Tax Program Technician, Franchise Tax Board Series

California State Personnel Board Specification

Series established October 17, 1995

Scope

This series specification describes three levels of Tax Program classifications used throughout the Franchise Tax Board. These classes perform a variety of complex technical work in support of the program functions of the Franchise Tax Board. Entry into this series is through the Tax Program Technician I level.

Definition of Series

Positions allocated to this series perform work involving the resolution and review of documents, returns, and payments or providing technical information regarding specific laws, rules, policies, and regulations relating to various programs administered by the Franchise Tax Board. The majority of the duties of positions in these classes require a thorough and detailed knowledge of the appropriate laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to departmental programs. Incumbents will be required to learn, perform, and/or supervise work involving technical compliance activities; answer correspondence regarding such matters as determination of residency and allowable expenses on tax returns; authorize and make allowances of tax credits, incomes, and exemptions; resolve accounting problems resulting from issuances of proposed assessments; abate tax and issue refunds; assess tax and make adjustments to accounts when necessary; prepare complex account resolutions and transactions; and provide assistance with technology applications.

The supervisory level is responsible for the overall planning, directing, and coordination of varied numbers of clerical and technical staff dependent on the complexity of work environments and subordinate lead technicians.

Factors Affecting Position Allocation

Variety, complexity, and difficulty of work; supervision received; type and frequency of contacts with other staff, units, sections, agencies, and the public; the level of independence and judgment required in making determinations and the consequences of erroneous determinations serve as the major differentiating factors between classes. For the supervisory level, allocations are determined by the degree of supervisory responsibilities, and the size of operations supervised.

Definition of Levels

Tax Program Technician I, Franchise Tax Board

This is the entry and full journey level for the series. Under general supervision, incumbents perform work assignments in the areas of audit and collections; answer correspondence regarding such matters as determination of residency and allowable expenses on tax returns; authorize and make allowances of tax credits, incomes, and exemptions; resolve accounting problems resulting from issuance of proposed assessments; abate tax and issue refunds; assess tax and make adjustments to accounts when necessary; prepare complex account resolutions and transactions; and provide assistance with technology applications. This level may have lead responsibility over less experienced employees, such as Tax Program Assistants and seasonal employees, in areas such as training and answering questions on work procedures.

Tax Program Technician II, Franchise Tax Board

This is the advanced journey level of the series. Under general direction and with little day-to-day supervision, incumbents serve as the expert staff resource and are independently responsible for the most difficult and complex work assignments in the areas of public service, audit, collections, account resolution and transactions, and technology applications. Incumbents may act as a resource to management and staff for more complex workload assignments and tasks, such as assisting with complex account resolution and providing support to help desks. Incumbents may also serve as a team leader or technical expert for special or difficult projects, and act as lead for first-line supervisors in routine settings over Tax Program Technicians I, Franchise Tax Board.

Tax Program Supervisor, Franchise Tax Board

This is the supervisory level of the series. Incumbents plan, organize, and direct the work of varied and extensive processing and service units engaged in clerical-and technical-related activities with as few as 8-15 total employees when there is one or no subordinate lead staff and the work is more complex; and as many as 15-30 employees when there are two or more subordinate lead staff and the work is more routine (staffing will be increased accordingly to accommodate peak season periods with the utilization of additional Tax Program Technicians I, Franchise Tax Board, and/or Tax Program Technicians II, Franchise Tax Board, serving as lead); approve and review work or procedures and assist with making decisions on operational and personnel issues; coordinate the flow of work between units and with various subdivisions within the Department; review, evaluate, and recommend changes of policies and operating procedures; assist with defining the budgetary needs for the unit supervised, including resources, office equipment, supplies, and workload projections; provide direction to and train staff; evaluate employee performance and take/recommend actions to be taken; and develop or assist with the development of unit/section performance standards.

Minimum Qualifications

All Levels:

Experience applicable to any pattern may be combined on a proportional basis with experience applicable to other patterns to meet the total experience requirements.

Tax Program Technician I, Franchise Tax Board

Either I

Experience: In the California state service, one year of experience in the Franchise Tax Board, at a level of responsibility equivalent to a Tax Program Assistant (TPA), Range C. (Applicants who are within six months of satisfying the experience requirement will be admitted to the examination, but they must fully meet the experience requirement before being eligible for appointment.)

Or II

Experience: Two years of experience in a governmental, financial, or private organization, in one or a combination of the following:

1. Extensive customer/public contact with primary responsibility for receiving, resolving, or adjusting customer accounts, including the ability to resolve collection accounts and interpret technical or regulatory information. or

2. Activities which provide knowledge of the regulations and policies governing the tax and nontax programs of the Franchise Tax Board.

