing deadline for taxpayers who received extensions on their 2024 taxes. With so many workers sent home, it is not clear what will happen with those tax forms, not to mention payments or refunds.

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“Tax returns will be arriving, but there will be no one there to process them,” Maria Ramos, president of the National Treasury Employees Union’s Austin, Texas, chapter, told CNN.

Taxpayers can expect longer hold times on phone lines, more dropped calls and delays in processing payments and refunds, said Gibson Jones, president of the union’s Memphis chapter.

Shannon Ellis, president of the union’s Kansas City chapter, said the furlough announcement caused confusion because the furloughed employees had been considered essential during previous government shutdowns.

Ellis and other union leaders said the IRS has not explained how it decided who is essential and who is not.

Memo to employees

In a memo to all employees, David Traynor, the acting human capital officer at the IRS, wrote that furloughed workers would be in “ non-pay, non-duty status.”

He instructed them to remain away from their workplace and said they are prohibited by law from working, even voluntarily.

Other recent cuts to the IRS

The furloughs come at a time when the Trump administration has been paring down the IRS workforce. The agency started 2025 with about 100,000 employees and is now at about 74,000 workers.

“We were already short-staffed after months of resignations and layoffs,” Ellis said. “Now this.”

Craig Nigrelli (Anchor/Reporter)

Craig Nigrelli is an anchor and reporter for Straight Arrow News.

Alan Judd (Content Editor) and Ally Heath (Senior Digital Producer) contributed to this report.

Tags: Government Shutdown, IRS

Why this story matters

The IRS furloughing nearly half its workforce due to the ongoing government shutdown highlights how political gridlock can disrupt essential government services, impacting both federal employees and millions of taxpayers facing deadlines.

Government shutdown impact

The shutdown has led to the closure of most IRS operations, which could delay tax processing and hinder public access to crucial services as noted by the agency and labor representatives.

Federal workforce and operations

Nearly 34,000 IRS employees have been put on furlough, raising questions about employee financial security, agency decision-making on essential roles, and uncertainties over back pay as discussed in official memos and union statements.

Taxpayer services and deadlines

With reduced staffing ahead of the Oct. 15 tax deadline, taxpayers may experience delays in assistance, returns and refunds, as emphasized by the National Treasury Employees Union and agency contingency plans.

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Behind the numbers

The IRS is furloughing about 34,400 of its 74,300 employees, which is approximately 46% of its staff. This means nearly half of all IRS staff are not working, affecting taxpayer support and return processing during the shutdown.

Community reaction

Local IRS unions and employee groups express frustration and confusion over job status notifications. The National Treasury Employees Union reports increased anxiety and disruption, with employees and taxpayers encountering uncertainty and longer delays in accessing IRS services.

Global impact

IRS operations are mostly domestic, but disruptions could indirectly affect global financial transactions, tax treaties or international businesses depending on U.S. processing and compliance functions that may be stalled during the furlough.

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Sources

Bias comparison

Media outlets on the left emphasize the severity of the furloughs, portraying the IRS as a victim of the shutdown's impacts.
Media outlets in the center focus on the administrative challenges stemming from staffing cuts, framing the situation as a result of fiscal deadlocks.
Media outlets on the right highlight the operational aspects of the IRS during the shutdown, maintaining a more neutral stance compared to left and center sources.

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Media landscape

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98 total sources

Key points from the Left

The Internal Revenue Service is furloughing over 34,000 employees, about 46% of its workforce, due to the ongoing government shutdown as it enters its second week.
Many taxpayer services will be temporarily paused, including phone call support, and the independent Taxpayer Advocate Service will cease operations because of the lapse in funding.
Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, stated that taxpayers should expect increased wait times and backlogs due to the furloughs affecting IRS employees.
Only 39,870 IRS employees, or 53.6%, will continue working during the shutdown.

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Key points from the Center

On Oct. 8, 2025, the Internal Revenue Service began an agency-wide furlough under a revised contingency plan, pausing nearly 50% of its federal workforce amid the government shutdown.
Lawmakers' deadlock and prior IRS staffing cuts followed earlier mass layoffs spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency, affecting tens of thousands this year during the government shutdown's second week.
Only 39,870 IRS employees, or 53.6%, will remain working while most IRS operations and taxpayer services, including the Taxpayer Advocate Service, are closed.
Doreen Greenwald said taxpayers filing extension returns will face harder access to assistance as IRS supervisors and furloughed employees received up to four hours to close out work.
Unless Congress acts, more unpaid days and furloughs may follow as a draft White House memo and President Donald Trump signaled federal workers may not be guaranteed back pay.

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Key points from the Right

Nearly half of the IRS workforce, about 34,000 employees, will face furloughs as the government shutdown continues into its second week and a contingency plan is enacted to maintain some operations.
During the shutdown, only 39,870 employees, representing about 54% of the workforce, will remain on duty, but it is unclear which positions will be retained.
Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, stated that taxpayers should expect increased wait times and delays as the IRS services are cut off.
The furloughs result from a funding impasse between President Donald Trump and Congress, leading to a shutdown with no clear end.

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