‘It’s chaos’: Metro IRS employees say their jobs, your services on the line amid layoffs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - During the busiest time of year – Tax Day – Internal Revenue Service (IRS) workers are not just crunching numbers but are focused on keeping their jobs.

More job cuts are looming for thousands of federal workers across the U.S. as part of the Trump Administration’s plan to significantly slash the IRS’s workforce.

Federal employees in Kansas City are among the cities that will be impacted the most.

Tuesday afternoon, dozens of employees spent their lunch break to rally and protest outside Kansas City’s IRS building in Downtown.

Employees held signs for 30 minutes, that read ‘IRS Is Not a Corporation’ and ‘Protect Federal Workers Like They Protect You’ and chanted ‘this is what democracy looks like.”

“We’re preparing for a major reduction in workforce here and we just want to make sure that Americans know that were not okay with this,” said Shannon Ellis, NTEU Chapter 66 President.

Shannon Ellis represents more than 6,000 employees in the building and said reduction in force notices could be sent out as soon as the end of this week.

“They’re looking for at least two phases, maybe more of this. The problem is we just don’t know the numbers yet,” she said.

Ellis said the impacts of cuts range from low, moderate and high, but the lack of details is feeding fear.

“We haven’t gotten information from the agency about what areas or how many people or any of that so we’re all just wondering am I next?” said Daniel Scharpenburg, NTEU Chapter 66 Vice President.

Union leaders said as many as 120,000 federal jobs across the country are on the line, including thousands in Kansas City.

“We know that the enforcement side has been targeted, we have tax collecting in this building and we look for them to be hit high.”

Ellis said what happens behind the IRS walls will impact and should concern you.

“We not only process your returns, send your refunds, correct any mistakes,” Ellis said, “but the revenue that’s collected in here funds every agency out here.”

From school lunches to food safety and veteran care, Ellis said the impacts of these cuts won’t just impact federal employees.

“How many Americans haven’t heard that some kind of food product has something in it and they’re pulling them off the shelves? said Ellis, well those are the very agencies that their downsizing or closing.”

Despite the uncertainty, employees are still showing up and working overtime.

“Even though these employees know that their jobs are on the line they’re still coming in seven days a week to make sure this is done,” she said.

While submitting taxes marks the end of a season for most, for these federal workers it’s part of another long fight.

“I can’t really say if refunds will be late, but if your refund is late, you’re going to know why,” said Scharpenburg.

Union Leaders said they plan to be a part of a nationwide protest next weekend at Mill Creek Park.

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