IRS mandates weekend overtime to clear tax error backlog, internal memo sparks staff concerns
Even though this year's tax filing season is over, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is ordering some employees to work overtime to cover tax error backlogs.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is mandating some employees to work mandatory weekend overtime to clear a backlog of tax returns flagged for errors. Workers at the Kansas City processing center must put in eight-hour shifts on May 10 and May 17, as per the recent memo.
Memo from IRS mandates overtime for some staff
In a memo obtained by Federal News Network, IRS Operation Manager Latifah Hisham stated that all qualified employees must complete 16 hours of weekend overtime. These workers handle the Error Resolution System (ERS), which identifies and fixes mistakes on tax returns. Some errors require mailing notices to taxpayers before processing can finish. “Remember, if we do not make a sizable dent in the ERS rejects inventory, there is the possibility of additional required overtime,” Hisham wrote in the memo
Former IRS Commissioner John Koskinen warned that mandatory overtime adds strain to an already overworked staff. The IRS rarely enforces such measures, suggesting the backlog is critical.
“Over time, there’s been a lot of overtime worked, especially when offices were closed during the pandemic and there were millions of pieces of correspondence to be handled,” Koskinen was quoted telling Federal News Network.
Kelly Reyes of the Professional Managers Association said the move may be a response to impending staff shortages. About 22,000 IRS employees this time enrolled for a "deferred resignation" program, that allows them to take paid leave until the fiscal year ends, keeping their payrolls ongoing. However, some were denied early leave due to their essential contribution towards tax season, as per Federal News Network.
The Kansas City office is one of three IRS sites still processing physical paper returns, other than IRS offices in Austin and Ogden. Moreover electronically filed returns are handled at these centers, which means added workload for IRS employees in these sites.
During the pandemic, the IRS used mandatory overtime and "surge teams" to tackle paper backlogs. Former Commissioner Chuck Rettig admitted in 2022 that over 6,000 employees were on forced overtime, far beyond reasonable expectations. The agency briefly paused mandatory overtime to ease employee stress but later resumed it, even offering $1,000 bonuses to surge team workers.
With staffing challenges and persistent backlogs, the IRS is again turning to overtime to stay ahead, raising concerns about employee burnout.