(Experience in the California state service applied toward these requirements must include at least one year at a level of responsibility equivalent to that of a Tax Program Assistant, Range�C.) (Education above the 12th grade may be substituted for this pattern on a year-for-year basis. Course work must include two courses in either accounting, math, computer science, business administration, or public communications. Public speaking persons who will complete the course work requirements during the current quarter or semester will be admitted to the examination, but they must produce evidence of successful completion of the curriculum and the prescribed courses before they may be considered eligible for appointment.)

Tax Program Technician II, Franchise Tax Board

Either I

Experience: In the California state service, one year of experience in the Franchise Tax Board performing duties equivalent to those of a Tax Program Technician I, Franchise Tax Board, which provides knowledge of the regulations and policies governing the tax and nontax programs of the Franchise Tax Board.

Or II

Experience: Three years of experience in a governmental, financial, or private organization, in one or a combination of the following:

1. Extensive customer/public contact with primary responsibility for receiving, resolving, or adjusting customer accounts, including the ability to resolve collection accounts and interpret technical or regulatory information. or

2. Activities which provide knowledge of the regulations and policies governing the tax and nontax programs of the Franchise Tax Board.

(Experience in the California state service applied toward these requirements must include at least one year in a class with a level of responsibility not less than a Tax Program Technician I, Franchise Tax Board, which provides knowledge of the various tax and nontax programs administered by the Franchise Tax Board.) (Education above the 12th grade may be substituted for this pattern on a year-for-year basis. Course work must include two courses in either accounting, math, computer science, business administration, or public communications. Public speaking persons who will complete the course work requirements during the current quarter or semester will be admitted to the examination, but they must produce evidence of successful completion of the curriculum and the prescribed courses before they may be considered eligible for appointment.)

Tax Program Supervisor, Franchise Tax Board

Either I

Experience: In the California state service, one year of experience in the Franchise Tax Board performing duties equivalent to those of a Tax Program Technician I, Franchise Tax Board, which provides knowledge of the regulations and policies governing the tax and nontax programs of the Franchise Tax Board.

Or II

Experience: In the California state service, two years of experience in the Franchise Tax Board performing the duties of a Tax Program Assistant, Range C.

Or III

Experience: Three years of experience in a governmental, financial, or private organization in one or a combination of the following:

1. Extensive customer/public contact with primary responsibility for receiving, resolving, or adjusting customer accounts, including the ability to resolve collection accounts and interpret technical or regulatory information. or

2. Activities which provide knowledge of the regulations and policies governing the tax and nontax programs of the Franchise Tax Board.

(Experience in the California state service applied toward these requirements must include at least one year of experience performing a variety of work which provides knowledge of the various tax and nontax programs administered by the Franchise Tax Board at a level equivalent to a Tax Program Technician I, Franchise Tax Board, or supervising the work of a small group of employees.)

Knowledge and Abilities

All Levels:

Knowledge of: Provisions of the rules, regulations, organization, and procedures of the Franchise Tax Board; knowledge in one or more program areas and applicable tax or nontax laws; one or more of the functions, applications, or processes administered and performed by the Franchise Tax Board; current office methods, technologies, and equipment; grammar, simple mathematics, spelling, punctuation, and modern English usage.

Ability to: Perform clerical and technical work; interpret, apply, and explain provisions of governmental, tax or nontax rules, regulations, and departmental procedures and policies; follow and give directions; evaluate situations quickly and accurately, and take effective action; review submitted data for completeness and appropriateness; learn to utilize personal computer/microcomputer systems and software applications in the performance of technical work; accurately and quickly enter data into a computerized database; use tact and good judgment in communicating with the public; read and write English at a level required for successful job performance; recognize questions and situations outside the employee's area of responsibility or knowledge and refer these to appropriate sources.

Tax Program Technician II, Franchise Tax Board

Knowledge of: All of the above, and in-depth knowledge of the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures administered by the Franchise Tax Board.

Ability to: Perform all of the above, and apply well-defined sections of the laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures administered by the Franchise Tax Board; accept increasing responsibility for difficult and complex work and for accuracy and thoroughness in completed work; work independently with minimal direction; serve in a lead capacity in advising and training less experienced and knowledgeable staff.

Tax Program Supervisor, Franchise Tax Board

Knowledge of: All of the above, and principles of effective supervision; supervisory responsibilities under the State Employer/Employee Relations Act; the Department's purposes, organization, activities, and automated systems; the Department's Equal Employment Opportunity Program objectives; a supervisor's role in the Equal Employment Opportunity Program and the processes available to meet equal employment opportunity objectives; a supervisor's role in planning, organizing, training, and directing the work of subordinate staff; the principles and practices of budgeting and personnel management.

Ability to: Perform all of the above, and effectively contribute to the Department's equal employment opportunity objectives; write clear and comprehensive reports; communicate effectively and tactfully with all levels, internally and externally; train new employees and effectively plan, organize, and supervise the work of others; review submitted data for completeness and appropriateness; direct the work of a group of employees through lead staff; modify established procedures and methods to meet changing needs.

Class History