IRS Layoffs and Hiring Confusion

[Lee B]

According to the Federal News Network after this years layoffs/deferred resignation confusion, the new budget for the coming year

proposes to hire 11,000 new call center employees in order to maintain current levels of phone service

https://federalnewsnetwork.com/workforce/2025/06/nearly-25-of-irs-tech-workers-are-gone-forcing-agency-to-reset-and-reassess/

I really wonder, "Are there any adults in charge of this train wreck sliding downhill

[BTS]

11,000 new call center employees given a 2 week crash course in tax law and phone etiquette !!!  Hey thats what we had before the layoffs !!!   

[Lee B]

Honestly for the last several years,  my experience once I have reached an IRS employee has been satisfactory.

Does it take too long to get someone on the phone ? Yes it does.

Does it take too long for them to find an answer or to change something in one of their programs? Yes it does.

However given the old systems they are still working with that don't share information, I think they are doing the best that they can under difficult circumstances.

 

[Patrick Michael]

No matter how many people they hire, it won't improve significantly until they invest in new infrastructure.  I had to be transferred three times, over two hours, to reach the person who could access the platform needed to fix the issue.  Once I got to the right person, it took 10 minutes to resolve the issue.

[ILLMAS]

Two weeks ago I called the IRS in regards to a notice my client received which I have third party designee, guess what I had to conference call my client to discuss the notice.  First in all the years of doing business, the payroll report was filed in April 2025 so it was not expired.

[Lee B]

1 hour ago, ILLMAS said:

Two weeks ago I called the IRS in regards to a notice my client received which I have third party designee, guess what I had to conference call my client to discuss the notice.  First in all the years of doing business, the payroll report was filed in April 2025 so it was not expired.

"Designates a person on the taxpayer's tax form to discuss that specific tax return and tax year with the IRS."

My understanding is that this only allows you to discuss what's on the form submitted.

It doesn't authorize the IRS to share any information with you or for you to represent the taxpayer.

I don't believe that responding to a notice received by your client is covered by being a third party designee.