The IRS has officially started laying off employees in its first wave of non-voluntary job cuts as part of a sweeping governmentwide Reduction in Force (RIF).
On Friday, the agency confirmed it will eliminate 80% of positions within its Office of Civil Rights and Compliance (formerly the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion). The layoffs come on the heels of earlier attrition-based exits and “deferred resignations,” but this marks the first formal phase of forced terminations.
According to an internal email, the agency emphasized that “none of the reductions were made today based on individual performance,” but are instead part of a broader workforce overhaul.
- 75% of the remaining Office of Civil Rights and Compliance (OCRC) staff will be let go.
- Remaining employees will report to the Office of Chief Counsel.
- Additional layoffs are coming across other departments.
- Employees affected will have 30-60 days before separation takes effect.
The IRS cited its “Workforce Optimization Initiative” and a recent Executive Order as the basis for the drastic measures, describing the action as necessary to boost “efficiency and effectiveness.”
In the same announcement, the IRS froze all personnel reassignments and relocations effective immediately. Any actions scheduled after April 4 have been canceled unless considered essential. Employees currently on detail or temporary promotion will not be affected.
Employees are being instructed to upload current resumes into the HRConnect system for review during the RIF process. If no resume is submitted, qualification evaluations will default to existing job descriptions.
Meanwhile, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has relaunched its “deferred resignation” program, offering staff the chance to leave voluntarily before more layoffs begin. Employees have until April 30 to accept the offer through a dedicated resignation portal.
The deal lets eligible staff go on paid administrative leave no earlier than July 1 (or seven days after acceptance, for employees 40+). If accepted, participants won’t face return-to-office mandates or be part of RIF proceedings.
Probationary employees are eligible. However, reemployed annuitants are not. Some roles that provide direct veteran care are also excluded.
The VA previously warned it could eliminate more than 80,000 positions. The agency has also been approved to offer early retirement packages (VERA) and buyouts (VSIP) for qualifying employees.
These developments represent a massive shakeup in the federal workforce. Entire departments like the IRS’ civil rights office are being dismantled or repurposed, while thousands of employees across agencies are facing uncertain futures.
And for employees watching from the sidelines? The message is clear: Prepare. Update your resume. Understand your rights. And stay ready for whatever comes next.
We’ll continue to track the fallout and bring you the latest updates as the federal RIF wave intensifies.
- IRS, VA Layoffs Begin: Thousands of Federal Workers Face Job Cuts Amid Deep Restructuring - April 6, 2025
- Why the Trump Administration Is Targeting Brown University’s $510M Funding - April 5, 2025
- Social Security Administration Faces Thousands More Layoffs as Services Collapse Nationwide - April 5, 2025
