Payment of Travel Expenses

njm123

Ideas needed:

Company has changed Travel Policy and will only pay expenses that are booked to a corporate card, unless that card is not accepted - will basically means you can get away with meals and taxis.

I have been declined for the corporate card (I believe because my credit history is limited - own my own home but never had a mortage and only have the one credit card from a bank I've been with for 30 years). The company's attitude (with the exception of my manager) is basically tough that's between you and the card company and they won't do anything to help.

I'm supposed to have a trip coming up, linked to moving to a new role, that will basically cost a month's wages as it's overseas (and completely unecessary in my opinion)

so do I

(a) Go and accept I might lose a months wages when the company decide that the card would have been accepted and decline the expenses. There may be other trips later but they shouldn't be overseas - more like the odd long commute which is in the range I'd rather not pay but I will if I need to.
(b) Refuse to go unless they guarantee to pay the expenses - in writing, I've had the verbal we'll see you alright routine in the past. The obvious risk of this is that it's seen as a breach of contract or more likely my manager sends someone else and I'll miss out on this new role and be at real risk of redundancy (The fat lady is stepping on stage for our current roles).

colino

Who declined you for a corporate card? Any time I have worked for organisations still using these archaic things (god bless company cards with their inbuilt free bonuses of taxis and meals constantly on the house) they haven't asked for detailed finances. Do you have to apply independently for it?
Anyway, you work for them, don't pay their bills too.

HappyMJ

If you don't have the money to go then ask for an advance on the expenses. They can lend you the money then you repay it out of the expenses that you submit the next month on your return. Virtually every company I have dealt with will do that.

Debt_Free_Chick

I don't see the company refusing to pay your expenses, despite what their new policy suggests. That would be a fundamental breach of trust - and probably breach of your employment contract.

Couldn't your manager book your major expenses - travel & hotel - on his card?

DKLS

I would ask the manager to book the travel and prepay the hotel with a suitable daily allowance for food and drink. Where I work just about everyone gets a corporate card, and all managers have a monthly limit of 25k! And the senior mgt have 80k a month which seems nuts to me.

DVardysShadow

njm123 wrote: »

.... so do I

(a) Go and accept I might lose a months wages when the company decide that the card would have been accepted and decline the expenses. There may be other trips later but they shouldn't be overseas - more like the odd long commute which is in the range I'd rather not pay but I will if I need to.
(b) Refuse to go unless they guarantee to pay the expenses - in writing, I've had the verbal we'll see you alright routine in the past. The obvious risk of this is that it's seen as a breach of contract or more likely my manager sends someone else and I'll miss out on this new role and be at real risk of redundancy (The fat lady is stepping on stage for our current roles).

Neither option is good as it stands.

a] is out of the question.

And b] will get you some black marks if you do it the way you present it. You have to say "yes, I will go,how are you going to fund it? Because I am not going to fund a month's pay myself"

Ideally, you need to put that position in writing and hopefully get a reply which addresses the point. If you don't, just maintain the position until the day you go. If you get verbal assurances, return them in an email and ask for confirmation. But don't actually go to an airport until this is resolved.

Kynthia

You need to put the ball in their court. Write explaining that you haven't qualified for a corporate card and are unable to fund the trip yourself so you would like to know how they propose to resolve the situation.

KiKi

Why not just ask for a cash advance in the right currency for expenses, and ask someone with a corporate card to book hotel and travel? Problem solved.