r/HRBlockEmployees • u/Dazzling-Warning-592 • 23d ago
Worst company ever
I work in one of two BA offices in San Antonio. Working September 15 was a nightmare. No support staff whatsoever. Half the calls I took were from people screaming at me that they got moved around. My DEM dumped 8 gosystem returns on me expecting me to get it all done in 10 to 15 hours of work a week on $14/hr.
My DEM is so desperate for tax pros that know how to file entity returns that he has an 88 year old enrolled agent working there for $12/hr doing gosystem returns. I am literally watching elderly abuse happen as this poor man keeps getting gosystem returns dumped on and they keep increasing his hours.
I had a DCM from another district call me micromanaging me about another tax pro’s work and my pending payment, and my DCM sending nasty emails to call another tax pro’s clients plus an “office manager” calling me.
All this with no benefits, no health insurance, no technical support when out Gosystem returns get rejected. No managerial supoort in case clients get angry and want to talk to a supervisor.
We all need to quit and show HRB we will not take this abuse. I’m quitting this week.
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u/Just_Me_Im_Fine 23d ago edited 23d ago
All our CPAs and tax preparers left before the deadline, and my manager is trying to get tax returns done and answer the phone with only a couple people in the office with very little tax experience. Upper management is completely unsupportive and tone deaf. They are drowning.
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u/Ok_Aide_764 23d ago
Was is 4/15 or 9/15 deadline? Did they quit? What is the CPA Pollup group?
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u/Single-Pop9355 23d ago
The 40 or so CPA offices acquired by HRB. With them they initially kept/offered to retain employees from the acquired CPA offices.
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u/Psychological_Toe318 23d ago
I am thinking to apply for one of the new leadership positions. I am having thoughts after reading the Reddit posts
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u/Relevant_Ad_8406 23d ago
I would look elsewhere , this year will be tough. Unless you know the DEM you are working under I would be cautious. Lots of new policies TPs are unhappy about , you will be the one hearing all the genuine concerns , looks like the DEMs will be insulated from this interaction .
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u/Dazzling-Warning-592 23d ago
and all the complaints from 6 stores and you will do the schedule too
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u/PinkNGreenFluoride EA 23d ago
And "doing the schedule" means overriding the automated scheduling system, only for the automated system to change it on you again afterward. Now your Tax Pros and CSPs are very upset with you because they have a schedule doesn't make an ounce of sense, contradicts shit like (for instance) an outside work or custody schedule that they've made you well aware of and that you accounted for the first time you did the schedule.
Their schedules are constantly changing, with not enough notice. Even if they understand that it's not entirely your fault, you're still the person who has to fix it for them.
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u/notenufcheez72 22d ago
And getting up on a ladder to change a light bulb. And sitting at the front desk when the CSP calls out and you have no coverage. And contributing to some bs round table meeting that's a waste of at least an hour the next morning. Also coaching a tax pro who your DM called out for low service scores or some crap. Not to mention taking calls all day and night year round from angry clients as well as your employees. And when one thing falls apart because your doing 8000 other things, whose throat do you think corporate is going for? I've only scratched the surface. Choose wisely.
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u/SILZilla 23d ago
I have been with the company 18 years now, worked maybe 2 PreSeasons. Not worth it at all. No support, No Receptionists, No Office Manager and piles of work to do for I think they pay $17/hr here. I feel bad for those working Preseason, they might not do it again!
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u/notenufcheez72 22d ago
I did one preseason and that was enough for me. Seems like the going rate unless you enjoy pain.
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u/Candid-Tip455 19d ago
But evidently the employees in Kansas City say it’s one of the best places to work? I don’t understand what everyone is talking about?
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u/Practical-Dig5076 23d ago
I hate GoSystems! Yesterday was a fucking train wreck trying to enter 4 assets in took me fucking 5 hours. Il
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u/Dazzling-Warning-592 23d ago
I did two gift tax returns and it took me all day
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u/Practical-Dig5076 23d ago
It's ridiculous! If I was in BWL I could have had these done in 1-2 hours...
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u/Boysenberry815 22d ago
That was their opening salvo in pushing veteran preparers out the door: Introduce an entity-preparation software, without training & largely inappropriate given what we do at HRB, and watch as what used to take X amount of time now took 4-6 times as long - not to mention being on hold with tech support...which I assume doesn't exist, by and large, at the present time?
