What to say? employers in disbelief!

justmarried06

Why on earth should your DH have to justify his own personal financial decisions to his company? some employers make me really mad sometimes :mad: A small word of warning about a company credit card though, not all companies have them issued on their credit history. I used to work for an organisation that used Amex but rather than the cards being in the company's name they were personal cards with personal credit searches carried out that the company then just paid the bill on once the expenses were submitted...........

barnaby-bear

livinginhope wrote:

Morning all,DH came home from work yesterday in a foul mood,I asked what was wrong and he said it was because he doesn't have a credit card I got all righteous with him,but it turns out he has to go to his boss today to 'explain why he doesn't have a CC'.I am shocked,he sometimes does site work,which involves travel,but they want him to go to London during the week for a few weeks,they want him to pay his expenses on his CC and then reclaim them back,he told them this is not possible because he doesn't have a card,they laughed at him :mad: and said 'everyone has one'
My question is,would you tell your employer the truth about your debt,or would you just say you don't want to get into debt by having a CC?
Also does anyone know his rights here,are they able to send him off with no way of payment?
Thanks
LIH

Some religions don't allow debt/credit card usage - fancy a bit of religious persecution?

mrcow

If they are that bothered can they not issue him with a company credit card which he can use to make these payments.

I agree, these expenses are going to run into the hundreds of pounds.

The bad thing with claiming expenses back on credit cards is that they don't always get paid in time (happens to us all the time) so you still end up having to find the money in order to not pay the interest!

Surely they can book the hotels up front and give him money for meals etc before he goes?

livinginhope

Thanks for all the replies,just spoken to DH while he was on his lunch break,he says that a workmate wants to do this job and he knows that DH doesn't want to go,so will offer himself for the job :j that said,I suspect this will not be the last time this is going to happen,so he is going to tell his boss that he doesn't have/want/need a card and that as I no longer work,we don't have the money to fund week long trips away in advance,he is also going to ask about a company credit card,he still doesn't have a contract after 6 months,but is asking his workmate to check on theirs (if they have one) if they HAVE to work away.When he took the job on he was told that he would not be a site worker,but there have been days here and there on site and now they want weeks!
Time to stand up for himself,me thinks!
LIH

rog2

I know that the government seem to be 'legislating' for everything, but I can't remember when credit cards became compulsory. :rolleyes: :mad: :rolleyes:
He is under NO obligation whatsoever to justify why he does not have a credit card. He WOULD however have to declare his bankruptcy, if specifically asked, but even this should not affect his job, unless of course he was working in a job which is specifically excluded to undischarged bankrupts.
If these trips are to become a regular thing, then the company should either give him a company credit card or an expense float - he could then open a basic account, with a 'Visa' Electron card, specifically to be used for expenses.

livinginhope

Thanks rog,just to say DH and me are not bankrupt,we are on a DMP
LIH

MasterBell_2

having worked in finance teams for big companies this is a very common way for expenses to work,
i would not tell the company about your debt and of course they cant make you get one,
oh could say he doesnt want a cc going on his credit report and can they issue him a charge card or a company cc, (most companies might say no, as if the employee spends money on the card it is very hard to claim it back)

PercyPig

I think its outrageous that employers act in this way. I don't think your OH should tell his employers the reason he doesn't have a credit card - just say its a personal choice. In this day and age, people should be congratulated for not wanting a credit card, not laughed at.

I was in a similar though not as bad situation in that my boss expected me to buy all her tea, coffee, milk etc and then claim the money back from petty cash. As with a lot of employers, they were reluctant to part with their petty cash and it could take months to get back. I was on the point of resigning over this as it just felt so unfair to me but they have now introduced a system where I get petty cash in advance so that I have the money to buy the 10+ teas she drinks a day

David_B_2

livinginhope wrote:

because he doesn't have a card,they laughed at him :mad: and said 'everyone has one'
My question is,would you tell your employer the truth about your debt,or would you just say you don't want to get into debt by having a CC?
Also does anyone know his rights here,are they able to send him off with no way of payment?
Thanks
LIH

It's not law to have a credit card just like it's not the law that you must be able to drive or you must own a mobile phone. Yes it's quite rare but not a must.

Tell them it's your choice, you don't agree with lending/borrowing etc or simply tell them it's none of their business and they'll have to pay for it another way.

This won't be a problem with hotels because they can book it over the phone with a company credit card. As you smaller stuff just use cash and get receipts, thats what used to do even if I did have a credit card.

Arnold's_mrs

Depending on how much money the co has on float in petty cash yes he could theoretically do it that way. There are another 3 ways of doing this also this includeds

1- Issuing him a company loan of sorts- this does NOT have interest added but it's legal and the tax man wouldn't complain. It would be reimbursed when your OH would have been and although it goes on the system as a loan it isn't really just a way of accessing co. money as all income and outgoings have to be accounted for and have to have a paper trail NO exceptions as the vat man would charge the co. 10% (i think it's 10% anyway) on anything missed or unexplained

2-Petty Cash- Most co's only keep a float of about £50 it can go up to £250 but it's for things that generally wouldn't have a paper trail are vat exempt or are small purchases such as envelopes cause you've run out. Generally cash in hand workers are also paid out of this such as cleaners who are paid to little to pay tax, so they cut out the paper work.

3-The stingy so & so puts his hand in his pocket and pays out of the MD salary he takes and claims it back personally. If he's laughing cause he hasn't got a credit card then maybe the md should be paying over the phone on HIS card instead and claimimg it back. He could draw the cash from the co. account and have any recepts from the trip back this is hit and miss if they give you to less but if others have been before a rough estimate should do it.

Let you know if i can think of anything else i'm rubbish with my money good with co. money lolol