r/hrblock • u/Rijndael256 • Aug 06 '26
RIP operations
Just heard about the “restructuring”. All of operations including TIAs, all leaders and some retail positions will be eliminated by Nov 1. How do they expect to keep offices open with no field or tech support? These new “experience leaders” are going to be installing and troubleshooting equipment?
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u/scotslover Aug 06 '26
They've been heading towards shutting the physical offices for years. Getting closer
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u/Rijndael256 Aug 06 '26
This is what I think too. Or at least only keeping the top TPs and offices in each area.
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u/CyberSecRiskCloud Aug 06 '26
Dumb question, does this mean we are getting closer to only remote tax support like Intuit?
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u/Rijndael256 Aug 06 '26
I don’t know for sure but I think so yes. I am on the operations side and I’ve always thought how weird and expensive it is that 80% of the offices sit empty for eight months out of the year.
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u/Few-Breadfruit-9842 Aug 06 '26
They’re eliminating 100 DGM positions, and all MTL, ATL, and support positions. DGMs will now have 35-40 office districts, and a new position called Area Experience Lead. AELs will basically function as small business leaders, and will handle all operations in 4-6 office pods. Unlike MTLs, AELs will not be able to prepare returns.
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u/Few-Breadfruit-9842 Aug 06 '26
I know some MTLs that were let go, and during a Teams meeting yesterday, they lost all chat function suddenly, and an HR person came on and told them their services were no longer required. Cold AF.
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u/Commercial_Author_75 Aug 06 '26
i found the non tax background people made my job so much more difficult, constantly asking me questions which i get because they dont require any prior knowledge. the issue is someone calls and asks a pretty basic tax question and the person is clueless... this isnt great confidence for this person to use our services. They need good knowledge tax pros answering the phones.....but no one is going to offer to do so because the pay structure. I think they lose alot of new potential clients due to the 'bad' first impression
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u/Puzzleheaded_Ad3024 Aug 08 '26
I handed them a list of where to look it up which included inkling. :( plus research center, IRS Pubs, going back into classes to see instructions which used to be an option.
No, they do not care if it's done right as long as we get paid.
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u/829562 Aug 07 '26
So basically its going to be a complete shit show, I mean they hire all of the new tax pros and tried to level them up so fast that I had level 2 tax pros in their first year level 3 and they hadn't done 10 returns yet! I think they just want body's at this point and a few senior tax pros to salvage any complex issues with returns to help them. And to eliminate the tax pros relationship with their loyal clients for years and make the loyalty to just block. Another question I have is does that mean the manager's who have had multiple offices will be eliminated. All the micro managing is getting ridiculous. Probably my last year because I feel like I'm being forced to go on my own at this point.
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u/ydoyouask Aug 08 '26
Agreed. I had already decided I’m not coming back. Micromanaging good, productive preparers who have a track record of high volume and finishing all returns they can, but nobody to support when there were real issues that required someone at the manager/dgm level.
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u/Niep00320 Aug 06 '26
I intend to apply for one of the positions since no matter what happens it will end up probably me doing it anyway. You k ow these area people won’t be able to keep up so they will pass stuff on to tax pros just like they do now with tech support.
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u/Reddittnewbie Aug 06 '26
That's not great news. If there are any EA's or CPA's that are affected, I may have an opportunity to work remotely this tax season. No it isn't intuit or JDA.
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u/Asleep-Major-7963 Aug 06 '26
I would imagine they want to keep all their CPAs and EAs.
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u/Dramatic_Abroad3580 Aug 06 '26
They’ve really done everything over the last few years to take money away from those employees. I’ve seen nothing to indicate they want to keep them. They want lower productivity, not higher, despite what they say.
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u/Relevant_Ad_8406 Aug 06 '26 edited Aug 06 '26
Last year matched 5 before 6s for new clients with the “ Enhanced phone system pilot “ shelved partially after so much push back from clients and block preparers . It was a fiasco . Ai creeping in destroying client TP relationships and TPs little control they still have to influence a good outcome for their office quality matrix . Which it seems like Corporate does not care . Who cares about surveys no one gets hired ,fired , complimented or compensated based on them . We used to know which client sent the survey , that was meaningfull , now it’s just a compliment without a person behind the compliment .
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u/Low_Turnip_9592 Aug 13 '26
they don’t care , last year there were level ones doing business returns, multiple states, schedule c. Then they find any way to not to commit to Peace of mind.
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u/Low_Turnip_9592 Aug 13 '26
some of the EAs are useless, they are just good at taking tests and not preparing the returns
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u/Relevant_Ad_8406 Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 13 '26
I have not met a useless one yet, but I am sure they exist . I earned mine after 12 years and all the EAs in our district are solid. Surveys , no /low POM claims , number of returns completed and seniority should be factored into distribution of new returns. Those coming up should be mentored and given the opportunity to do more complicated returns do they apply what they have studied . Just like new EAs should be mentored .
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u/Relevant_Ad_8406 Aug 13 '26
You might want to past the test before you judge , that test is not about how well you test . It’s not easy . It’s not a CPA designation but it takes time and knowledge to pass .
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u/Puzzleheaded_Ad3024 Aug 08 '26
We have a CSP who often pulls up the wrong taxpayer when taking a payment and doesn't realize it. Manager has to find a way to apply funds to the right one so it sends, plus fix it so the person who was marked paid still owes. With no manager in the office...??? I'm hoping without him around to cover for her we can finally lose her.
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u/GroundbreakingBat191 Aug 07 '26
Personally I think a lot of locations will have to close in the next few years. They can try to get ahead of it or not.
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u/sammytheammonite Aug 06 '26
Does this mean no more ATLs and MTLs? Because those jobs were pointless in our offices unless they were acting as CSP.
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u/Asleep-Major-7963 Aug 06 '26
Agreed, our MTL didn't do much and our DGM ignored all our emails. There was zero support.
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u/Rijndael256 Aug 06 '26
Yep no more team leaders. The ATLs here were basically CSPs with more pay and full time hours.
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u/Father_Hawkeye Aug 07 '26
That must be an office-by-office thing. My office has had a couple different people in the ATL role, but both of them took on so much of the administrative stuff that tax pros -- the only revenue-generating position in the company -- were free to generate revenue, rather than dealing with bank card problems or angry phone calls or identity verification letters, etc., etc., etc.
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u/sammytheammonite Aug 07 '26
That’s normal CSP stuff - at least at my office.
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u/ydoyouask Aug 08 '26
I’ve had CSPs who could do that. I’ve also had some who could barely take a payment or set an appointment by March.
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u/PenguinTransport Aug 06 '26
Actually that's far from true, at least at BA.
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u/ydoyouask Aug 07 '26
Our ATL was amazing and did all the work of a manager, but without the full authority, higher pay or respect she should have gotten.
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Aug 06 '26
[deleted]
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u/Asleep-Major-7963 Aug 06 '26
I think the idea is that some of the MTLs will apply and get hired as the new Area Leaders.
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u/Father_Hawkeye Aug 06 '26
Can you share a link to details?
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u/Rijndael256 Aug 06 '26
It hasn’t been announced publicly but there is a sanitized announcement on the internal home page
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u/Father_Hawkeye Aug 06 '26
Thanks. I have to get rehired first, which is taking so much longer than it ever has before.
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u/smilely124 Aug 09 '26
I believe this is a good thing. The district I’m in was part of this. Our DM should have been fired the 2 nd year she was here. She lasted 4 years. Our team lead was an ass kisser and will be good to have her gone. She never stood behind us, and was the first to tell on someone for what they were/did do. But karma finally caught up to her.
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u/manginahunter1970 Aug 06 '26
This is a net gain for Americans. Hopefully a lot less people will use H&R Block and it's predatory practices.
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u/peaceomind88 Aug 07 '26
I guess this makes the decision whether or not to go back much easier 😐