IRS furloughs nearly half of workers amid government shutdown
People leave the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) building in Washington, DC, on February 20, 2025.
Kent Nishimura | Reuters
On Wednesday, the IRS said: permission Nearly half of the workforce due to the ongoing government shutdown.
Nearly 34,000 IRS employees are being furloughed, according to the agency. An additional 39,870 employees will remain on the job, representing 53.6% of the workforce.
“Due to the reduction in funding, most IRS operations have been closed,” the agency said in a message to employees Wednesday. he said.
“An IRS-wide furlough began on October 8, 2025 for all except currently defined exceptions and exempt employees,” the message said.
“Exempt or non-exempt employees are placed on unpaid leave and unpaid and off-duty status until further notice, but all employees must plan to come to work for their next tour of duty.”
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