US IRS prepares to lay off thousands of workers, sources say

Washington DC [US], February 15: The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is preparing to fire thousands of workers in the coming days, a move that could squeeze resources at the tax-collecting agency during the critical tax-filing season, two people familiar with the matter said.
Officials from the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees federal hiring, ordered all agencies on Thursday to dismiss their probationary employees, workers who are newer to their positions and do not enjoy full job protections.
It was unclear how many thousands of employees would be fired at the IRS, whose workforce grew under the administration of former President Joe Biden to reach about 100,000 people, including roughly 16,000 probationary workers. Biden had sought to bolster the agency's operations, including its ability to audit corporations and wealthy taxpayers.
The cuts will target all probationary employees who did not resign under a now-closed buyout program or who have not been identified as essential to get through tax season, which is in full swing ahead of the federal return filing deadline of April 15, one of the people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation