Aiming to reduce the number of government employees in the U.S., the Trump administration is now set to bring reforms in the Revenue Department. As part of a restructuring plan, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is preparing to lay off 20 to 25 percent of its staff. Officials have indicated that the layoffs will initially affect employees in the Civil Rights Office. Emails have already been sent to inform the concerned staff.
“In line with orders to reduce government spending, the IRS is preparing for job cuts across various departments,” the internal emails stated. “As a result, several IRS offices and their staff will face layoffs.” The emails also mentioned that 75% of the Civil Rights Office staff would be dismissed and the remaining employees would be reassigned under a special office. The layoffs are expected to occur in phases. Already, 200,000 workers have lost their jobs from the federal workforce.
As part of its wider job-cutting measures, the Trump administration had recently announced layoffs in the health sector. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that 10,000 employees would be removed, which would save about $1.8 billion annually. The workforce in that department is expected to be reduced from 82,000 to 62,000. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has also introduced a buyout option, sending emails to 2 million federal employees, offering eight months’ salary to those willing to leave voluntarily. If successfully implemented, this move could help reduce U.S. government expenses by up to $100 billion per year.
