Navigating CPA Hours Verification After Leaving EY: A Personal Journey

Transitioning from one professional role to another often comes with a unique set of challenges, especially for those in the Accounting field pursuing their Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation. I want to share my experience in hopes of guiding others who find themselves in a similar situation, particularly those who have worked at Ernst & Young (EY) during the pandemic.

Having spent nearly two years at EY from 2021 to 2023, I was fortunate to pass three out of the four CPA exams required to achieve licensure. However, with my upcoming last exam on the horizon, I’ve encountered a significant roadblock: obtaining the necessary verification of my CPA hours from EY after my departure.

Currently, I work in an industry role where my supervisor does not hold an active CPA license, making it impossible for her to provide the required signature on my hours. This has led me to consider reaching out to my former colleagues at EY, but as I worked there during the remote work era, I did not have the opportunity to forge personal connections with partners or supervisors. Therefore, I find myself at a loss about how to best approach the situation.

Has anyone else been in a similar predicament? If you have successfully obtained a sign-off for your CPA hours after leaving EY, I would love to hear about your experience and any tips you might have! It would be incredibly helpful to learn how you navigated this process, especially in an era when establishing strong professional relationships has become increasingly challenging.

Thank you for your insights, and I hope to generate a discussion that could help not only myself but others in our community facing this situation!