Money Moral Dilemma: Is it wrong to use staff discount after I've quit?

tldkid1

When I left my famous multinational company they sent me an email saying I was still eligible for staff discount. So your ex company is allowing you by default if not intention. My guess is that they did not ask you to return the discount code intentionally. They just don’t want every 5minute wonder doing it.  Let they who is without sin cast the first stone!

Puddles7

I until recently worked for a large insurance company where I got a hefty discount. If on renewal that discount is still automatically added I will most definitely renew with them. If it's not I won't as they'll come out more expensive than others. If I lose the discount fine, not a problem but black and white is they will have lost a customer who recommends their products because I use them and a sale on a policy for another year.
So in your case they've got another person walking around wearing their stuff and people saying "ooh that's nice, where's it from?" 

jonmcnamaradale

Matt8888 said:

sarahsays said:

Each to their own - may be some awkward questions from the company in the future though! The worst one I heard on here was someone on the mortgage free wannabe forum, whose husband booked business travel on hotels.com on his personal credit card, claimed those expenses from the company he worked for, and then, without making the company aware of it, used the free reward nights accrued on hotels.com for personal family holidays!  He seemingly travelled a lot for work so had a lot of free reward nights for personal holidays. His wife put herself across as being a paragon of virtue, emphasised church-going, helping out at church etc, but saw nothing wrong with this! Decidedly dodgy I would have thought.

This is the worst you heard?! This is very, very common practice and businesses will be well aware that frequent travellers build up benefits from airmiles and hotel loyalty schemes etc (or even just basic credit card reward points). Some businesses may have policies against it, but none that I have worked for or heard of. I have top tier travel status with several airlines thanks to business travel which gets me huge benefits including, upgraded flights (often free or using accrued airmiles) and free flights using airmiles. This is no secret. On a really lucky run, I was upgraded for free on four out of five personal flights in a row, free of charge at the gate, thanks to the airline policy of overbooking (pre-Covid). This was all because of the "status" my frequent flying got me, much of which was as a result of business travel. The companies know full well. Perhaps they see it as a non-taxable benefit? Perhaps it is too much hassle to find a way to claw rewards back for business use, which would be very complicated. Perhaps it is seen as a perk for spending time away from family in boring hotel rooms around the world, sleep deprived in different time zones? Or perhaps it is because the senior decision makers over such things usually benefit themselves from such things!? Take your pick, but it is not "wrong". It is entirely accepted practice and no company out there is unaware that employees can and do get such benefits. I know that it may grate and seem unfair to people who do not get such benefits from their employment, but there is nothing underhand about it. It is entirely above board and normal.

I agree, in my previous job I spent almost a year away from home and my wife, travelling at weekends a lot etc, and I built up enough points for a free hotel stay for a week, and some one way business class long haul flights. This was not even me booking on my personal credit card, this was the company booking and paying for them on a corporate credit card. When I joined, the company's travel booking team asked if I had any frequent flyer or hotel chain accounts, and made sure they got added to my bookings, and would book with those airlines/alliances, where the price was competitive. The company knew we were doing it, and it was kind of a free benefit they could give to us, which didn't cost them anything, and didn't get taxed, so they were more than happy for us to use it.

Jayjayemeye

Plenty of us use discount codes we have searched the internet for and were  probably not intended for us to use specifically. If the code still works, then use it. If it makes you feel guilty, then don’t use it. Your choice. 

Mellee07

This is mental. Black and white with no grey areas whatsoever. You aren’t stealing. People who steal are thieves. Thieves have no morals. 

lizzyloulou

sarahsays said:

Each to their own - may be some awkward questions from the company in the future though! The worst one I heard on here was someone on the mortgage free wannabe forum, whose husband booked business travel on hotels.com on his personal credit card, claimed those expenses from the company he worked for, and then, without making the company aware of it, used the free reward nights accrued on hotels.com for personal family holidays!  He seemingly travelled a lot for work so had a lot of free reward nights for personal holidays. His wife put herself across as being a paragon of virtue, emphasised church-going, helping out at church etc, but saw nothing wrong with this! Decidedly dodgy I would have thought.

