More than 20,000 IRS employees accept Trump administration's resignation offer
According to four people familiar with the matter, about 22,000 IRS employees have signed the latest Trump administration proposal for resignation, an Egyptian that can weaken the agency’s ability to collect taxes.
The IRS had about 100,000 employees before President Trump took office. About 5,000 employees have resigned since January, and even though the shootings have competed in court, another 7,000 probation employees have been fired. If these layoffs take effect, the agency will be expected to lose one-third of its workforce this year.
Under the terms of the Trump administration's deferred resignation, employees who obtain the deal will take paid administrative leave in September and then leave their federal jobs. Some employees who accept the proposal can still quit.
Losing one-third of IRS staff – The remaining staff are ready for further layoffs and cuts in funding, which is expected to reduce the revenue the federal government can collect. Current and former employees say the cuts have caused the IRS to abandon some audits and taxpayers may feel more courageous in trying to avoid paying taxes when the IRS reduces.
The Biden administration has expanded the IRS by about 20,000 employees in hopes of increasing the taxes it collects. A Treasury spokesman said the department’s goal is to reverse recruitment from the previous administration and to still improve services.
“The secretary is committed to ensuring efficiency in providing the collection, privacy and customer service that the American people deserve,” said Scott Bessent, a spokesman for Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Among the resigned IRS officials are Acting Commissioner Melanie Krause. She and other senior IRS officials decided to leave the agency, partly because of the agreement to share taxpayer information with immigration and customs enforcement. The Trump administration’s decision to use IRS data to help deport undocumented immigrants has attracted widespread attention from tax collectors, who has long kept taxpayer information confidential.
