Federal workers who are still on the job and others who are furloughed almost always get reimbursed once the government reopens, but President Trump warned that they may not be guaranteed back pay. For the most part we're going to take care of our people. There are some people that really don't deserve to be taken care of and we'll take care of them in *** different way. This is *** major contrast to what normally happens during *** shutdown and would likely be met with legal action. The American Federation of Government Employees issued *** statement about the president's comments, saying the argument federal employees are not guaranteed back pay is an obvious misinterpretation of the law. Some Republicans, including the Senate Majority Leader, are not on the same page as the president. My assumption is that furloughed workers will get back pay, but that being said, This is very simple. Open up the government, and this is *** non-issue. Trump and his people are trying to threaten, use these people as pawns, and say they're not going to get paid, they're not going to get back pay and all of these kinds of things. The Senate is scheduled to vote on bills to reopen the government again today in Washington. I'm Rachel Herzheimer.
IRS to furlough nearly half of its workforce as shutdown enters second week
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Updated: 1:28 PM CDT Oct 8, 2025
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The IRS will furlough nearly half of its workforce as part of the ongoing government shutdown, according to an updated contingency plan posted Wednesday to the agency website. Most IRS operations are closed, the agency said in a separate letter to IRS workers.The news comes after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to fund federal operations and the government shutdown has entered its second week, with no discernible endgame in sight.The agency's initial Lapse in Appropriations Contingency Plan provided for the first five business days of operations, which states that the department would remain open using Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act funds.Now, only 39,870 employees, or 53.6%, will remain working as the shutdown continues.Last week, Trump said roughly 750,000 federal workers nationwide were expected to be furloughed across agencies, with some potentially fired by his administration.The layoffs come as earlier this year, the IRS embarked on mass layoffs, spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency, affecting tens of thousands of workers. At the end of 2024, the agency employed roughly 100,000 workers, and currently hovers around 75,000.
WASHINGTON — The IRS will furlough nearly half of its workforce as part of the ongoing government shutdown, according to an updated posted Wednesday to the agency website. Most IRS operations are closed, the agency said in a .
The news comes after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to fund federal operations and the government shutdown has entered its second week, with no discernible endgame in sight.
The agency's initial provided for the first five business days of operations, which states that the department would remain open using Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act funds.
Now, only 39,870 employees, or 53.6%, will remain working as the shutdown continues.
Last week, Trump said roughly 750,000 federal workers nationwide were expected to be furloughed across agencies, with some potentially fired by his administration.
The layoffs come as earlier this year, the IRS embarked on mass layoffs, spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency, affecting tens of thousands of workers. At the end of 2024, the agency employed roughly 100,000 workers, and currently hovers around 75,000.
