Money Moral Dilemma: Should I accept rail delay refunds for train tickets my employer paid for?

ripongrammargirl

This “dilemma” is awfully familiar… because it was only on here a few months ago. Are we really rehashing these dilemmas in favour of people who have real money problems? Come on MSE, more due diligence on repeat printing please. 

TheRaffs

Don’t commit fraud and then have the worry about being found out. Not worth it. Tell your employer. Collect the brownie points and move on.

SpartanMissile

If you’re delayed on the outbound journey it’s the employer’s time that’s been wasted (assuming you can’t work on the train ) in which case I’d say they should be recompensed. If you’re on the return journey when the delay occurs and it’s your time that’s wasted and your evening being impinged upon, I reckon you’re due the compensation. 

Isin2000

The payment is to the passenger - not the employer as per the terms and conditions of the train company, T&C's accepted by the employer when they purchased - have the employee purchase on their behalf - the ticket.

If they don't like them - they should have the employee travel by a different method, e.g. book a car / taxi.

It is not theft or fraud

Julia1960

When I read your post, it immediately rang a bell and I was sure someone had asked an almost identical question before on Money Moral Dilemmas. I did some digging and saw that on 30 July 2024 someone had posted the following:- 

“I travelled to a meeting of an organisation I'm a member of by train, and I'm entitled to claim the cost of my fare on expenses. The train on the way there was delayed by 15 minutes so I made a Delay Repay claim and received £9 compensation. Once the expense is processed, I'll get the full cost of the fare back too. Do I keep the compensation as it's intended to make up for my wasted time, or offer it to the organisation as it paid for the ticket?.

I replied to this saying:-
“The organisation you’re a member of had already agreed they would repay you the full price for your ticket. As you personally were inconvenienced by the train delay, and you put in the complaint/claim, you are entitled to keep this small compensation payment without the need to feel guilty. You should, however, offer to pay the cost of the fare itself if you also receive a refund from the rail company for that, and not put in a false claim for something you didn’t pay for.”

Hope this helps!

bikaga

I'm assuming you're travelling on company time, in which case yes you should give it back.

Shell1989

Keep the money, your employer has lots of it, they’re not worried about your delay repay. 

emmajnation

For the people saying to keep the money, would you declare it for tax purposes?

Katecooks

If the delay affected you (and your personal time) it's yours. If it made you late for work (and employer didn't dock pay) you should declare it to them.

john_evmk

I travel for work, sometimes by car and sometimes by train. When the same thing happened to me (I was late arriving for work due to a train delay, as were several other colleagues travelling on other trains), I was given the delay payment. I asked the company about this and they said to keep it - their reasoning was partly due to my honesty, partly due to if the delay had been to me getting home they believe I would have been entitled to keep it, partly due to me (or the company) not getting any compensation if I am delayed when travelling by road (whether late for work or late getting home) and partly due to me being apparently the only affected employee that had raised it. I should add that even when late getting to work, I still complete my work, even if I have to work a bit extra. As a result, the company has now changed a policy to clarify the matter and I have a clear conscience.

My advice, ask your company and accept with good grace that they may decide they should have the money.