I'm not someone who celebrates someone losing a job (at least, by having jobs eliminated. To David's point, I'm less charitable toward those fired for malicious cause). I've done way too much job-hunting in my life to get my yuks over someone else's unplanned career change.
Even a federal employee (that wasn't an Obama or Biden appointee).
Even at the IRS.
But it appears DOGE has found itself another target-rich environment: the Internal Revenue Service is going on a staffing Keto diet, shedding tens of thousands of staff according to Politico:
The IRS could see a mass exodus of up to 40 percent of its workforce through a combination of buyouts offered by the Trump administration and widespread layoffs, according to an internal memo obtained by POLITICO.
The memo outlines the agency’s plans to reduce its workforce to between 60,000 to 70,000 employees, down from a previous headcount of roughly 100,000. Notices of “reductions in force” will start going out this week, the memo says, specifying that “taxpayer services and compliance will need to be trimmed.”
According to Bloomberg, 20,000 IRS employees are taking Trump up on his buyout offer.
The deal allows for employees to be on paid administrative leave through Sept. 30, giving another incentive for workers to leave and help the administration’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce. The deadline for workers to take the offer was April 14 and employees that take the offer could leave as soon as April 28, according to an email seen by Bloomberg Tax.
Guidance from the Office of Management and Budget also advised that those who are 40 years old and older must be given 45 days to consider the resignation offer. Thousands that took the offer are in that age group and may use it as insurance in case they get fired as part of the reduction in force, the person said.
At least three high-level IRS officials have taken the deferred resignation offer, including acting commissioner Melanie Krause.
And DOGE is slashing away at some of the other deadwood at the bureau; the Office of Civil Rights and Compliance (at the IRS?) is a particular target, according to BloombergTax:
The IRS has begun a new round of layoffs starting with the Office of Civil Rights and Compliance, according to an email seen by Bloomberg Tax.
About 75% of the office will be reduced through a reduction in force.
The usual suspects are making the usual complaints:
The IRS has been under heightened pressure since President Donald Trump took office, with thousands of probationary employees initially fired, and Trump officials discussing how to more widely share taxpayer data, most recently to help with immigration efforts.
Critics say the wholesale changes are drastic and will undermine taxpayer confidence and service.
Serious question: what "taxpayer confidence" are they talking about? Taxpayers are about as "confident" in the IRS as they are in used car salespeople and Kathy Griffin.
But since we're talking confidence - if you're looking for a delay on filing, or concerned your refund will be late, not to worry (any more than usual), according to The Hill:
A letter sent to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees said those involved in the 2025 tax season won’t be able to accept the buyout President Trump offered federal employees until after the taxpayer filing deadline.
The letter said critical filing season positions “in Taxpayer Services, Information Technology and the Taxpayer Advocate Service” are exempt from the Trump administration’s buyout until May 15, The Associated Press reported.
While, as I noted, I don't celebrate layoffs, I have a hunch taking a weed-whacker to the IRS isn't going to hurt President Trump's poll numbers.