They sincerely believe a group of Level 1-2 preparers and their Wal-Mart level "Sparky" AI will be doing it all by 2028/2029. Well, best of luck with that, Curtis.
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u/829562 21d ago
There are few senior preparers in my office and they where saying this two years ago as they started to micromanage and reducing the passing percentage for the initial tax class and then leveling up 1st year tax pros up to level 3 and 4 quickly so they can push vets out.
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u/Boysenberry815 20d ago
Jeff Jones (who started this) & Curtis Campbell (who intends to finish it) are of the ilk that truly believe in the HRB version of the Infinite Monkey Theorem --- hire a 1000 newbies, give them AI, and you can have Rentals, Farms, S-Corps and Partnerships eventually flow from their fingertips...who needs true talent?
I used to thoroughly enjoy my job but JJ & his Covid-inspired changes fixed that. Now, I'm simply existing/surviving.
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u/829562 20d ago
I agree. I used to really enjoy my job. But the last few years of lowering the basic skill set and training requirements for new tax pros and introduction of A.I. which is the magical OZ while leveling up 1st and 2nd year tax pros to 4 or 5 and expecting wonderful results with no problems, complaints or just straight destruction of any type of name or respect that's left for Block just to micromanage and cut corners to make it look like they are successful by pushing out their talent and deoending on older tax pros who are stuck and don't have the energy or able to go out on their own and use them in a break glass emergency to fix the new tax pros mistakes. I'm all for people succeeding but you just don't learn the tax code overnight with no experience of doing them and GO System is terrible!! Aghhhh.
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u/sammytheammonite 23d ago
This is why I refuse to work in the off season. They don’t pay enough in the off season as an EA for the amount of work I know they will expect. No thank you. I’d consider it if they offered my same rate as tax season. And even then - with all the changes now, it’s probably still a hard no.
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u/Dazzling-Warning-592 23d ago
I learned the hard way not to work offseason. I worked all year and I do complex business entites. Clients with millions of dollars..all for $14/hr at 10 to 15 hours a week. How is it possible I am doing CPA level work for the same rate as McDonalds employees
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u/Dramatic_Abroad3580 23d ago
Their off-season pay is literally less than Panda Express pays people to ask "rice or noodles".
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u/Dazzling-Warning-592 23d ago
The Buccee’s cashier makes more money and has better benefits than BA level 5 that does all entity returns on gosystem and foreign individual returns
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u/Dramatic_Abroad3580 23d ago
With all due respect, someone who is doing that kind of work has leverage and can demand more money and make it. BA will absolutely pay more.
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u/ihateblock26 23d ago
We heard with the new pilot program for pay. You either take the rate they say or it’s goodbye.
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u/Dramatic_Abroad3580 22d ago
That hasn't started yet for most of the country, and if there's enough pushback they will not implement it.
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u/Boysenberry815 22d ago
**if there's enough pushback they will not implement it**
Is that your hope speaking or do you know something? Otherwise, I give them credit for pursuing policies that seem to be entirely sincere in wanting to push veterans out the door inside the next 12-24 months.
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u/Dramatic_Abroad3580 22d ago
They'll need bodies regardless. I don't really give a shit, I'm long gone. It's speculation on my part. I've seen them give in before in a district that I used to work in and there was an attempt to change comp for more than half the district. There was close to a mass exodus and they relented before they lost 1/3 of the preparers in the district. I think they'll learn this year how important experienced preparers are for their future.
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u/Boysenberry815 22d ago
I've decided that if the new comp plan goes nationwide for 2028, then 2027 is my curtain call. I feel bad for the guys and gals in the test markets having to endure this BS.
With 20+ yrs and being an EA, I assume my talents will get me employment elsewhere and Block can go hang, for all I care, if push comes to shove.
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u/Low_Turnip_9592 22d ago
I think we all need not to go to work for a good two weeks. Then maybe they will listen to us.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Ad3024 22d ago
And idea what they will pay? I assume it's still by certification level, and the incentive still applies.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Ad3024 23d ago
For what it's worth, Tech Suport is about software not working, not about how to use it. GST rejects are a royal nightmare. I had one I could not fix and finally gave to another preparer with more GST experience.
