Refund for meal paid upfront

MobileSaver

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

I don't think it ever crossed my mind that the employer would be paying for anything

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

In the NHS trusts I worked for, the Christmas meals were funded 100% by the staff themselves.

Similarly it never crossed my mind that the OP may not be in the private sector!

If not then yes, absolutely, taxpayers should not be paying for jollies to people who chose to work in the public sector whereas if I as a business owner want to spend some of my profits on rewarding staff then that's up to me.

Manxman_in_exile

MobileSaver wrote: »

Similarly it never crossed my mind that the OP may not be in the private sector!

If not then yes, absolutely, taxpayers should not be paying for jollies to people who chose to work in the public sector whereas if I as a business owner want to spend some of my profits on rewarding staff then that's up to me.

I now understand what you mean.


So you would take 60+ employees (plus their partners) of your retail business to London or another EU capital, and pay all travel, accommodation and food and drink costs?


Well done - but like many taxpayers do, if I'd been a customer of your business and had known this, I might have questioned how you were funding these profit (ie customer) funded "jollies". Did your customers know you were doing this?

Manxman_in_exile

MobileSaver wrote: »

Similarly it never crossed my mind that the OP may not be in the private sector!
.

Of course! Did you need to account for "staff entertainment" expenditure as closely as the public sector would have to?

DoaM

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Did your customers know you were doing this?

It wouldn't be any of their business. Of course consumers can choose who they want to give their custom to, but they've no right to know how much profit that business makes or how the owner decides to use that profit.

takman

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Well done - but like many taxpayers do, if I'd been a customer of your business and had known this, I might have questioned how you were funding these profit (ie customer) funded "jollies". Did your customers know you were doing this?

But assuming that you work then would it reasonable for your employer to question you when you requested holiday asking "how are you funding these "jollies" abroad?. Did your employer know you were doing that?

That doesn't sound reasonable to me and it certainly wouldn't be reasonable for them to suggest paying you less because you holiday abroad.

POPPYOSCAR

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

I now understand what you mean.


So you would take 60+ employees (plus their partners) of your retail business to London or another EU capital, and pay all travel, accommodation and food and drink costs?


Well done - but like many taxpayers do, if I'd been a customer of your business and had known this, I might have questioned how you were funding these profit (ie customer) funded "jollies". Did your customers know you were doing this?

You cannot be serious!

What a strange thing to say.

How a business spends their profits is no concern of anyone else other than the business itself.

MobileSaver

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

So you would take 60+ employees (plus their partners) of your retail business to London or another EU capital, and pay all travel, accommodation and food and drink costs?

It was 60 including partners and, yes, everything paid for up until the meal was finished; if the younger ones wanted to go out partying after that then that was on their own dime.

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

if I'd been a customer of your business and had known this, I might have questioned how you were funding these profit (ie customer) funded "jollies". Did your customers know you were doing this?

Some customers most certainly knew as it was the highlight of the year and so often brought up in conversation when staff were on the phone to customers in November/December. I think you would be in a tiny minority if you questioned any private company on what it spends its profits on!

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Of course! Did you need to account for "staff entertainment" expenditure as closely as the public sector would have to?

Of course, "entertainment" is always a hot potato for the tax man so was always given very close attention by our accountants.

k3lvc

MobileSaver wrote: »

I think you would be in a tiny minority if you questioned any private company on what it spends its profits on!

10-15yrs ago that might have been the case but as someone with negotiating responsibility for a company that tries to balance shareholder and consumer needs I can assure you that notice is taken of those suppliers/customers who don't share the same values - there's a place for them in the world but boasting/demonstrating extravagance (esp where publically visible/social media etc) will see a very different negotiation style and tougher terms/conditions

alumende27

templehead wrote: »

meaning we have over paid by at least £600!

At least the cost of a christmas party up to £150 per person is tax deductible for the company. I assume they/you are aware of this.

As for the hotel refusing to negotiate. It's much harder to say no when you do it in person, are convivial and genuine. Ask to speak to the owner, and point out that it was a genuine and honest mistake and you'll be much more likely to return in future years if they can give a bit of leeway, whereas if they don't you most certainly won't go again and you'll be sure to mention to all your friends, colleagues and relatives how mean spirited they are, and you might even mention it online, give them a bad review, etc., If they're in any way a decent hotelier they will realise the cost of bad publicity sharply.

MobileSaver

k3lvc wrote: »

as someone with negotiating responsibility for a company that tries to balance shareholder and consumer needs I can assure you that notice is taken of those suppliers/customers who don't share the same values

Fair enough, you learn something new every day. However that type of corporate oversight is still a tiny minority compared to the millions of consumer to private sector transactions that occur every week.