AUDITOR 2

Overview

This position is with the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES), Division of Employment and Rehabilitation Services (DERS), Unemployment Insurance (UI) Tax Unit. DES strengthens Arizona communities by bridging and minimizing gaps to employment and independence.

The role involves independently performing professional and comprehensive audits and other investigations to ensure compliance with the Arizona Unemployment Insurance (UI) Tax Law.

Responsibilities

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Independently determine compliance with UI tax law and regulations by examining an employer’s accounting and financial records, such as time-cards, payroll registers, journals, paychecks, and reconciliations to state and federal employment tax reports.
• Verify the accuracy of records to ensure proper reporting of wages and employment taxes, including disbursement journals, general ledger, canceled checks, financial statements, IRS 1099 forms, contracts, invoices, and income tax returns to identify and determine correct worker classification and unreported wages.
• Analyze, interpret, and apply state statutes, rules, and precedent decisions of the Unemployment Tax Section or other state and federal agencies to ensure accuracy, integrity, and conformance to laws and regulations.
• Conduct benefits investigations using employer records to ensure proper payments through timely resolution of issues related to disputed wage amounts or employer liability, including determining correct worker classification under applicable law through independent investigations and personal interviews of business owners/officers and workers.
• Communicate audit findings with employers, answer employer questions, and prepare detailed audit packet documentation describing the audit process, records examined, account adjustments, and conclusions.
• Locate delinquent employers when responses to audit requests are not received.
• When needed to complete an audit, determine appropriate enforcement action and prepare documentation for management approval to initiate assessment estimates and/or pursue a court order subpoena.
• Confer with business owners or their legal representatives to gain concurrence with audit and investigation results.
• Assist Tax Section management, the Appeals Unit, or personnel from the Attorney General’s office with contested cases arising from field audit actions.
• Participate in classroom and/or web-based training and on-the-job training as directed, and attend meetings, huddles, and monthly/weekly 1:1s.

Requirements

• Travel is required for State business.
• If driving or use of a vehicle is required as an essential function of the job, the position requires a current, valid, class-appropriate driver’s license, completion of required training, and successful passing of necessary driver’s license record checks. The license must be current, unexpired, and neither revoked nor suspended.
• Employees who drive on State business are subject to driver’s license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records, and must complete all required driver training.
• If operating a personally owned vehicle on State business, maintain the statutorily required liability insurance.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs)

Knowledge in:

• Business entities, including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and sole-proprietorships; public assistance eligibility determination processes; and Family Assistance Administration case read process.
• Agency computer systems, including central processing databases and audit applications, as well as Word and Excel.
• State law, rules, and corresponding provisions of federal statutes and precedent rulings.

Skill in:

• Interpersonal communication used in interviews of employers, their representatives, claimants, or workers.
• Managing multiple assignments by prioritizing time to ensure work progresses despite factors outside of control.
• Verbal and written skills to develop conclusions from data and facts to support independent findings that vary by assignment.

Ability to:

• Understand, explain, and apply laws and regulations in employment situations.
• Plan, analyze, coordinate activities, establish priorities, maintain an inventory of audit assignments, and complete work timely.
• Explain and inform audit findings and determinations in an adversarial environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional tax auditing, accounting, or closely related experience.
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Accounting or a related field with 12 semesters of Accounting.

Pre-Employment Requirements

• Experience in auditing work, principles, standards, and techniques.
• Successfully pass background and reference checks; employment is contingent upon completion of the above-mentioned process and the agency’s ability to reasonably accommodate any restrictions.
• All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

Compensation & Benefits

Salary: $22.2116/hourly ($46,200.12 annually)

Benefits include:

• Affordable medical, dental, life, and short-term disability insurance plans
• Participation in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) and long-term disability plans
• 10 paid holidays per year
• Paid vacation and sick time
• Paid Parental Leave—up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child
• Deferred compensation plan
• Wellness plans
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Stipend Opportunities
• Infant at Work Program
• Rideshare and Public Transit Subsidy
• Career Advancement & Employee Development Opportunities

Remote work may be available as a management option; remote work is not an employee entitlement or right, and an agency may terminate a remote work agreement at its discretion.

Location

Division of Employment and Rehabilitation Services (DERS), Unemployment Insurance (UI) Tax Unit
1789 West Jefferson Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Additional Information

• Grade: 19
• Closing date: Open until sufficient resumes are received
• Employment is subject to the State of Arizona’s equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation process.