IRS enforces mandatory overtime to reduce mounting workload
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has begun enforcing mandatory overtime at its Kansas City office, aiming to reduce a growing backlog in tax return filings, as reported by Federal News Network on May 6, 2025.
Under the directive, staff in the Input Correction Operation (ICO) unit must work 16 additional hours of mandatory overtime across two Saturdays (May 10th and May 17th), to address returns flagged by the agency’s Error Resolution System (ERS).
IRS Operation Manager, Latifah Hisham, told staff last Friday that “All minimally and fully successful” ICO employees trained to address this backlog of tax return errors must complete these 16 hours of required weekend overtime.
“Remember, if we do not make a sizable dent in the ERS rejects … inventory, there is the possibility of additional required overtime,” Hisham stated in a memo to IRS staff.
Hisham said that weekday overtime is still optional, “but not part of the required 16 hours” of weekend overtime.
The IRS implemented similar measures during the COVID-19 pandemic to address operational backlogs.
What is mandatory overtime?
Mandatory overtime is when employees are required by their employer to work additional hours beyond their normal workweek schedule. It is typically enforced during operational emergencies or backlogs when usual employee schedules don’t meet operational needs.
Why is Mandatory Overtime Required by the IRS?
Although the IRS has resolved the bulk of its pandemic-era delays, it still faces a bottleneck: manually processing paper returns that fail automated checks. The ERS identifies anomalies or errors that require human review, and thousands of these suspended returns remain unresolved.
The agency initially requested voluntary overtime from employees to address the backlog, but when those efforts fell short, mandatory overtime was ordered at the Kansas City office.
The Kansas City office is one of the IRS’s three facilities still handling paper tax returns. The other office processes returns digitally.
How Does This Affects IRS Employees?
IRS employees say being pushed into mandatory weekend shifts is hurting morale, especially after months of voluntary overtime failed to gain traction. Some workers believe the pressure stems not just from backlogs, but from ongoing staffing cuts that have left key teams short-handed.
“Everything is a mess. People are sick all the time,” an employee said. “A lot of people are despondent.”
Is Mandatory Overtime a Band-Aid for Looming Staff Layoffs?
The IRS has already initiated major workforce reductions, offering voluntary separation incentives through an organized reduction in force (RIF) plan. Roughly 22,000 employees have applied for the “deferred resignation” program, which grants paid leave to the end of the fiscal year.
Some applicants were told they couldn’t leave until after May 15 due to their essential roles during the tax season, which some believe is the real reason behind the mandatory overtime.
Kelly Reyes, executive director of the Professional Managers Association, who represents IRS staff said, “I would be thinking, ‘I’m getting ready to lose some folks. What do my inventory levels look like, and how can I make sure that I continue to serve the taxpayer through this process?’ So that’s a possibility.”
The situation has raised fears among staff that shrinking headcounts will lead to even more reliance on overtime, making long hours a lasting norm.
Regardless of motive, mandating longer workweek hours will undoubtedly impact organizational culture and employee morale.
Related Content:
How to Calculate Overtime Pay for Hourly and Salaried Employees
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