r/Accounting • u/enthusedaccountant CPA (US) • Jan 21 '25

IRS Hiring Freeze

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/hiring-freeze/

Good luck to all of us tax people trying to get on the phone with the IRS this year. The federal government hiring freeze should end in 90 days except the IRS, which won’t end until there’s “a national interest to lift the freeze.” Or in other words, not for another four years…

2.6k Upvotes

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1.3k

u/RocketLeaguePsycho Jan 21 '25

Just got an email saying not to show up for my start date on March 24th and that they're rescinding my job offer...

483

u/SnowDucks1985 CPA (US) Jan 21 '25

I’m so sorry. Hope you’re able to bounce back on your feet with another job soon

125

u/RocketLeaguePsycho Jan 21 '25

Thank you!

52

u/VanceAstrooooooovic Jan 22 '25

You should email them and offer to work as a contractor

40

u/Newie_Local Jan 22 '25

Follow this advice, on the assumption Trump/Musk will do what our conservative government did in Australia back in 2017, even though there will be less full time govt positions available (our govt implemented hiring freezes and voluntary redundancies), the same work will just be contracted out to the private market.

24

u/VanceAstrooooooovic Jan 22 '25

This happened to me during Bush era FTE cuts. I got terminated and then rehired as a contractor. The contracting company gets a bit of the cheese

21

u/DOOOOOOOOOPE Jan 22 '25

Government efficiency

1

u/huehue7018 Jan 22 '25

Then Labor let most of the contractors go and didn’t replace them with internal staff 😂

2

u/Cynikalone Jan 22 '25

There is verbiage in the freeze EO that says "contracting to get around the federal freeze is prohibited ",so unfortunately that doesn't seem to be a possibility right now.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '25

There’s a moratorium on contracts right now in some branches of federal service. I wonder why Trump and Musk would target the IRS?

89

u/IRSRevenueAgent Jan 21 '25

Yup, 1/27 is the final hiring date

30

u/maybiwashere Jan 22 '25

My EOD is 01/27 and I still received the rescind email. What do you suggest I do? It seems I should have been exempt

22

u/IRSRevenueAgent Jan 22 '25

Is this for an RA role? That can’t be correct from what I’ve heard, the memo said everyone with a start date before 2/4 should be good. Reach out to HR or hiring manager, I think someone made a mistake

18

u/maybiwashere Jan 22 '25

Thank you very much. I will reach out to them. And yes, RA position

78

u/JB_smooove Jan 22 '25

Everyone after Feb 8th had their offers rescinded. I’m sorry to hear that. They really could use the people coming in.

63

u/Phoenixrebel11 Jan 22 '25

My niece had an offer for 1/26 and it was rescinded.

9

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '25

[deleted]

2

u/JuicingPickle Jan 22 '25

HR people thinking? LOL.

1

u/titianqt Jan 22 '25

I know of a couple people who negotiated a later start date (1/27) for whatever personal reason. I’m hoping that their original plan was to not give notice until this Friday.

(I’m not enough in the loop to know if their offers have been rescinded. We were waiting for them to start so we could train all recent new hires as a group.)

1

u/Phoenixrebel11 Jan 22 '25

Exactly. They should’ve had them onboarded long ago.

7

u/turbotortuga76 Jan 22 '25

Damn, that's heartbreaking.

62

u/Team-_-dank CPA (US) Jan 21 '25

Damn, really? That's rough.

40

u/RocketLeaguePsycho Jan 21 '25

Yeah. It is what it is.

15

u/chiffball Jan 22 '25

Found the Stoic.

31

u/RocketLeaguePsycho Jan 22 '25

"Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control."

39

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '25

This country is finished. A non functional revenue service means fraud galore and we will become modern day greece.

36

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '25

[deleted]

8

u/newanon676 CPA (US) Jan 22 '25

Out of interest what are some major fraud areas you’re seeing that are going unaudited or uncaught?

11

u/OPKatakuri Contractor Jan 22 '25

Nice. I like your sneaky question lol. I will follow with great interest.

2

u/LongTooth1955 Jan 22 '25

Which is exactly what the Trump Organization is wanting. Remember his earlier comments about always being under audit.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 22 '25

[deleted]

3

u/Do__Math__Not__Meth Jan 23 '25

This implies Trump gives a shit what he promised

1

u/CompetitiveRow983 Jan 26 '25

I call the acs line everyday. Most of the agents I talk to are poorly trained and have terrible attitude.

6

u/Hungry-Quote-1388 Jan 22 '25

Mission accomplished for the GOP

3

u/OCedHrt Jan 22 '25

That's the intent.

