AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Tax Notes Talk
Trump's Hiring Freeze and the IRS
Feb 7, 2025
Robert Kerr, a former IRS employee and current tax consultant, joins Tax Notes reporter Benjamin Valdez to discuss the implications of President Trump's federal hiring freeze on the IRS. They explore how this freeze impacts staffing and operational capabilities, leading to uncertainties for employees. Kerr highlights challenges in maintaining taxpayer interactions and morale, amid new employee buyout initiatives. The conversation delves into the complexities of government downsizing and its potential effects on the IRS's long-term strategic priorities.
24:10
Episode guests
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- The federal hiring freeze significantly hinders the IRS's ability to recruit new personnel, exacerbating existing staffing issues during critical tax seasons.
- The skepticism surrounding the buyout offer for federal employees introduces legal and ethical dilemmas, impacting the operational stability of the IRS amid workforce uncertainty.
Deep dives
Impact of Executive Orders on IRS Workforce
The executive order instituting a hiring freeze for all federal agencies, including the IRS, has significant implications for the agency's workforce. With this freeze, the IRS is unable to hire new employees until it is deemed necessary by the administration. This situation exacerbates existing attrition issues, as many IRS personnel are already nearing retirement eligibility. The lack of targeted hiring undermines the agency’s capacity to manage its workload and maintain efficient operations amid ongoing demands, particularly during the busy tax season.
Get the Snipd
podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any
moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share
& Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode