美国国税局要求数千人带着口罩返回工作岗位

The Internal Revenue Service has told some 10.000 of its employees that they're needed back in the office as soon as Monday — and they'll need to bring their own masks.

美国国税局已经告诉大约1万名员工，他们最快需要在周一回到办公室，而且他们需要带上自己的口罩。

Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee say it's "completely irresponsible and unethical for the IRS to demand those workers obtain their own protective equipment."

众议院筹款委员会的民主党人说，“国税局要求这些工人获得自己的防护设备是完全不负责任和不道德的。”

The panel released an email from the agency, which said the IRS was trying to obtain personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves, but that "each IRS facility may not be able to initially procure the PPE for all employees immediately. Employees are therefore required to bring personal face coverings for their nose and mouth area when they come to work."

该委员会发布了一封来自国税局的电子邮件，称国税局正试图获得个人防护装备(PPE)，如口罩和手套，但“每个国税局机构可能无法立即为所有员工购买个人防护装备”。因此，员工上班时必须带个人口罩，遮住口鼻。”

Those who don't, the memo warned, may be sent back home.

备忘录警告说，那些不这样做的人可能会被遣送回家。

The lawmakers said the IRS should not require any employees it deems essential to report to work until it can provide them with the protective equipment they are required to wear.

议员们说，美国国税局不应该要求任何它认为有必要的雇员去上班，直到它能够为他们提供所需的防护装备。

The IRS had not responded to a request for comment at publication time.

截至发稿时，美国国税局尚未回应置评请求。

The National Treasury Employees Union, which represents many IRS workers, said it "appreciates" that the agency has first asked for volunteers, who will receive incentive pay, to return to the workplace.

代表许多国税局工作人员的美国财政部员工工会表示，它“赞赏”国税局首先要求志愿者重返工作岗位，这些志愿者将获得激励性薪酬。

The NTEU says it is "communicating with the IRS about working conditions at those facilities to make sure there are adequate cleaning and disinfecting supplies, accommodations to allow for physical distancing among employees and personal protective equipment, including masks and gloves."

NTEU表示，他们正在“与美国国税局就这些设施的工作条件进行沟通，以确保有足够的清洁和消毒用品，住宿条件允许员工之间保持身体距离，以及个人防护装备，包括口罩和手套”。

The "mission critical" responsibilities that the returning IRS employees perform include opening taxpayer correspondence, handling tax documents, taking taxpayer telephone calls and performing other functions.

回到国税局员工履行的“关键任务”职责包括打开纳税人信函、处理税务文件、接听纳税人电话以及履行其他职能。

The union said if there are not enough volunteers, "the agency will direct employees to return to the workplace."

工会表示，如果没有足够的志愿者，“该机构将指示员工返回工作场所。”

The workers are needed at 10 IRS offices around the country. It's apparently the first large-scale recall of employees sent home by the federal government since the start of the pandemic.

美国国税局在全国有10个办事处需要这些工作人员。这显然是自流感大流行开始以来，联邦政府首次大规模召回被遣送回家的员工。

The agency extended the filing deadline for this year's income tax returns from April 15 to July 15.

该机构将今年所得税申报的截止日期从4月15日延长至7月15日。