On April 29, 2020 we posted Their Back! - That is Right the IRS Has Begun to Recall Employees, where we discussed that the Internal Revenue Service is recalling about 46,000 of its employees furloughed by the government shutdown, nearly 60 percent of its workforce, to handle tax returns and pay out refunds. The employees won't be paid during the shutdown.
On the IRS website IRS Statement: Update on IRS operations, updated as of April 29, 2020, the IRS now states that:
As local health advisories around the country are lifted in the coming weeks and months and operations continue to increase, the IRS will continue to implement, follow and where possible exceed specific federal and local safety guidelines and measures.
As operations expand, IRS employees will continue their dedication to serving the American people.
We are grateful for the many IRS employees who have worked during the pandemic and to those who have already voluntarily returned to the workplace.
IRS employees can expect:
- Fully supplied, sanitized and operational facilities
- Social distancing and minimal in-person interactions
- Phased-in reopenings
- As part of initial operations, employees will begin to:
- process mail,
- tax returns and
- paper correspondence;
- online and phone assistance;
- processing requests for transcripts and similar information;
- processing requests for release of liens and levies; and
- correspondence and similar examinations.
We appreciate the patience and understanding of taxpayers and tax professionals as we continue to expand the scope of our operations.
Read more at: Tax Times blog
