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IRS Granted Authority to Hire 8,000 Employees Through September
The Internal Revenue Service received expedited hiring approval for 8,000 positions after losing roughly 27 percent of its workforce in 2025. The Office of Personnel Management confirmed the direct-hire authority runs through September.
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The Internal Revenue Service received special authority to hire 8,000 employees on an expedited basis through September. A February memo obtained by NOTUS shows the agency requested the authority from the Treasury Department after workforce reductions removed more than a quarter of its staff.
The Office of Personnel Management later granted the request under direct-hire rules that apply when agencies face a severe shortage of candidates or a critical hiring need.
Background on staffing changes President Donald Trump directed agencies to reduce headcount after taking office in January 2025. The IRS lost staff through layoffs of probationary employees, deferred resignations, buyouts, and additional departures, reaching a total reduction of about 27 percent from its prior 100,000-person workforce by the end of the year.
Earlier statements from agency leaders Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told lawmakers in April that the agency remained able to maintain current services. IRS chief Frank Bisignano also stated in April that the filing season had been the most successful in IRS history.
The February memo indicated the agency was aware of ongoing processing issues for tax returns, balance-due accounts, and correspondence. The IRS website currently lists openings in criminal investigation, information technology, human resources, and other divisions.
