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

erik_the_red

The compensation is paid for the inconvenience caused to the traveller - I don't link the compensation to whoever has paid for the tickets.  Claim it, keep it, enjoy it.

Owenmore

I would use the refund to pay towards the next ticket. 

JainEm

maisie_cat said:

How's this, if the train was delayed you were presumably late for work.
If the employer doesn't deduct pay for the lateness and the delayed train was used as a reason the refund belongs to the employer. This is compensation for paying an employee who was not there as a result of the train delay.
If however, the time before arrival is unpaid, then the refund belongs to the employee as compensation for loss of pay.

Doesn't need to be so complicated. Offer your employer the compensation payment (via HR or Accounts or whichever route is appropriate). Whether they accept it or not is up to them and you have done the right thing.

Fiery_Fox

When I travelled for work, my tickets were booked by the company. On the one occasion I had a delay of several hours, I asked about the compensation payment and HR said claim it, it's you that suffered the inconvenience, not us!

louisajoyce

Of course not, you were delayed, not your employer!  It's personal compensation for the time you've had wasted!

Marvel1

To cover myself I would check with employer.

JayD

We've had an identical dilemma before ...     yawn ...

Stato71

The refund is for inconvenience of delay. You as the traveler are the actual person being inconvenienced, but if you are late for company business so is the company.  As the app is notifying your company of the refund you ought to seek clarity from them as to how they see it. I'd be surprised if you could get away with keeping the refund and no-one questioning it. Be open and honest and you may get some of it for your personal inconvenience.  Then again you may be told to get up earlier or use alternative transport!

ronrapp

Hi I think you have to realise that the inconvenience is mainly to you. So if I was late to work and had to make up time I'd take the money for myself. Your company is paying your travel at a set rate that is supporting the business. It's like they pay you so much a mile for using your car but if you got cheap fuel, a free service as part of a deal or discounted tyres you wouldn't be expected to hand that back. And you should claim to put pressure on the train operator to improve their services. It's highly unlikely that your chief finance officer is accounting for late trains in his annual report or on the bottom line!

Sixfootaliw

I used to be in this exact situation, and I always kept the refund. It was me wasting my time sat at the station waiting for late trains, so it’s my compensation.