Navigating the Challenges of CPA Licensing: A Personal Account

As many aspiring CPAs can attest, the road to obtaining a license is often fraught with unexpected hurdles. I find myself in a particularly challenging situation and seek the understanding of my fellow Accounting professionals as I navigate this process.

This evening, I must muster the courage to send a difficult email that outlines my current predicament. Here’s a brief overview of my experience:

Subject: Request for Assistance with Experience Verification

Dear Anna,

I hope this message finds you well. My name is Aaron; I previously worked as a Staff Accountant on the ABC engagement last year. Since leaving The Firm in October, I’ve encountered a significant challenge.

Prior to my departure, I had requested that The Firm verify my accumulated experience of approximately 2,200 hours, anticipating that I would need this verification post-CPA exam success. At the time, I was informed that it was firm policy to withhold any verification until all four sections of the CPA exam were passed.

Having successfully completed the CPA exams on March 13th, I promptly followed up for the promised verification. After a long wait of eleven weeks, I received the disheartening news on May 29th: The Firm refused to verify my hours due to a policy stipulating that only chargeable hours—specifically 2,000 of them—are counted. This leaves non-chargeable hours entirely disregarded, and without meeting this threshold, they won’t validate any of my experience.

It’s important to clarify that this policy is not a requirement set forth by the Oregon Board of Accountancy, which actually accepts non-chargeable hours towards the 2,000-hour requirement and permits experience to be combined from various employers.

Consequently, this firm policy has placed me in an unfortunate position where I have completed all the essential steps to qualify for my license, yet The Firm won’t acknowledge the experience I’ve gained. Given that the Board lacks the authority to compel verification from The Firm, my options are limited.

I understand this is a considerable request, but I am reaching out to see if you would be willing to sign my Experience Verification form. With my aspirations of becoming licensed in Oregon hanging in the balance, it seems my only avenue is to seek assistance from former colleagues at The Firm.

Thank you for considering my request. I genuinely appreciate your time and support.

Facing such obstacles can be disheartening, but I am hopeful that with the support of colleagues like you, I can overcome