Looking for a sign that the job market is finally starting to improve? Here's one: In a recent Accountemps survey, 43 percent of CFOs interviewed said that the number of employee requests for promotions or raises has increased compared to two years ago.

The practice of tracking time in accounting firms, and the role that time plays in pricing services and making billing decisions, has been the subject of endless discussion. It's probably fair to say that when it comes to some mainline compliance services like tax returns, most firms have transitioned beyond billing for time only.

Xero has discontinued the job of chief revenue officer. The company said the move stemmed from the addition of a chief marketing officer who has responsibility for online sales and marketing, and the growth in regional capabilities.

A program of post-Appeals mediation has been rolled out nationally by the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS has expanded what had been a pilot program, which was started in December 2008, for Offer in Compromise and Trust Fund Recovery Penalty cases. Aimed at resolving disputes after unsuccessful negotiations with the IRS Office of Appeals, it is available for both factual and legal issues.