IRS Cancels Another Furlough Day

The Internal Revenue Service has canceled a scheduled agencywide furlough day, marking the second time in the last month it has reduced unpaid leave.

The IRS will no longer furlough all workers on Aug. 30, as previously planned, acting Commissioner Danny Werfel told employees in a memo. Werfel once again cited cost-cutting measures taken at the agency for the decision, as he did when announcing the cancelation of the scheduled July 22 furlough day.

“With your help,” Werfel said in the memo, “we have made substantial progress in cutting costs. I greatly appreciate everyone’s help in this critical effort. Our progress is such that we have decided to postpone the furlough day scheduled for Aug. 30.”

Werfel added the IRS “still has more work to do” to reach reduced budget caps and left open the possibility the agency will require a furlough day in September. The now-canceled August furlough day was the last officially scheduled, though the agency has said there could be “one or two additional” closures. To date, IRS employees have taken three days of unpaid leave.

IRS will have “liberal leave” available for employees who have already scheduled plans for Aug. 30, the Friday before Labor Day.