IRS to furlough nearly half its workforce due to government shutdown

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Wed Oct 8, 2025, 05:26 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: The Guardian

Wed 8 Oct 2025 17.03 EDT
First published on Wed 8 Oct 2025 15.53 EDT


The Internal Revenue Service said Wednesday it will furlough nearly half of its employees – around 34,000 workers – due to the ongoing government shutdown, making it significantly harder for US taxpayers to get assistance.

In a statement on Wednesday, the IRS said that “due to the lapse in appropriations”, it will begin its furlough on 8 October for “everyone except already-identified excepted and exempt employees”.

“Employee who are not exempt or excepted are furloughed and placed in a non-pay and non-duty status until further notice; however, all employees should plan to report to work for their next tour of duty,” the IRS said, adding that employees would be given up to four hours to close out work requirements and receive formal furlough notification. The furlough will leave only 53.6%, or 39,870 IRS employees, working as the government remains shut down.

In the standard furlough letter provided to all affected employees, David Traynor, acting IRS human capital officer, confirmed that furloughed employees cannot work and will not be paid during the shutdown.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/08/government-shutdown-irs-workers

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Most agencies have significant numbers "furloughed" during lapses, with a handful left (even in some situations of "health and safety" ).

Article updated.

Original article -

Wed 8 Oct 2025 15.53 EDT
Last modified on Wed 8 Oct 2025 15.57 EDT


The Internal Revenue Service will furlough nearly half of its employees – around 34,000 workers – due to the ongoing government shutdown.

In a statement on Wednesday, the IRS said that “due to the lapse in appropriations”, it will begin its furlough on 8 October for “everyone except already-identified excepted and exempt employees”.

“Employee who are not exempt or excepted are furloughed and placed in a non-pay and non-duty status until further notice; however, all employees should plan to report to work for their next tour of duty,” the IRS said, adding that employees would be given up to four hours to close out work requirements and receive formal furlough notification.

The furlough will leave only 53.6%, or 39,870 IRS employees, working as the government remains shut down.

[marybourg]

1. This might be a good time for those

who overpay their income tax withholding in order to receive an illusionary gift of a refund of their own money once a year, to rethink this tactic. A better plan is to underpay slightly and owe our newly despotic government a small amount at tax time.

[Bluetus]

2. And the roar of applause from the billionaires was deafening

[twodogsbarking]

3. In snowy weather many institutions require only the "essential" employees to show up.

They are the lowest paid and their lives can be risked getting there. Cynical and true? Cynical and not true? Not cynical but true. Not cynical or true? Y'all decide.

[Bayard]

4. Oh, darn

I wanted to be audited.