Staff Reports
The IRS appears to be embracing a strange approach to workforce management, opting to lay off thousands of probationary workers just as tax season kicks into high gear. While the bureaucratic behemoth typically limps along in muddled efficiency, this decision could lead to some rather chaotic consequences for both the agency and taxpayers alike. The layoffs are reportedly set to roll out as soon as next week, leaving confused taxpayers wondering if they’ll get stuck with an IRS that looks more like a ghost town.
Under the direction of the Trump administration, which has been nothing if not deliberate in its quest to cut down the size of the federal workforce, agencies were ordered to send packing nearly all probationary employees who lack civil service protections. This could be seen as a move toward streamlining government inefficiencies, but when it comes to the IRS, it seems to add a layer of comedy to an already tense tax season. Just as hardworking citizens are trying to get their financial ducks in a row, the IRS is kicking its own workers to the curb. Perhaps the agency thinks that fewer employees means fewer chances of stirring up red tape?
Good.
IRS will lay off thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season https://t.co/K608C2EZRl
— Middle Guy 1776 (@MiddleGuy7) February 17, 2025
In a peculiar twist, prior actions taken by the administration included offering buyouts to federal employees through something dubbed a “deferred resignation program.” Those who signed up would continue to collect a paycheck until the end of September while kicking back and doing, well, not much at all. However, employees working on the all-important 2025 tax season were foiled in their attempts to exit this circus, as they were advised they can’t accept buyout offers until after the looming April 15 deadline, leaving them yearning for an escape they can’t take.
The stakes get higher when one considers the mountain of tax returns—over 140 million—that are expected to flood in as tax season officially commenced on January 27. Sending financial documents to an agency that’s not only downsizing but seemingly lacks enough warm bodies to process returns could lead to a major headache for taxpayers. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been generously fueling the IRS with a massive $80 billion investment courtesy of the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act. The plan aims to hire a small army of new personnel, ostensibly to improve customer service. However, with all this money thrown at the IRS, it seems that less might truly be more.
Adding another twist to the irony, figures like Elon Musk have been advocating for the deletion of entire federal agencies as a way to trim the bloated government and tighten spending. Agitation is brewing amongst elected officials, with attorneys general from 14 states taking legal action, challenging Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The lawsuit claims his actions tread dangerously close to overstepping constitutional bounds by functioning like a rogue agency with virtually unchecked authority. With so many hands in the pot, it’s anyone’s guess where the IRS will land amidst these playful jabs being thrown at federal bureaucracies. And while it might be wise to keep an eye on those who manage tax dollars, the real comedy may lie in how the IRS manages its own employment crisis just in time for a critical filing season.
