Originally Posted by: ironman0786 
Originally Posted by: ressgonzol 
Originally Posted by: Boboddy 
Do they require you to use your own vehicle for field visits? Are you allowed to use a company car?
And do you get reimbursed for parking or tolls? Just the little questions :)
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.
Thank you for both responses. This was very helpful in understanding what an RO does each week. If you take a taxi/Uber, would GOV reimburse you for that expense, for let's say NYC/Long Island area?
If I understand correctly, by main area, do you mean that you have an assigned area?
And a follow-up question on the day start time for field days, if my office location is 1 hour from my house, would I have to start my day 1 hour before my TOD time if I am traveling 1 hour away to a field visit? And are you doing multiple taxpayers during your field day? I had interviewed for an audit position for Defence, they said if it takes me 20 mins to get to the office, my field day would also start 20 mins before and end the same as if I get home at 5pm so I should finish my fieldwork and get home by 5 pm as well. Is it the same with the IRS?
Finally, how likely is it to get a 4/10 schedule? 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?
"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.