Other issues included incorrect addresses, hours of operation and points of contact and a lack of clarity on irs.gov that only TACs can provide face to face taxpayer services. Image: aimanjunoh/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffMembers of the public who search online for local IRS offices often are directed to offices not set up to deal directly with taxpayers, says an inspector general audit done at the request of agency management after an employee raised the concern at a town hall meeting on employee safety.
“Inaccurate information poses a safety and security issue for IRS employees because taxpayers are expecting assistance at IRS offices, which are not open to the public. Taxpayers may become angry when they are not assisted. Additionally, it poses a burden on taxpayers who travel to IRS offices and cannot get their tax issues addressed,” it says.
The agency “does not have a function designated to fully manage and update information pertaining to IRS locations on external search engines,” the report said. As a result, it said that in a test using various terms that a taxpayer might enter into a common search engine, auditors often were directed to offices other than Taxpayer Assistance Centers.
Other issues included incorrect addresses, hours of operation and points of contact and a lack of clarity on irs.gov that only TACs can provide face to face taxpayer services.
The IG said that while it “could not confirm whether there have been a substantial number of instances where taxpayers arrived at non-TAC locations, there is still a need to ensure that IRS employees remain safe in the workplace, and the IRS has an obligation to ensure that information provided to taxpayers is up-to-date and accurate.”
It said management agreed to make its office of online services responsible for updating IRS information on external search engines and that it has clarified on its site that personal assistance is available only at the assistance centers.
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