The IRS has closed the last service center it had open nationally, a response to the coronavirus pandemic that will further strain the agency's resources amid a heavier-than-normal workload.
It was unclear Wednesday how the closure of the sprawling Ogden, Utah, center might affect the parts of the economic response to the pandemic that the IRS is managing, including sending out millions of stimulus payments to individuals and families, and implementing tax breaks to help businesses deal with the crisis.
Some critical personnel will continue to work at the seven-building campus and others are working remotely, according to the union that represents workers there.
The Treasury Department is still on track to begin making the stimulus payments next week, a source in the department said. An IRS spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
The Ogden facility is focused on dealing with large-business taxpayers. Among its duties is processing a mailed-in form that allows corporations to get quick refunds, an IRS official said last week.
Robert Lawrence, president of the National Treasury Employees Union’s Ogden chapter, said assistance for businesses is "coming through slower, but it’s still coming through.” He also expects some impact on stimulus payments, noting high call volume on the topic before the facility closed.
The union said in a notice on its website Monday that, "Mission-critical operations may require some employees to continue to report to work or be subject to recall as needed, despite the office being closed."
Some employees are also teleworking, the notice said.
The union said the decision to shutter the facility stemmed from a county government stay-at-home order. The IRS has made similar moves across the country.
Sunita Lough, the agency's deputy commissioner for services and enforcement, said at an event last week that the Ogden service center was the last one open.
Tax industry professionals, including paid preparers, have said the closures are seriously hampering their ability to get services from the IRS, and the agency is urging patience during the crisis.
The IRS is among the largest employers in the Ogden area, with an estimated headcount of 5,000, Lawrence said. He was unsure of the number of employees still working on site or teleworking.
The closure came at the right time given peak coronavirus forecasts, Lawrence said, a point echoed by NTEU National President Tony Reardon.
“The temporary closure of IRS facilities, in accordance with state and local orders, plays an important role in stopping community spread of coronavirus among federal employees, their families and their friends and neighbors,” Reardon said in a statement.
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