[kobebryant168]

I have just passed my CPA exam last month. I m currently working in a very small firm. I have been requesting my CPA supervisor and the CPA owner to sign my General Accounting Experience hours since I have been working there for two plus years. Both of them, teaming up with each other keep making excuses of not signing my hours. They keep on saying after a certain projects and so on, just keep postponing the whole process. As far as I know, they do not want to lose me, especially tax season coming up. They are not stupid and they know that once they sign the hours, I will be gone off to somewhere else based on how much they are paying me now. Both of them are seniors, around 70 years old and ready to retire. They intend to sell the business pretty soon. But for myself I need to plan ahead.

My question is, do they have the rights to not signing the hours? They even said that I don’t have enough accounting experience and they don’t want to risk their licenses that can be in jeopardy . I have no idea what they are trying to say but i have been working there under supervision for two years. How will the Board check on their signature? I’m confused, what kinda risk do they really have to their licenses generally speaking?

Hopefully someone, can help me on this, I’m a CA applicant.

Thank you!

[littlenumberrobot]

If you read the licensing handbook there is a section regarding this. You can get the CBA involved with your communication with the partners. Worse you can do is make an official complaint to CBA. Read the handbook.

CA CPA - All because of the journey listed below
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FAR - 53('10), 8/25/12 79 PASSED!
REG - 66('11), 69('12), 12/06/12 77 PASSED!!
BEC - 58('10), 74('12), 01/05/13 77 PASSED!!!
AUD - 43('11), 66('12), 69('13), 74('13) 7/29/13 85 PASSED!!!!!

(Combinations of Roger, Yaeger, Wiley Book, Wiley TB, & NINJA Notes)

Ethics 90%

[Jade CPA-to-be]

i agree. i think you should get the board involved and actually the board can force them to sign.

i dont know what kind of experience you get from working there, but for my understanding, any general accounting work over 1 year counts. but if you get the board involved, your boss might not be happy =[

CPA Licensed in California- Class of 2013

[Anonymous]

Truthfully, I don't know whether or not the board can FORCE anyone to sign anything. After all, the CPA is the one attesting to the fact that you have the experience. But again, I'm not really 100% sure. What I do know is a little about human behavior. The accounting industry tends to be smaller than you might think (especially when talking just CPAs) and if you burn this bridge (Which, by the way, you would be doing spectacularly, my friend. Rather, you'd be soaking the bridge in gasoline, breaking off the CPA's mother's wooden peg-leg, lighting it on fire and using it to torch said bridge) you may screw yourself. You will be vilified by this CPA to all other CPAs in your area and he/she will likely do whatever he/she can to stunt your career growth. Listen to me before I make this statement, I don't think you are in the wrong to be thinking about doing this…I really don't blame you. However, you will likely be viewed/perceived as a whiny little b***h who “tattles” or whatever you want to call it.

If I may give you a suggestion, keep pressing the issue but maybe wait until after tax season. If they don't sign it at that point, I would leave the firm and seek employment elsewhere. Your scores aren't going anywhere and you won't be signing any audit opinions anytime soon anyway, so there's no rush ya know? Might be better off taking that approach so that you don't effectively damage your career.

Regardless of what you do, congrats on the passing the exams…great achievement. Good luck!

[MsCPA544]

They can't, its unethical. If you let the board know, they can investigate them for such thing and probably get their licenses revoked.

FAR-7/27/13
AUD-5/25/13
REG-NOT SCHEDULED
BEC-NOT SCHEDULED

[Whatdidyou]

The board can't make them sign. That's a silly thought. All they'd have to do is tell the board that they doin't think you've appropriately demonstrated the skills that they are asked to sign off on.

I'd continue to push them (you have more levarage before tax season IMO). Really get them to explain why they refuse to. Seems like they are, rightfully, scared that you'll leave once they sign. Make them think you'll leave even sooner if they don't.

Or screw it. Just get another job.

REG - Passed!!
BEC - Passed
FAR - Passed
AUD - Passed

Study Materials: Becker basic course

[WALOB]

Good old-fashioned negotiation: if you sign and give me a raise, I'll stay, forget this whole misunderstanding and stay until you sell or find a replacement, if you sign no raise, I will stay until the end of tax season, plus tie up my loose ends, if you don't sign I'm out of here now. And nothing is worse than dealing with a no notice walk off.

Note: I am terrible at negotiating.

FAR: 83
AUD: 89
REG: Post busy season
BEC: Post busy season

[Jade CPA-to-be]

sorry, i should not use the word “force”. i had no real experience with this matter and maybe i misunderstood what the board can do.

CPA Licensed in California- Class of 2013

[Author]

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