IRS workers involved in the tax season

Washington (AP) – IRS – staff involved in 2025 tax season Will not be allowed to accept a buyout offering from the Trump administration until after the taxpayer’s submission deadline, according to a letter sent Wednesday to IRS employees.

The letter says “Critical filing seasonal positions in taxpayers, information technology and taxpayers’ lawyer service are exempt” from the administration’s buyout plan until May 15. Taxpayers have until April 15 to submit their taxes unless they get an extension.

The Union leaders and workers’ advocates have criticized the proposal And question whether the government will honor any buyout contract.

The news comes after President Donald Trump announced a plan to offer Buyouts To federal employees through a “exposed resignation” to quickly reduce the public workforce. The program deadline is February 6, and administrative officials said employees who accept will be able to stop working while still collecting a paycheck until September 30.

The bouts sent to approx. 2.3 million workers, for all federal employees full time, with some exceptions, including military staff, employees of the US postal service and positions related to immigration enforcement. It is unclear whether IRS workers who accept buyout would only receive five months of salary instead or whether they would also get eight months.

The federal government employed more than 3 million people from November and accounted for nearly 1.9% of the country’s entire civilian workforce, according to the Pew Research Center.

Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employee Association, has advised all federal workers not to accept the offer, as she says is questionable.

“This is not a good deal for them,” Greenwald told Associated Press. “If you sign this document and then later change your mind, you will be back without any power to beat back.”

Since federal employees work under what is called a continued decision that keeps the government funded until the March-and-law of anti-deficiency prohibits agencies to spend more money than actually set-up funding for the Buyout Plan “has not been approved, “Is Greenwald said.

She added: “I do not recommend that people sign the document. They need to have control over their own careers and this document does not give them. “

The NTEU union represents approx. 150,000 employees in 37 departments and agencies.

“This country needs talented, experienced federal employees,” she said “We encourage people not to take this deal because it will harm the services to the American people, and it will harm the federal employees who have dedicated themselves and their careers to serve. “

January 27.

“What most people do not realize is that 85% of the federal workforce works outside DC,” she said. “They are your neighbors, your family, your friends. And they provide key services to the American people. “