We’re proud to offer our IRS employees time to engage in all of their professional activities, as well as a full personal life outside the office. It's something we think is important for the individuals whose varied talents and knowledge keep us going strong. That’s why you'll experience a culturally rich atmosphere with programs that can enhance your skill set, plus federal benefits that go above and beyond those in the private sector. And it’s why, at the end of the workday, you'll have time to just be you.
Our Work-Life Programs
The IRS offers a wealth of workplace flexibilities and work-life programs to help you balance career and home. Some of the many programs available to you include:
Alternative Work Schedules (AWS) Program
The AWS Program provides the flexibility to choose or vary an employee’s work schedule from the standard 8-hour day and 40-hour week. Employees may request AWS to help balance work, personal and family responsibilities.
Child Care Centers
Balancing the needs of work and family life can be challenging, and we know that many of our employees have child care needs. So the IRS works in partnership with the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide on-site child care facilities. GSA manages these centers in 31 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico — and 10 of them are co-located with IRS facilities. Each center is independently operated, and services and fees vary from center to center. In addition, our Employee Assistance Program can also provide you with free referral information to assist you in finding care for children, grandchildren and eldercare.
Child Care Subsidy Program
The Child Care Subsidy program is offered to eligible IRS employees to reduce the amount they pay for childcare by paying subsidies directly to childcare providers. The program is designed to encourage eligible employees and their families to use quality child care services by offsetting a portion of their costs by up to $5,000 per year.
Drug-Free Workplace Program
It is federal government policy to ensure a drug-free workplace and offer prevention and/or treatment programs and services for substance abuse to federal employees. Our drug-free workplace plan includes an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as an essential element in achieving a drug-free workplace. IRS employees experiencing drug and/or alcohol problems have an opportunity to seek rehabilitation, resolve their issues and become fully productive members of our workforce.
Employee Assistance Program
Here at the IRS, we’re committed to helping employees balance their work and family life. Therefore, we make free employee assistance services available to all of our employees and their immediate family members around the clock (24 x 7) to help with everyday challenges affecting their personal and professional lives. These services, provided by ComPsych Corporation, help families overcome stressful life issues and personal concerns. Employee assistance services include cost-free confidential counseling to address a variety of personal issues that you or your dependents may be facing — from marital conflict, stress, grief/loss and depression to alcohol and drug abuse. The Employee Assistance Program provides free information and resources for legal, financial, eldercare, childcare and other issues employees or their family members may face.
Employee Suggestion Program
We welcome your suggestions for improving our work processes and working conditions. Your ideas are a valuable and unique resource through which we can increase our efficiency and employee morale. This program also recognizes IRS employees as individuals who play a critical role in our ability to increase our overall efficiency and the economy of our government operations. IRS employees whose adopted ideas result in savings or improvements may receive up to 25 percent of the tangible first-year savings. Awards may be paid in cash, time off from work, or a combination of both.
Federal Academic Alliance
OPM partners with colleges and universities as a part of the continuing efforts to provide higher educational opportunities to the federal workforce by providing current federal employees with the opportunity to pursue post-secondary education at reduced tuition rates. Federal employees can take advantage of this benefit to pursue or enhance their higher academic education at their own pace. Some agreements extend the benefits to spouses and legal dependents. See Federal Academic Alliance to learn more.
Fitness Centers
Space in federal buildings is provided for exercise, and some IRS locations have on-site workout facilities in 27 fitness centers nationwide. There are no membership fees in IRS-only fitness centers; but other fitness centers located in GSA shared federal buildings may require a membership fee.
Health Services
Because we recognize how important it is to maintain a healthy and fit federal workforce, we offer excellent health services to IRS employees. They will help promote and maintain your physical and mental fitness with a variety of services, such as flu shots, cholesterol and blood pressure screenings, smoking cessation programs and wellness workshops. On-site health units in many of our locations also provide episodic care, health screenings, health risk appraisals and more. facilities are available for IRS employee use at no cost.
Lactation Program
IRS employees have designated, private space to express their milk. This space can be a health clinic or conference room with a table, chair, electrical outlet and a small refrigerator.
Leave Sharing Program
The Leave Sharing Program — open to full-time and part-time employees — is comprised of the IRS Leave Bank and Leave Transfer programs. If you are a member of the Leave Bank, you can apply donated annual leave to a personal or family medical emergency. The Leave Transfer Program will also allow you to receive donated leave from other employees when you’re facing a medical emergency or a qualifying disaster-related event.
Leave Program
Multiple leave options are available to help employees maintain a work-life balance, including:
• Annual leave for vacations and personal needs,
• Sick leave for employee and family medical needs,
• Maternity/paternity leave for pregnancy, birth, adoption and/or foster care of a child,
• Family Medical Leave Act for serious health conditions employees or their family members may experience,
• Advanced leave when the severity of the situation warrants its approval and use and
• Other types of leave for circumstances that employees might encounter during their careers, such as Bone Marrow and Organ Donor Leave, Court Leave, military leave and leave without pay.
Student Loan Repayment Program
The Student Loan Repayment Program is offered to eligible IRS employees to reduce the amount they pay for student loans. The program is designed for highly qualified IRS employees who occupy hard-to-fill positions by helping them repay all or a portion of their federally-insured qualifying student loans. Student loan repayments may be up to $10,000 per year, and up to $60,000 in total for any one employee.