Three Agencies Shuttered Friday Due to Furloughs

Three federal agencies are shut down Friday due to sequestration-induced employee furloughs.

The Internal Revenue Service and its 90,000 employees face their second agencywide furlough day, with the Washington headquarters and all regional offices closed. No tax returns will be processed and no compliance-related activities will take place, the IRS said.

The Housing and Urban Development Department also faces its second agencywide shut down due to employees taking unpaid leave. Both HUD and the IRS were also closed Friday, May 24.

Only “people that are required to keep the building running,” report to work during furlough days, HUD spokesman Jerry Brown said in May.

Employees at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative have a forced four-day weekend, with agencywide furloughs both Friday and Monday. An agency spokeswoman said some employees would report to the office for “work that must occur on these days,” and they will take alternate furlough days.

The spokeswoman would not comment on plans for future furloughs. The IRS will close for furlough days July 5, July 22, and Aug. 30 -- with the possibility of “one or two additional” closures if necessary, the agency announced Wednesday. HUD will shut down the same days as IRS, as well as Aug. 16. 

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Management and Budget also face additional agencywide furlough days.  

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