The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is set to lay off approximately 6,000 employees on Thursday, following an order from President Donald Trump directing government agencies to reduce staff. The layoffs have been planned for about a week, according to reports.
The decision to cut thousands of probationary workers in the middle of tax season was previously reported, though an exact date had not been set. Two sources told the Associated Press that the move comes as part of a broader push by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to shrink the federal workforce.
Last week, the Trump administration ordered all government agencies to terminate nearly all probationary employees who had not yet obtained civil service protection.
The layoffs follow the administration’s recent launch of a "deferred resignation program", offering buyouts to nearly all federal employees to rapidly downsize the government.
The deadline for the buyout program was February 6, with officials stating that employees who accepted the offer would continue receiving pay until September 30, despite no longer working.
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