Tax Technician 1/Tax Technician Trainee 1/Tax Technician Trainee 2 (NY HELPS)

Duties Description Under the supervision of a Tax Technician 2, the incumbent must be able to perform the following essential functions:

• Examine tax returns and associated forms and schedules during the course of a desk audit for accuracy of taxpayer data; compute any additional tax liability, interest or penalties due and any refunds due if applicable.
• Maintain proper case management to accurately complete a sufficient number of cases based on the complexity of the cases assigned. Prepare associated work papers, fact sheets and reports of findings.
• Develop and maintain a good working knowledge and practical application of tax law, regulations, audit guidelines, and Department procedures and policies, including Code of Conduct, Ethics practices, Internal Controls, Security and Confidentiality rules.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills, both orally and in writing, with taxpayers and their representatives; prepare professional correspondence, assessments and refund documents. Telephone contacts should be performed in a clear, tactful and professional manner.
• Communicate with supervisor and follow through on instructions received; inform supervisor of problems and collaborate with supervisor to resolve problems.
• Research court decisions, rulings, publications, and other reference materials to support decisions made in auditing taxpayer returns.
• Learn, maintain and update skills in computer technology; manipulate an alphanumeric keyboard to enter and retrieve data; use and navigate various software and mainframe applications.
• Develop and prepare reports, tax charts and reference materials as required.
• May be required to advocate in cases at BCMS conferences and Small Claims Hearings. May participate at hearings as a witness for the Department and assist Office of Counsel in resolving disagreed cases.
• Adhere to all Department time and attendance rules and regulations

Minimum Qualifications COMPETITIVE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

The selected candidate must be reachable on the eligible list for this title and location under Civil Service Law, Rules and Regulations.
OR
The selected candidate must be eligible for a 70.1 transfer under Civil Service Law, Rules and Regulations and meet the Special Minimum Qualifications for transfer.

Special Minimum Qualifications for transfer to Tax Technician 1:
6 semester credit hours in accounting, auditing, or taxation

OR

If eligible via 55 b/c please provide a copy of your active letter of eligibility with your response.

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a permanent non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in an NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

NON-COMPETITIVE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Trainee 1: Two years of full-time accounting, auditing, or tax examination experience, which includes performing or assisting in audits, financial examinations, or tax consultation and planning; bookkeeping, preparing tax returns, reconciling accounts and data, reviewing accounting and auditing reports, and verifying accuracy of calculations, balances, and supporting documentation; or working in a federal, State, or municipal agency performing audits to determine compliance with the taxing jurisdiction’s laws, rules, and regulations; the collection of the jurisdiction’s taxes, interest, penalties, delinquent tax
returns, and other financial obligations; the use of processing systems in providing taxpayer information, assistance, and technical support; or being a member of a taxpayer contact center and involved in the resolution of taxpayer inquiries requiring in-depth knowledge of the tax law.

Substitution: Sixty semester credit hours, including six credit hours in accounting,
auditing, and/or taxation.

Trainee 2: Three years of full-time accounting, auditing, or tax examination experience, which includes performing or assisting in audits, financial examinations, or tax consultation and planning; bookkeeping, preparing tax returns, reconciling accounts and data, reviewing accounting and auditing reports, and verifying accuracy of calculations, balances, and supporting documentation; or working in a federal, State, or municipal agency performing audits to determine compliance with the taxing jurisdiction’s laws, rules, and regulations; the collection of the jurisdiction’s taxes, interest, penalties, delinquent tax
returns, and other financial obligations; the use of processing systems in providing taxpayer information, assistance, and technical support; or being a member of a taxpayer contact center and involved in the resolution of taxpayer inquiries requiring in-depth knowledge of the tax law.

Substitution: Sixty semester credit hours, including six credit hours in accounting,
auditing, and/or taxation and one year of accounting, auditing, or tax examination
experience.

Tax Technician 1: Four years of full-time accounting, auditing, or tax examination experience, which includes performing or assisting in audits, financial examinations, or tax consultation and planning; bookkeeping, preparing tax returns, reconciling accounts and data, reviewing accounting and auditing reports, and verifying accuracy of calculations, balances, and supporting documentation; or working in a federal, State, or municipal agency performing audits to determine compliance with the taxing jurisdiction’s laws, rules, and regulations; the collection of the jurisdiction’s taxes, interest, penalties, delinquent tax
returns, and other financial obligations; the use of processing systems in providing taxpayer information, assistance, and technical support; or being a member of a taxpayer contact center and involved in the resolution of taxpayer inquiries requiring in-depth knowledge of the tax law.

Substitution: Sixty semester credit hours, including six credit hours in accounting, auditing, and/or taxation and two years of accounting, auditing, or tax examination experience.

• Your transcript must provide the course names, the number of semester credit hours earned, the grade, and the name of the accredited college/university attended. Courses such as business law, economics, statistics, or finance as part of an accounting curriculum, cannot be counted toward the required 6 semester credit hours.

If you have obtained this education in another country, an Evaluation of Foreign Education must be included. See list of accepted companies at https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm