[J-man]

I am dealing with an issue and I would like someone to help me on it.

I have been employed by a NYC government agency for about a year now and I have currently passed FAR, AUD and REG. I have six months experience under a CPA sent to the state board from a previous job. My current manager is a CPA and I asked her to sign for my experience (to cover the one year requirement). She agreed to sign and three days later she stated that she will not sign because she “hasn’t gotten to know me yet to determine my ethical values”.She wants me to stay an extra six months in order to complete this audit I have been placed in (Deadline 12/31). I found out that same day that she had been asking my employees if I plan to leave the agency pretty soon, so, she is basically trying to lock me in for another six months. I plan to leave by August, but don’t want to lose my chance to get this CPA. What can I do to get the last six months of CPA experience with out being my boss’ lap dog.

Who knew going for a CPA meant you had to be someone’s B****.

[Becca]

Speaking of ethical values…it doesn't seem very ethical to hold something like this over an employee's head in the hopes they'll stay.

I quickly researched the work experience for NY and if I'm not mistaken, she'll need to fill out CPA Form 4B. If I were you, I'd print it off to give to her and say something like “I appreciate your wanting to know my ethical vaulues in becoming a CPA, but that's not a question/concern on this form. I will have to take an AICPA Ethics exam before receiving my licensure, though. Will you please sign off on my experience after I pass BEC?”

[Anonymous]

I completely agree with @Becca! Perfect answer.

I'm tired of operating in fear and mediocrity. It's time to try. It's time to do. It's time to go.

[Recked]

Eh, I hate to rain on your parade here but Form 4B question 11 specifically asks if the applicant has good moral character.
https://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/cpa/cpa4b.pdf

Also, NYS does NOT currently require the AICPA (or any other) ethics exam.

I think this is a bullshit move on your supervisor's part.
You can equally match the bullshit and give a verbal commitment that you are quite happy with your current job and do not intend to leave but you will be forced to resign immediately to seek employment with a firm that will attest to your experience without blackmailing you. There is so much red tape in gov't jobs that I am sure you can run this up the flag pole and make her life much much worse.

[BoyNextDoor]

https://nasba.org/products/experienceverification/

This is a little pay to play, but for $500 you can get licensed in one of these 11 US jurisdictions through this NASBA program without having a supervisor sign off on your accounting experience.

You just won't be a NY CPA.

But…maybe later in time you could get your license transferred to NY.

[OTK1995]

She has no ethics. Is there someone else who can sign off for you?

I would rather leave my job, start somewhere else and wait another year to actually get my license versus being involved with someone like that. You know you won't be happy about staying for another 6 months and I don't think she'll make it more enjoyable for you either.

[BoyNextDoor]

It has always baffled me the reference to good moral character for a government license.

Who determines what is moral and according to what rules?

Morality by definition is the difference between right and wrong.

Morality, just like the laws citizens of the United States are subject to are quite fluid and change rapidly.

CPA candidates are fingerprinted and checked against the FBI and DOJ databases for criminal history.

That is an objective test and should suffice in order hold a state license.

[Skynet]

@J-man – She's a woman and you are a guy.

There's really only one solution to this situation for her to sign off.

You're going to have to put out man. 😀

[jombe]

You can file a complaint for CPAs that aren't willing to sign off on that.
I mean, I wouldn't threaten her w/ it, but just saying.

FAR - 94 (10/4/15), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
AUD - 99 (1/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
REG - 96 (4/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ
BEC - 91 (7/19/16), Local Prep Online Lectures, BISK & NINJA MCQ

581 days of listening to lectures, reading texts & 10,000+ MCQs...

[Author]

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