Internal Revenue Service

I applied to this announcement and my application expires at the end of each day. It gives me the option to renew the application, but it just expires again at the end of the day. Will I need to go in every single day and extend the application? Has anybody else run into this issue?

I have applied to both posting and only one of them keeps asking me to extend. I just ignore it

Scotty knows what he is talking about. I always thought the RO job was the best job in IRS- after CI. Especially in a small POD. Back in the day they were considered the backbone of the service. They have been somewhat handcuffed compared to back then- when they did "knock and lock" and made 10,000 seizures a year, but it is still a tough job. I knew cops who said no way they would do that job unarmed. There were at least two ROs killed in the line of duty. We (CI) used to do the armed escorts with ROs, and some were pretty hairy. An RO buddy described the job as a combination skip tracer, private investigator, repo man, and process server. It is more investigator/ enforcement than auditor/RA. And can be a stepping stone to other enforcement jobs. I knew of former ROs who were agents with FBI, DEA, ATF, as well as TIGTA and CI. Good luck to you guys.

We are a little handcuffed. It still have plenty of enforcement tools.

I honestly usually don’t have to enforce much.

I deal mostly with payroll tax. I look at the tax problem as a business problems and I find business solutions.

But I get a few who just think they are smarter than everyone.

They are hiring 750 people. They are doing cutoffs for class size and to accommodate budget and space.

They’ll probably be at least one more cut off date.

I got hired in the last "mini" mass hiring in 2016 so I'll answer your questions from that perceptive.

Anyone can offer insight on a typical week as an RO?
Typical week is really up to you. You set your own schedule. Mine is M- Telework, T- Office, W-Office, Th-Field, F- Telework/off (I'm on a 5 4 9 schedule so every other friday I have off".

After training you're usually in the field once a week.

Do they assign field locations based on where you live so your commute is short, or are the field locations nearby the field office you are working out of after the first year (for Urban field locations)?
Field locations are not dependent on where you live. My main area is a 45 minute one way drive. That's fine though because your day starts when you start driving; not when you get there. Also, you get paid for the mileage so cost isnt a factor either.

And how quickly do they allow Telework when hired under mass hiring in early level position
My whole group started telework after our first year.

How long are you behind a computer writing up a report/researching, and how long are you actively on the field? How physical is the job?
You do write a lot but its usually just describing what you just did. Like what happened on your field visits, what did you and a taxpayer discuss on the phone, why you believe a case should be resolved a certain way, etc.
You can be in the field as much as you want/can handle.
The job isn't really physical. I mean you have to drive and walk around on field visits but its not like we're chasing people on foot pursuits or anything like that.

We use our own cars. I've heard of some locations having a govt car like maybe NYC but I've never seen an RO use one.

You can always use public transportation if it makes sense like DC or NYC. Otherwise, you probably want to drive your own car because we start our field days from home. If we had govt cars then you'd have to go to the office to get one...

Yes, all reasonable costs like parking and tolls are covered for field days. The mileage reimbursement is 54.5 cents a mile.

"If you take a taxi/Uber, would GOV reimburse you for that expense, for let's say NYC/Long Island area?"
I'm honestly not sure about taxis or uber. That would probably need prior authorization but I can see it.

"If I understand correctly, by main area, do you mean that you have an assigned area?"
Yeah we all get cases from certain zipcodes usually. But while most of my cases are from a "main" area, I have ones outside that area too.

"follow-up question on the day start time for field days..."
My hours are 8:30-6 ( 5 4 9 schedule). For my field days, I leave my house at 8:30 and I'm back before 6. Your field day starts when you leave your house, unlike office days where it starts when you get there.

"how likely is it to get a 4/10 schedule?"
Its 100% after your first year. ROs work completely independent from each other so our schedules don't depend on each other.

"And I know telework employees are required to come into the office twice a pay period (for frequent), but is there a special reason you go in the office 4 times a pay period? I currently have a 4/10 at a Campus position, I would like to get that back if I get the RO job, and would like to do 2 days telework, 1 day office, 1 day field, is that something you think would be allowed, or possible at some point?"

I just go to the office more as a personal preference (to check my mail, send mail, etc). You can totally do your proposed schedule.

Actually, ROs are in a way exempt from the requirement to come to the office twice in a pay period. Field days count as office days for the purposes of telework. So you can, in effect, do 3 days of telework and 1 field day every week. Some ROs only come into the office for our monthly meeting.

Well I was an external hire so learning all the computer systems, etc was a challenge. Being internal and knowing IDRS should help a bit.
It can get complicated and its not an easy job but I think its rewarding. Most ROs I know have said it takes a good 3-5 years to really learn the job. Most cases are straight forward but sometimes you need to do more advanced actions such as preparing a suit or seizure recommendation.

In many ways, ROs are like auditors. We prepare and file substitute returns (for businesses). We go through a business's current years books and financials to determine ability to pay. We are the only ones that can assess the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty to a taxpayer.

I've never been a RA but I believe we have similar jobs; independent casework and dealing with taxpayers. I believe we have the same work/life balance and freedom of work. People don't like audits and they don't like bank levies.

The main difference, I think, is that at the end of the day RAs send the taxpayer a bill and ROs have to resolve that bill. You have to be okay with an enforcement mentality as an RO. You have the power to file liens and issue levies. You will have to deal with taxpayers after you just took all of their money in their bank account or garnished their wages.

The Job isn’t hard, but it isn’t easy either.

I was an external hire, so even 2.5 years later I learn something new about the various computer systems we use to do our jobs, IDRS, AMS, IAT or ICS. But you figure out what you need quick.

I know a lot of RAs. And most field employees be they RO or RA after the training year have a good work life balance.

I go to th office once a pay period for a TOD and stop in to get my mail every week when I go do field work.

My manager is the same person that was my training manager, so we have a good relationship. He doesn’t micro-manage and I try no to do stupid things that will get both of us on a list.

The biggest ‘con’ of the job is having to listen to thinly veiled threats for taxpayers. I use my real name in the field and some of these people are crazy. I suggest using a pseudonym from the start.

All in all it’s a good job. They like to tell you all taxpayers are different, personally I do t believe that.

There are three type ‘can’t pay’ won’t pay or didn’t know they had to pay.

Can’t pays: literally don’t have any money. Won’t pay: are the dead bats trying to play the system and ‘didn’t know’ can fall in between. Usually a person that is really good at whatever their business is but terrible at the back end business aspect.

Sometimes they get away with it so long they turn into a won’t pay.

It’s your job to find out what they are and resolve the case in the best interest of the taxpayer and the government. But remember who sign your pay check.