NextFin news, The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began furloughing more than 34,000 employees, representing approximately 46% of its workforce, on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, as the federal government shutdown extended into its second week. This action was taken at the IRS headquarters in Washington, D.C., and across its nationwide offices.
The furloughs have led to the temporary suspension of many taxpayer services, including the IRS's phone assistance and the independent Taxpayer Advocate Service, which has ceased operations due to the lapse in funding. Additionally, most administrative and planning activities within the agency have been halted.
The shutdown and resulting furloughs come just one week before the October 15 deadline for taxpayers who filed for extensions on their 2024 tax returns. Despite the shutdown, filing deadlines remain in effect, raising concerns about potential delays and backlogs in processing returns and providing assistance.
Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, stated, "Today, due to the government shutdown, the American people lost access to many vital services provided by the IRS when the agency furloughed thousands of employees." She added that taxpayers will face longer wait times and difficulties obtaining help during this critical period.
Greenwald also criticized the lack of advance planning regarding the furloughs, noting that many employees were only informed of their job status by supervisors on the day the furloughs began. "This is not the way our government should treat its dedicated nonpartisan public servants," she said.
Furloughs are unpaid temporary leaves, with workers expected to return once Congress restores government funding. Some IRS employees, nearly 40,000, remain on the job to prepare for the upcoming tax season and to maintain essential functions, including those required to support the Social Security Administration.
The IRS declined to provide additional comments beyond the published shutdown contingency plan. The government shutdown itself stems from ongoing budgetary disputes in Congress, which have led to a lapse in appropriations for many federal agencies, including the IRS.
The furloughs and service interruptions highlight the broader impact of the shutdown on federal operations and the public, particularly as taxpayers approach critical filing deadlines.
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