IRS Plans to Call Back 45,000 Workers for Tax Refunds, Union Says

The IRS plans to call about 45,000 furloughed employees back to work in order to issue tax refunds, according to the union representing agency employees.

Nearly 70,000 Internal Revenue Service employees—about 87.5 percent of the agency’s workforce—haven’t been able to work since the partial government shutdown began in December. The employees who remained at work were tasked with implementing the 2017 tax law, conducting criminal investigations, and handling information technology issues.

The tax filing season is scheduled to begin on Jan. 28, whether or not the partial government shutdown is resolved. The White House Office of Management and ...