MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: Should Jack claim cashback at his company's expense?

willywillwill

I think Shilling and Amanda are spot on there, if the company wants you to use your own credit card to pay their costs and then reimburse you, then provided you're not deliberately choosing suppliers for the benefit it will give you rather than the most cost effective provider to the company, why not take some of the added benefit at no cost to the company - also, if it's intangible benefits like air miles, this is different to, say, straight cash back, which is more easily quantified.

I think legally that this could be regarded as making a secret profit though so could be on shakier ground, particularly where you're not being so careful as to the price you're paying for the goods/services.

leebrown_2

This is easy... The CashBack is Jack's!
It has nothing to do with screwing the company - that's both immoral and irrelevant...
If the company wants the benefit of the CashBack, or any other "bonus" then provide Jack with a Company Card - otherwise any benefit Jack receives from running the risk of using his own card is his just reward!

nearlyrich

I use my cashback creit card to pay for hotels, travel fuel etc for work, I sometimes have to buy alcohol or cakes etc for customers from Tesco, I get the points on my clubcard. I don't have a moral dilemma about it I stand the expense till I get reimbursed it's not costing my emplyer extra and they see the receipts so it's not as if I am trying to hide the fact that I get points etc.

johnh_4

My company issues all employees with company credit cards (AMEX Corporate) whether they want them or not. These credit cards bills are not paid by the company - the employee is responsible for claiming back business expenses in time to avoid having to pay AMEX out of their own pocket.

While I'm sure the company gets some sort of cashback from AMEX, the employee is effectively liable for the card as far as I can see, so I have cancelled it. I can't see any benefits to having the Corporate AMEX unless the individual was unable to get credit any other way, or if their personal credit cards had a low credit limit.

Needless to say, I use my personal credit cards and get cashback. Am I doing anything wrong?

EagerLearner

I did this in my last job - the company wasn't losing out and they were still getting the flights/hotels they wanted - meanwhile I got rewarded 'free' via Quidco. As it cost the company nothing, the 'free' reward would have gone to waste.

xsteele

This is not a moral dilemma - its a straight question of whether your commpany allows it or not! Ask them and follow their rules - its the job thats more important.

Plus

It hard not to beleive that a company card can't be used - and believe it or not these can have interchange revenue sharing agreements - cash back if you like built into them.

Also reimbursing individual claims cost the company money estimated £50 a time to process an expense claim.

Plus there should be prefered supplier arrngements within large companies where discounts have already been negotiated and if you don't go through the right suupplier they may not get the turnover and hence the discount in future..

I would still reiterate the comment about getting your money back from the company you might not get reimbursed if the claim isn't signed off or the company goes under.

the tax man might want a cut!

Sorry to be corporate about the reply. Get the best bargain for yourself at home but at work do what they say and if you think it can be improved put it into the suggestion scheme you never know it might be applied across the company and you might get a proper reward!!

Bargain_Babe-a-Licious!

Easy:

As a meatter of honour - he should check 1st if his emploter is happy for him to do it.
As a matter of good sense - he should ask for their response in writing.

:-)

HoneyPhilip

My company pays all expenses I have incurred with my salary. I have to put my expenses claim in two weeks before my salary is paid. This means that I am in effect giving the company up to seven weeks interest free loan of my money (I have to pay for all my petrol, hotels etc - sometimes my expenses bill is close to £1,000 per month).

I have never even thought twice about taking advantage of any 'points' or 'rewards'. I am spending MY money at this stage. If the company were to give me their money in advance, then this may put a different slant on things. The bottom line is that my company are richer than I am, but still expect me to lend them money every month!

damo101

I think he's entitled to it seeing he's giving his company an interest free loan while he's waiting for his expenses to be reimbursed.

Swings and roundabouts really

kay41_2

Absolutely - especially if the company don't give out corporate credit cards. My husband often has to pay out substantial expenses and then claim them back and it's really annoying.

I used to be a conference organiser and I considered being invited to stay the weekend in a hotel I was considering booking a perk of my job - my manager even suggested I go during work time, but at the weekends I could take my hubby, get a fantastic night's stay (normally in the best room) with a great meal thrown in. If I drove there, I would also claim the petrol back. My manager was totally in agreement and I only ever went to stay in hotels I really was considering spending £50K+ on by taking a conference there.

We had a great time for a few years!