IRS holds hiring events in 6 cities after staff cuts

The IRS is holding in-person interviews in six cities for key seasonal roles, a move that the chair of the AICPA welcomed during her comments Monday at AICPA ENGAGE.

“What we need to say is that we do hear you,” Chair Jan Lewis, CPA, CGMA, partner at BMSS Advisors & CPAs in the Jackson, Miss., metro area, said in response to a question. “We know the challenge is there, and we are hopeful. We think the IRS definitely wants to work with us and hear what we have to say, and the best part of that, we heard last week the IRS is now actually hiring … to try to get new customer service representatives that will help us in some of our pain with reaching the IRS.”

Earlier in June, the IRS announced hiring sessions for clerks, contact representatives (or customer service representatives), and tax examiners. The sessions began this week and will continue through mid-July in Kansas City. Other sessions will be held in Jacksonville, Fla.; Covington, Ky.; Ogden, Utah; and Austin, Texas.

The job openings come as the IRS has cut its staff by more than a quarter. National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins noted in her annual report to Congress that the IRS employed over 102,000 people in January 2025. By December, that number had dropped to 74,000, a decrease of 27%.

The IRS recommended that those interested in openings first apply to the USAJOBS job announcement before going to the event. Hiring officials will make on-the-spot job offers to qualified attendees who applied early, although no prior tax experience is required, the IRS said.

“These hiring events are an important step in strengthening our workforce and improving the taxpayer experience,” IRS CEO Frank J. Bisignano said in a news release. “We are looking for individuals who want to make a meaningful impact while building a rewarding career in public service.”

Customer service representatives research computer-based programs and resources to provide tax-related assistance to taxpayers over the phone, while tax examiners analyze and resolve processing problems, adjust taxpayer accounts, and respond to taxpayer inquiries regarding preparation of a variety of tax returns and related schedules.

In May, the IRS announced openings for team case leads in the Independent Office of Appeals.

However, Bisignano told the House Ways and Means Committee in March that he felt “good about the number of employees I have right now.” 

— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Martha Waggoner at Martha.Waggoner@aicpa-cima.com.