Furlough Threat at IRS Resolved

The IRS, which earlier this year threatened two unpaid furlough days for virtually all employees as a budget-saving measure, will not have to carry through on that threat, the agency and the NTEU union have announced. They said that management found other cuts and budgetary adjustments to avoid the furloughs at IRS, one of the agencies that did impose sequestration-related furloughs in 2013. The agency has been operating under general budgetary restrictions for several years that have been blamed for staff reductions and decreases in customer service and enforcement activities, among other effects.