H&R Block Case Study
GigWorker Onboarding Redesign
Overview
Client: H&R Block
Project: GigWorker Experience
Role: Senior UX Designer
Team: Product Manager · Content Designer · Legal & Compliance · Development
Timeline: 6 Weeks (2 Design Sprints)
The Challenge
H&R Block identified growing frustration among gig workers using its platform. Rideshare drivers, sellers,
and freelancers were being routed through a standard self-employment path, which led to confusion, increased drop-off rates, and support requests.
The mission: Design a seamless trigger-point experience that correctly identifies gig workers early in their journey and personalizes their tax-filing path — all without adding friction.
My Role & Responsibilities
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Led UX strategy, research, and end-to-end design execution
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Created user flow logic and employer-specific interstitial screens
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Collaborated across departments (Product, Legal, Design) to meet business and user needs
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Balance UX goals with development constraints for scalability
Current User Flow
Previously, GigWorker was able to be selected but wasn't specific to users to identify if they were a GigWorker.
Discovery & Research
Before diving into design, I explored:
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Who our GigWorkers are
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User feedback highlighting confusion in the onboarding process
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IRS reporting updates for 1099-K (now $600+ threshold)
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Employer-specific tax forms and deductions (e.g., Uber, DoorDash, eBay)
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Best practices for interstitial UX to ensure user-friendly, non-intrusive experiences
GigWorkers
Make up a big part of the Workforce
Make up around 36% of the US workforce compared to 27% of the workforce in 2016
Are lower income, optimistic and driven by necessity
Around 25% of GigWorkers need the extra income, another 25% loves the flexibility
Fall under specified umbrella or category
Contingent Workers, Freelancers, Temp/Seasonal Hires, Side Hustlers & Independent Contractors
Improved User Flow
With this improved optimized version, we were able to improve the flow by providing interstitials and page provisions.
UX Strategy
Trigger Point Detection
Determined which users belonged in the GigWorker flow
Employer Identification
Captured employer type and displayed tailored content
Education Interstitials
Guided first-time gig workers on tax reporting, forms, and deductions
We focused on 3 core user moments:
However, constraints made things a bit challenging keeping in mind that we must:
Avoid multi-page flows
Minimal engineering lift
Maintain ADA Compliance
Informational Architecture
We were able to gather insights on what would be under the self employed umbrella.
Design Execution
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Created low- and high-fidelity wireframes in Figma
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Prototyped interactive interstitials and trigger screens
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Designed a dynamic content module for top employers
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Conducted internal and external user testing for flow clarity and comprehension
Solution
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A clean, single-page interstitial that routed users into the correct tax path
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Employer-specific content (e.g., DoorDash) and general fallback content
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Triggered by simple user input based on business activity
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Clear CTAs with minimal friction for continued onboarding
GigWorker Final Results
Below is a slideshow that displays the designed trigger points, interstitials and provision for the Gigworker experience.
Results
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Reduced friction in early onboarding flow
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Improved awareness of tax obligations for gig workers
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Strengthened alignment between UX, product, and compliance
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Final solution supported by the H&R Block design system and passed dev audit
Key Takeaways
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Not all users realize they are “gig workers” — terminology matters
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Education doesn’t have to overwhelm if introduced at the right moment
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Partnering early with content, product, and legal teams is essential for scalable design