The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will begin laying off approximately 6,000 employees this Thursday as part of the Trump administration's initiative to reduce the federal workforce.
According to three people familiar with the agency's plans, the layoffs will primarily focus on recent employees, those hired during the Biden administration's efforts to revitalize the IRS through increased funding and staffing.
These people requested not to be identified, as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
The Trump administration has begun laying off probationary employees, who have less job stability than their more senior colleagues, in various federal agencies.
According to internal emails seen by some media outlets, IRS directors have begun asking employees to report to the office in the coming days and bring their government-issued equipment. The IRS employs approximately 100,000 accountants, lawyers, and other employees across the country.
One of the emails indicates that, under an executive order, the IRS has been instructed to lay off probationary employees who are not considered critical for the tax filing season.
The agency did not provide many details, but it was explained that all of this is related to compliance with the executive order.
