IRS to lay off 6,000 employees amid workforce reduction effort

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is set to lay off approximately 6,000 employees starting Thursday as part of the Trump administration’s broader plan to downsize the federal workforce, according to a report by The New York Times, citing sources familiar with the decision.

The cuts will primarily target probationary employees—those who have not yet secured full job protections—according to internal messages reviewed by the newspaper. In preparation for the layoffs, IRS managers have reportedly instructed affected workers to return to their offices with their government-issued equipment.

The IRS, which employs around 100,000 people across the country, includes accountants, lawyers, and other essential personnel. The agency has already been under a hiring freeze imposed by the administration, further limiting its ability to replace outgoing staff. Reports have also suggested that some IRS agents have been reassigned to assist with immigration enforcement efforts.

Despite growing concerns over the impact of the layoffs, neither the IRS nor the Treasury Department has issued an official comment on the matter.