Emotional scenes unfolded outside the IRS building in Holtsville Thursday as workers were seen visibly upset, walking out of the building. Employees said more than 100 of their colleagues were laid off Thursday.

Jennafer Masud, who had been with the agency for eight months, was among those let go. A mother of two, including a 5-week-old baby, Masud expressed shock and frustration over the sudden loss of her job, noting that she had been relying on her position for essential benefits.

“They have health insurance through this job, life insurance, all that's gone. They said all benefits cease as of today," Masud said.

The layoffs, which come during the height of tax season, have drawn criticism from labor unions.

Doreen Greenwald, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, condemned the firings as "indiscriminate," particularly given the timing.

"In the middle of a tax filing season, when taxpayers expect prompt customer service and smooth processing of their tax returns, the administration has chosen to decimate the whole operation by sending dedicated civil servants to the unemployment lines," the union president said in a statement.

The sentiment was echoed by Masud, who described the situation as confusing and disheartening.

“We were very, in my opinion, essential. But we were deemed non-essential, so we were let go today,” she said.