travel expenses for attending the interview

kiwi07

I really need some advice. I've attended the job interview at one of the councils, it was in the end of September. In order to attend the interview I travelled 60 miles each way. When was invited I confirmed my attendance and asked if it's possible to claim interview travel expenses. They said that it's possible and sent me the form. I attended the interview and did not get a job. I sent my interview travel expenses claim and attached the train tickets. I sent it by 1st class mail to the person who invited me for the interview. The form contained my bank sort code, account number so they could pay straight into my account. One week later I e-mailed that person to check if the form has arrived but was told it's not and asked to fill another claim form and e-mail it back. I did it again. She e-mailed me few days later to say that both forms have arrived and she will destroy the paper one and will process the e-mailed copy.
I waited for a month and e-mailed, she did not reply. I phoned her, she said that they sent the form to Finance and that as long as it sent to Finance, she is no longer responsible for it. I was given a phone number to call the Finance. I phoned the Finance and their team member told me that they processed the form and it went for a further authorisation to someone who left a job. I was given the name of that person but they refused to give me the details of what his position was. Finance team member said that I have to go back to HR to the person who took the form from me and she should be dealing with the problem now. I phoned HR again and told that I am considering putting a complain. They said, no need in complain, we will be escalating the matter to the Senior Management. One week later I e-mailed the HR, but had no reply. I also got a feedback from the interviewing manager and asked him for a help but he refused to help. What should I do? Please advise. I can't claim the interview travel expenses from the Work Programme as it's getting quite late and they always want the conformation of my attendance and that the interviewing place did not reimburse my interview expenses.

AP007

Send an invoice or 7 day letter to them for the amount claimed and give them 7 days to pay

kiwi07

AP007 wrote: »

Send an invoice or 7 day letter to them for the amount claimed and give them 7 days to pay

Thanks. What is the 7 day letter?

jacques_chirac

AP007 wrote: »

Send an invoice or 7 day letter to them for the amount claimed and give them 7 days to pay

That is not going to hurry things up. It will be entered as a fresh invoice and escalated to the same place where the last one is stuck.

OP,if you have no wish to work at this council in future I would follow their complaints procedure.

kiwi07

jacques_chirac wrote: »

That is not going to hurry things up. It will be entered as a fresh invoice and escalated to the same place where the last one is stuck.

OP,if you have no wish to work at this council in future I would follow their complaints procedure.

I am really can't be certain if I will never apply to them again in the future. That the problem.

I would rather claim it off WP but can't get a conformation that I have attended the interview and council did not pay my travel expenses. No way WP will accept my explanation that I was not paid.

jacques_chirac

lucky18 wrote: »

I am really can't be certain if I will never apply to them again in the future. That the problem.

I would rather claim it off WP but can't get a conformation that the council did not pay my travel expenses. No way WP will accept my explanation that I was not paid.

Ask your WP advisor to ring finance at the council? They should confirm if you are there when they call (to give permission to discuss you).

AP007

lucky18 wrote: »

Thanks. What is the 7 day letter?

Its a letter that says you want payment within 7 days as you were promised the payment and its not arrived

kiwi07

jacques_chirac wrote: »

Ask your WP advisor to ring finance at the council? They should confirm if you are there when they call (to give permission to discuss you).

WP also needs the conformation of my attendance, that is from HR. I dont think WP advisor will be calling them all TBH. They normally want all this in writing.
If my advisor ring their HR to check my attendance they would laso tell her that they are sorting my claim. No way WP will pay me then.

WP can also refuse to accept this claim as it's been almost two moths after the interview.

kiwi07

Just had e-mail from HR saying that it's possible to take the money to pay me from their some budgets but again they need to speak to one person from a Finance who can give them some code, he is not in the office ....


I even asked HR to confirm my attendance and that I have not received my travel expenses but they just ignored me e-mail.

Just found the letter from the HR informing me that I was not successful. This is an evidence of my attendance. I just need the conformation that I was not reimbursed for my interview travel expenses.

kiwi07

I went to see my WP advisor and showed the letter confirming that I was not successful at the interview. I said that they can phone them and check if I was given back interview expenses. She checked with her boss and she only offered to re-imburse me 50% off rail fare, I agreed to this. Better than nothing. Shall I write to the council and say that everything sorted or just let it go?