The Ensuring Integrity in the IRS Workforce Act of 2016 was introduced on Tuesday by U.S. Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Dean Heller (R-NV) and Mike Enzi (R-WY).
“IRS employees who were fired for serious offenses and gross misconduct like fraud, falsification of documents, and unauthorized access to taxpayer information shouldn’t be allowed back in the agency at all,” Burr said. “This is insulting to the American people and the employees who do serve honorably, and simply gives bad actors a chance to bilk the taxpayers a second time. Even an individual with ‘Do Not Rehire’ stamped on their files was mistakenly hired again. This practice must end now. It is the definition of insanity.”
The legislation follows a lengthy examination process that found that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) repeatedly rehired employees who were fired for poor conduct or performance. Under the legislation, the IRS would be required to end such rehiring.
“With so many scandals calling into question the integrity of the IRS, the agency already has a tough enough time convincing taxpayers it should be taken seriously,” Heller said. “This is why the IRS should have a greater ability to fire employees who commit misconduct. More importantly, it is incomprehensible that those same employees, who commit serious offenses, are allowed to be re-hired by the IRS, especially if the IRS has concerns over budgetary constraints. If the IRS is to ever restore its credibility and regain Nevadan taxpayers’ trust, this behavior must stop.”
U.S. Reps. Kristi Noem (R-SD) and Peter Roskam (R-IL) introduced the Ensuring Integrity in the IRS Workforce Act of 2015 – H.R. 3724 – which would prohibit the commissioner of the IRS from rehiring any employee who was involuntarily separated from service for misconduct.