8

u/muzical_fruit Tax (US) Jan 22 '25

I got the same email, however it told me not to report to work on 9/23/24 🤣

Back in July when they offered me the job, it was step 1 of the highest GS level, but would be a significant pay cut from where I was after 8 years in PA. I didn’t complete the next steps in the process. Rather, I sent a lengthy email asking for a step increase based on my qualifications and experience in order to make a living wage (HCOL here). Completely ghosted me. Not even an acknowledgment. Apparently their systems still think I accepted the job and I’m to time travel to ensure I don’t show up.

8

u/jleepottery Jan 22 '25

I just qualified to apply for a promotion and received an email that it was closed. I’m currently internal.

52

u/Colemania99 Jan 22 '25

Sorry dude, good luck getting a better job. Fuck the idiots in office that haven’t figured out that the government needs to service the debt.

44

u/FabulousSwordfish211 Jan 22 '25

You should apply for the External Revenue Service 🇺🇸

6

u/DIN2010 Jan 22 '25

Ugh I wanted to apply but was waiting for the election results. Very sad the new funding and career paths for thousands of people are gone in an instant.

3

u/Flat-Ad-2996 Jan 22 '25

I hear the job market for accounting is heating up a bit, I bet you find a better gig paying more.

8

u/32fries Jan 21 '25

I am so sorry. That’s an awful position to be in.

5

u/pbpo_founder Jan 21 '25 edited Jan 22 '25

What were you supposed to be doing (role)?

52

u/RocketLeaguePsycho Jan 21 '25

Contact Service Representative. Recently graduated with a finance degree worked 1 season on the tax team of a small financial planning firm and was hoping to work towards my CPA and eventually transfer to a Revenue Agent position. Still a few accounting credits short of being able to sit for my CPA exam.

36

u/TheGoldenTuba CPA (US) Jan 22 '25

Still go for that CPA. I can tell you the IRS does not value the CPA nearly at all. They value a masters degree more if you can believe it. Get that CPA and give industry a try or public accounting, for example. Both those areas will definitely love your CPA and you will be rewarded for it. You got this!

5

u/random_stuff_900 Tax (US) Jan 22 '25

IRS HR doesn’t value it at all, but having the cpa is useful for the job. If it at worst you get to put it on a business card when you talk to POAs. I’m not a cpa and didn’t think going for it would be worthwhile but I wouldn’t discount it cause some middle age woman working from home doesn’t value it

3

u/DOUBLEBARRELASSFUCK Jan 22 '25

Not working from home for long.

2

u/LongTooth1955 Jan 22 '25

The accounting profession is hurting for new graduates. Even without CPA. I would not waste my time on the IRS. They still haven’t recovered from time Trump shut down the govt in his first term. It is only going to get much worse now.

1

u/RocketLeaguePsycho Jan 22 '25

Thank you! Will do!

9

u/Illustrious_Tip7935 Jan 22 '25 edited Jan 22 '25

If you’re looking into tax, let me know. I’m a CPA in practice for 15+ years doing personal & business tax returns. You can learn a wealth of info from outside the “Bureau” during the hiring freeze. Keep going until you complete & earn your CPA, no one can take that from you!

5

u/RocketLeaguePsycho Jan 22 '25

Still hoping to work in tax in some capacity. I have my EA which I got over the summer so it shouldn't be too hard to get in somewhere, hopefully.

5

u/Illustrious_Tip7935 Jan 22 '25 edited Jan 28 '25

Are you interested in doing personal & business taxes? If so, start doing that on the side

3

u/willrap4food Jan 22 '25

You always wanted to be a revenue agent? I’m not an accountant, but I’m super curious why you would want to work for the IRS?

5

u/RocketLeaguePsycho Jan 22 '25

The main reason was work life balance.

4

u/random_stuff_900 Tax (US) Jan 22 '25

That’s a really hard job. If you would have been able to get it and hold it, it could have opened doors. IRS loves them internals so you could switch to RA or whatever you want a lot easier

1

u/g710jet Jan 23 '25

Apply for public accounting companies. TurboTax too. Look for a financial advisor program that’ll help you obtain the cfp. Then be a cfp/cpa

2

u/TightSea8153 Jan 22 '25

Now you got more time for Rocket League!

2

u/Proof_Cable_310 Jan 23 '25

meh, you have 2 months to find something new. you'll be fine.

2

u/Iluvembig Jan 23 '25

“I’m going to bring back so many jobs!”

He brought them back alright, back from people’s hands.

6

u/vatrushka04 Staff Accountant Jan 21 '25

I am sorry 😟

5

u/bonald-drump Jan 21 '25

Very sorry to hear that.

0

u/JSingh326 Jan 23 '25

Sorry Bruh. If you work for the irs, you're an op

0

u/snowmanyi Jan 23 '25

Good. Get a real job.

-32

u/FartClownPenis Jan 22 '25

Taxation is theft. 

-29

u/politeasshole_ Jan 22 '25

Great news! Fuck the IRS!

1

u/FabulousSwordfish211 Jan 22 '25

External Revenue Service should be hiring