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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 16 January 2019
The IRS is recalling 46,000 workers to handle tax returns

By MARCY GORDON their biggest cash infusion
AP Business Writer of the year. Overall, refunds
WASHINGTON (AP) — The average $2,800.
Internal Revenue Service The issue is politically sensi-
is recalling about 46,000 of tive. The massive tax law
its employees furloughed enacted by Republicans
by the government shut- in Congress in late 2017,
down — nearly 60 per- which is President Donald
cent of its workforce — to Trump's signature legislative
handle tax returns and pay achievement, gave gener-
out refunds. The employees ous tax cuts to corporations
won't be paid during the and the wealthiest Ameri-
shutdown. cans and more modest
With the official start of the reductions to middle- and
tax filing season coming low-income households.
Jan. 28, the Trump admin- The law is expected to bring
istration has promised that lower taxes for 2018 for the
taxpayers owed refunds great majority of Ameri-
will be paid on time, de- cans, and the refunds are
spite the disruption in gov- a big tangible part of that. IRS worker Angela Gran, center, and others participate in a federal workers protest rally outside
ernment services caused Trump told supporters on a the Federal Building, Thursday, Jan., 10, 2019, in Ogden, Utah.
by the partial shutdown conference call Tuesday Associated Press
now in its fourth week. that his administration has
There had been growing been working to minimize not to pay refunds during a reviewed the issue at the the IRS counsel's position
concern that the shutdown the painful impacts of the shutdown. But the IRS said Treasury's Department's re- that refunds can legally be
would delay refunds worth shutdown. "People are ac- last week that OMB had quest and now agrees with paid.q
hundreds of billions of dol- tually amazed that, with
lars because the money this many people, that gov-
wouldn't be available for ernment is really working so
them from Congress. But well. So we're very proud of
last week, the administra- that," he said.
tion said customary shut- Angered over employees
down policies will be re- having to work without
versed to make the money pay, the union represent-
available to pay refunds on ing IRS staff sued in federal
time. court last week to chal-
An IRS document detail- lenge any such agency
ing its new shutdown plan action on constitutional
shows that 46,052 agency grounds. The Constitution
employees will be called doesn't allow the govern-
back to work, of the total ment to obligate funds that
workforce of 80,265. It says haven't been provided by
the plan will take effect as Congress, and the execu-
soon as the Treasury De- tive branch "can't continue
partment issues an official to force more and more
notice. employees to show up in
Only about 10,000 employ- exchange only for an IOU,"
ees are deemed essential the National Treasury Em-
and have been working. ployees Union said.
Some 800,000 federal On Tuesday, a federal
employees have been judge rejected the union's
furloughed or are work- challenge, declining to
ing without pay. Presi- force the government to
dent Donald Trump didn't pay the recalled employ-
budge Tuesday from his ees.
demand to have Congress Some experts question
provide $5.7 billion to build whether the administration
his promised border wall has the legal authority to
with Mexico. Democrats reverse earlier policies to
say they will discuss border allow the government to
security once the govern- issue tax refunds during a
ment has reopened, but shutdown.
House Speaker Nancy Pe- In 2011, the chief coun-
losi is refusing money for the sel at the IRS concluded
wall Democrats view as in- that such payments were
effective and immoral. legally allowed during a
About three-quarters of U.S. shutdown. At the time,
taxpayers receive annual the White House Office of
refunds, giving them an in- Management and Budget,
centive to file their returns under President Barack
early. Many lower-income Obama, rejected that po-
people count on refunds as sition and directed the IRS