IRS Prepares to Lay Off 6,000 New Employees

Brett T. | 9:00 PM on February 20, 2025

President Donald Trump and DOGE seem to have their work cut out for them. After mass layoffs and firings at other agencies — with the option to resign and collect eight months of severance pay and insurance — they've moved on to the IRS. ABC News reports that more than 6,000 IRS employees, or six percent of the service's workforce, are being laid off.

The IRS has begun laying off more than 6,000 new and newly-promoted employees across the country, sources told ABC News.

The layoffs impact roughly 6-7% of the agency's 100,000-person workforce. https://t.co/d4iKETcAIx
— ABC News (@ABC) February 20, 2025

Much like the FAA firings, these layoffs target probationary employees.

ABC News reports:

The Internal Revenue Service has begun laying off more than 6,000 new and newly-promoted employees across the country, sources familiar with the planning told ABC News. The layoffs are part of a broader campaign to shrink the federal workforce that could have potential consequences for the current tax filing season.
These layoffs, impacting roughly 6-7% of the agency's 100,000-person workforce, began midday Thursday primarily outside the D.C., area, with thousands of employees facing layoffs at offices in Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Tennessee, New York and other states, sources told ABC News.

"That could have potential consequences for the current tax filing season" … or not. Sen. Ron Wyden has already tried to scare people into thinking that Elon Musk and his DOGE "henchmen" could delay your tax refund this year.