How does your employer handle travel expenses?

[xanis]

Everything is paid for upfront including a $30 per diem for food. I only submit receipts for things like tolls and public transportation.

 

[Exterous]

I caution you to not complain that you can't "profit" from travel. You had a sweet deal while it lasted but it's the norm to get reimbursed based on receipts. Those "profits" weren't reported as wages and you didn't get taxed on them, right? Be careful what you ask for.

But if you are hourly, you should get overtime when traveling based on your company policy (some do it for > 8 hours per day, some for > 40 hours/week). If you travel on a weekend, you should get a full day's pay (overtime if applicable). If you travel during the week, you should get paid from when you leave your house until you reach your destination (or vice versa) unless company policy dictates otherwise.

That is a much more defensible stand than not being able to "profit" from being out of town. That position is a non-starter.

Good post. A lot of companies are either getting overly strict with per diems or have done away with them entirely. Requiring receipts is pretty standard these days and hourly people need to be wary about getting screwed through travel pay

The last place I worked was terrible about travel. They felt that too many employees were getting too many points while the company was missing out. Now they have a travel company that makes all the reservations and always chooses bottom budget accommodations unless you are a C or VP level. Everyone who travels gets a company credit card and most have a low daily limit and nothing outside of emergencies is covered other than spending on that card. No points, no brand loyalty, little control over flight times and bottom line accounting. Yuck. Thankfully I didn't travel for them

Where I work now is a vague and nebulous "stay reasonable" and reimburses receipts. They don't require itemized receipts either which allows for some wiggle room. I get to control who I fly or stay with and generally when I fly. No first class but if a car, seat or hotel room upgrade is a little bit more thats ok. I consider myself lucky but not privilaged

 

[PenguinPower]

Salaried. Company prepays for flights, I use an Amex corporate card for everything else. Submit receipts, get reimbursed in next paycheck before credit card bill comes.

I caution you to not complain that you can't "profit" from travel. You had a sweet deal while it lasted but it's the norm to get reimbursed based on receipts. Those "profits" weren't reported as wages and you didn't get taxed on them, right? Be careful what you ask for.

But if you are hourly, you should get overtime when traveling based on your company policy (some do it for > 8 hours per day, some for > 40 hours/week). If you travel on a weekend, you should get a full day's pay (overtime if applicable). If you travel during the week, you should get paid from when you leave your house until you reach your destination (or vice versa) unless company policy dictates otherwise.

That is a much more defensible stand than not being able to "profit" from being out of town. That position is a non-starter.

If you are doing work above your grade, I would talk to my boss (one on one, not as a group) if I could make a strong case for a promotion based on what I'm doing. If I lose the argument, at least I would leave the meeting knowing what I would have to do to get the promotion, then work on those things.

On a federal regulation level, this is not true. Some states may have more stringent requirements (CA, for example), but on a federal level non-exempt ees are only required to be paid for travel time within their normally scheduled hours, unless they are performing some type of work (e.g. driving a group of ees somewhere).

If you work 8a-5p M-F and you travel to your destination from 5-9p, the company is not required to pay you. Likewise, if you travel on a Saturday from 3p-8p, the company is only required to pay you for 2 hours (3p-5p) absent some other type of work being performed.

[FONT=&quot]“When an associate is required to take a trip by car, train or other public transportation which keeps him or her away from home overnight, the Act considers that all time spent in such travel during hours which correspond to the associate’s normal working hours must be counted as time worked. [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]

Furthermore, hours spent in travel on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays which correspond to the associate’s normal working hours on other days of the week must also be counted as time worked. Bona fide meal periods may be excluded, however, in figuring working time during such travel.[/FONT]” - FLSA 93.22"

[/FONT]

 

[Ns1]

On a federal regulation level, this is not true. Some states may have more stringent requirements (CA, for example), but on a federal level non-exempt ees are only required to be paid for travel time within their normally scheduled hours, unless they are performing some type of work (e.g. driving a group of ees somewhere).

If you work 8a-5p M-F and you travel to your destination from 5-9p, the company is not required to pay you. Likewise, if you travel on a Saturday from 3p-8p, the company is only required to pay you for 2 hours (3p-5p) absent some other type of work being performed.

[/FONT]

This is true.

But one time I worked a 40 then took 26 hours worth of travel time from portal to portal. Started accumulating double time after my first layover. It was fucking awesome; my weekly check for that trip was bigger than my current biweekly check.

 

[Scarpozzi]

I get paid a per diem, have to show that the hotel is approved for whatever I'm going to if it's over the set rate for that zip code. They reimburse upon return....typically 2 weeks later.

If you don't have the receipts, you can ask whoever handles the travel if they can take line items off your credit card or bank statement and explain you didn't know the policy change. It's essentially the same thing...they just want something in writing so they don't end up reimbursing $100/day for someone who didn't eat.