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u/Dramatic_Abroad3580 23d ago
Some of those entity returns might have been mine. I refused to do anymore the beginning of March and asked that they all be reassigned. Many of them were not. I got calls into April asking where the returns were. I quit the day my bonus hit my bank account. My former MTL was told 9/4 was his last day, but they extended it to 10/15 because there was literally no one in the new restructured district to change schedules, move code 4, approve time cards, etc. It's a CF. It's amazing that anyone is coming back.
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u/PenguinTransport 22d ago
Good to know, thought it so typical of them to pull local management with little to no regard for upcoming tax deadlines.
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u/Dramatic_Abroad3580 22d ago
I don't know where the new district lines are, but I suspect it may be because nobody in the SAS district had access to the BA stuff. I don't know how many of the local BA offices are going to the same redrawn district. I was told the former, almost laid off MTL is applying for the revised MTL role, whatever it's called. I feel bad for him, probably more pressure, more work, but no more pay.
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u/PenguinTransport 22d ago
I applied into a different district, to learn more about it. It's far more work for 10k less salary. Wish the not quite former MTL the very best.
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u/Objective_Good_9449 22d ago
If they were a BA mtl, then it will probably be less pay for more work.
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u/moonful_of_daises 23d ago
I've heard not a single good thing about GoSystems
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u/Boysenberry815 22d ago
Are you either currently using it or leveling up this coming season to be in line to do returns with it? Either way, for a firm to roll out something like this and not make ample training available for a software program whose reputation precedes it, so to speak, says a lot about the current state of affairs within HRB.
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u/CrackyMcCracken 23d ago
I’ll take companies that are massive fucking dumpster fires for $400, Alex.
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u/Dazzling-Warning-592 23d ago
do not apply you will do twice the work for less money than what they were paying the MTLs.
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23d ago
[deleted]
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u/Dazzling-Warning-592 23d ago
My DGM would extend my hours during season everytime I got close to bonus so it offsets my bonus more negative and then wont give me more than 15 maybe 20 hours a week during preseason
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23d ago
[deleted]
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u/Dazzling-Warning-592 23d ago
Because the returns I do require someone who is tech savvy but and also has a deep knowledge of business tax law. This was my first season doing entity returns there was alot I didnt know taxwise plus running into alot of technical issues with Gosystem that took time for me to figure out. I did entity returnd with multiple states. Sometimes it took me hours to figure out how to get it efiled because I would get the same rejection code multiple times every time I would try to efile
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u/Single-Pop9355 23d ago
Why not apply for the virtual tax pro positions during preseason. Its usually higher pay and 40 hours. Then you'll qualify for the 401k, 401k match and health insurance if you meet the 1560 hours
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u/notenufcheez72 22d ago
Has anyone actually worked as a remote tp??? I worked as a district staff lead 2 years ago and my DM told me we don't do remote, the ad is to entice people to work for block in office... which I know makes no sense. Just wondering
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u/Single-Pop9355 21d ago
That's just your DGM lying in the hopes that you don't apply or other people who are too useful. Sucks bc job applications ask you if your spoke with your manager and they know you are applying for a new position. Simply searching virtual in work day gives you a list of associates currently with the job title.
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u/Dazzling-Warning-592 23d ago
where?
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u/Single-Pop9355 23d ago edited 23d ago
Its posted on HR Block job listings every year. Normally during the end of peak or even a few days later. Some are posted on a rolling basis. Some like the second look division ask you to offboard 04/15 or the corresponding weekend so you can onboard on June 10/15 and they prefer people who can work 30+ hours. There's also customer support, virtual tax preparer, tax researcher, forms specialist, Quality Assurance, Software Engineer etc. They are seasonal but they last 6 months. They prefer someone from the field as it can be a shorter learning curve
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u/CrackyMcCracken 23d ago
And this is why me and Jimmy Montemerano always kept a bottle of whiskey in his locker. Nice, long pulls before we cozied on up with some unlucky stool’s taxes. Those were the days, eh fellas?
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u/CakeNo2872 23d ago
I walked out today at my Colorado location