IRS Will Reopen All Remaining Offices On July 13, Rettig Says

The IRS will reopen all remaining facilities on July 13 to workers whose jobs cannot be done remotely, though social distancing and telework policies will remain in effect, Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in internal email provided to Law360 on Thursday.

In the next few weeks, Internal Revenue Service managers will begin contacting employees whose work cannot be performed remotely with reporting instructions, Rettig said in the email, which the agency provided to Law360. Meanwhile, the agency's current telework policy will still be in full force so that those who can perform their duties at home can continue to do so, Rettig said. The IRS closed its offices in the spring amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

"As the public health situation evolves, we will continue to closely monitor state and local guidelines and adhere to safety protocols to protect employees, including social distancing and using face coverings in common areas," the email said.

Rettig's message follows an earlier announcement this month that the agency would reopen operations in eight states and in Puerto Rico by the end of June. These 130 offices include 28,000 employees. Of those, 15,500 can telework and the remainder can be recalled to perform work that isn't portable, the agency said.

The IRS did not immediately respond when asked how many employees in the newly opening offices could be recalled to perform nonportable work. 

Since the reopenings, three workers in Austin, Texas, have tested positive for COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

But the IRS is making sure precautions are being taken for the health of its employees, Rettig said Thursday in the email. For example, employee workspaces will be assessed to ensure that they are properly cleaned, have adequate supplies and social distancing procedures are being followed, the email said.

Workers should not come to work if they experience COVID-19 symptoms, have been in close contact with someone confirmed to have the disease in the previous 14 days or have been instructed to self-quarantine, he said.

Tony Reardon, national president of the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents IRS workers, told Law360 in a statement that between now and July 13, the NTEU will continue working with the IRS to make sure appropriate safety protocols are fully enacted.

"The coronavirus pandemic remains a concern for IRS employees returning to work especially as some states are seeing a rise in cases and several instances of returning employees diagnosed with COVID-19," Reardon said.

The NTEU agrees with the IRS' approach to reopen gradually and its pledge to call back only those employees with work that is not portable, Reardon said.

Those who have returned to IRS offices have said they have adequate supplies such as hand sanitizer and the IRS has been monitoring and cleaning workspaces, but these policies must be sustained as more workers return to the offices, he said.

Meanwhile, NTEU is still recommending the tax return filing deadline be extended to Oct. 15 because an additional three months would give everyone more time to deal with the disruptions that have resulted from the novel coronavirus, Reardon said.

--Additional reporting by David van den Berg and Thersea Schliep. Editing by Joyce Laskowski. 

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