The IRS has begun laying off more than 6,000 new and newly promoted employees across the country as part of the push to slash the federal government, sources say.

The threatened layoffs appeared to be underway Thursday, with estimates of between 6,000 and 7,000 employees being fired in the middle of tax-filing season.

The IRS will lay off roughly 7,000 workers in Washington and around the country beginning Thursday, a person familiar with the plans told the Associated Press. The layoffs affect probationary employees with roughly one year or less of service at the agency and largely include workers in compliance departments,