Washington (CNN) The Trump administration is taking steps to make sure American taxpayers won't feel the impact if the White House and Congress can't avert a second partial government shutdown this week.

That means keeping more than 46,000 workers -- about 57% of Internal Revenue Service employees -- on the job without pay , to make sure tax returns are processed and refunds paid on time.

A Treasury official told CNN on Monday that if funding lapses again on Friday, the IRS will follow contingency plan put in place in January, including a revised protocol to accommodate the tax filing season. Treasury would only release a new plan if "significant modifications" take place, otherwise the existing plan would be used, the official said.

Agencies were advised by the Office of Management and Budget on Friday to begin preparing for a second shutdown, a senior administration official told CNN.

Tony Reardon, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said federal employees who were furloughed are still digging out from five weeks of backlog with some still awaiting their full back pay. The shutdown ended Jan. 25.

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