Have you ever worked in Corporate? This happens ALL the time, it's considered a perk by some! When I was 24 and just starting out, my work expenses were around £2000 a month (I traveled and entertained a lot). I earned £1800. Did the company care? No. Did I get a company credit card? No. I got my own credit card and used the points for my own flights.

I don't know many people who don't take advantage of this as a company is taking advantage of your cash flow.

sarahsays

jonmcnamaradale said:

Matt8888 said:

sarahsays said:

Each to their own - may be some awkward questions from the company in the future though! The worst one I heard on here was someone on the mortgage free wannabe forum, whose husband booked business travel on hotels.com on his personal credit card, claimed those expenses from the company he worked for, and then, without making the company aware of it, used the free reward nights accrued on hotels.com for personal family holidays!  He seemingly travelled a lot for work so had a lot of free reward nights for personal holidays. His wife put herself across as being a paragon of virtue, emphasised church-going, helping out at church etc, but saw nothing wrong with this! Decidedly dodgy I would have thought.

This is the worst you heard?! This is very, very common practice and businesses will be well aware that frequent travellers build up benefits from airmiles and hotel loyalty schemes etc (or even just basic credit card reward points). Some businesses may have policies against it, but none that I have worked for or heard of. I have top tier travel status with several airlines thanks to business travel which gets me huge benefits including, upgraded flights (often free or using accrued airmiles) and free flights using airmiles. This is no secret. On a really lucky run, I was upgraded for free on four out of five personal flights in a row, free of charge at the gate, thanks to the airline policy of overbooking (pre-Covid). This was all because of the "status" my frequent flying got me, much of which was as a result of business travel. The companies know full well. Perhaps they see it as a non-taxable benefit? Perhaps it is too much hassle to find a way to claw rewards back for business use, which would be very complicated. Perhaps it is seen as a perk for spending time away from family in boring hotel rooms around the world, sleep deprived in different time zones? Or perhaps it is because the senior decision makers over such things usually benefit themselves from such things!? Take your pick, but it is not "wrong". It is entirely accepted practice and no company out there is unaware that employees can and do get such benefits. I know that it may grate and seem unfair to people who do not get such benefits from their employment, but there is nothing underhand about it. It is entirely above board and normal.

I agree, in my previous job I spent almost a year away from home and my wife, travelling at weekends a lot etc, and I built up enough points for a free hotel stay for a week, and some one way business class long haul flights. This was not even me booking on my personal credit card, this was the company booking and paying for them on a corporate credit card. When I joined, the company's travel booking team asked if I had any frequent flyer or hotel chain accounts, and made sure they got added to my bookings, and would book with those airlines/alliances, where the price was competitive. The company knew we were doing it, and it was kind of a free benefit they could give to us, which didn't cost them anything, and didn't get taxed, so they were more than happy for us to use it.

I did say they did not make their company aware of this - personally I feel this is very dishonest and would feel obliged to pass on the discounted hotel rates / nights to the company - it just wouldn't sit right with me otherwise but, as I said, each to their own!

lizzyloulou

Part of my old job included managing all starters and leavers (as well as a million other things), It was up to me to cancel medical insurance and company discounts and enrollments. I wouldn't always stop their perkbox access the day they left because I had way more important projects to work on and I always forgot about it for some reason!!

It should be part of an exit procedure setting out the terms of your contract that you should be aware of. I used to write and send out these letters.. 

If it was me I would carry on until I was told otherwise.  If you feel bad then stop using it, if you don't carry on!

Tiger491

From past experience, most companies aren't bothered if you are still getting a perk after leaving.   They are getting the  turnover  instead of their competitors or the internet.   Retail businesses are buying goods in at wholesale prices. which  are often 50-70% discount from retail prices so it's very unlikely that are making a loss. I've picked up various "trade discount" cards and still use them happily although I'm retired now

Katecooks

Agree with many here that technically it's dishonest. However, I assume the company makes a higher profit than 20% so are not actually loosing money by your purchases. You might think about buying occasionally from local businesses/charity shops who need support or your massive carbon footprint as it sounds like you've made a lot of unnecessary clothes purchases over the last year.