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

Andyjflet

If you do get a refund then you should refund your employer, its the right thing to do and in my employment I would probably lose my job if they found out I was doing this. 

Andyjflet

Mischiefmanaged said:

I queried this via email with my employer and HR. Our policy is that we are allowed to keep it. 

The point is you asked and got an answer, I think thats the right thing to do. Whatever the answer. 

littlegreen

Had a few expensed delayed trains in my time Once I kept the money as I was so late home, it worked out at my hourly pay x hours delayed and I was a rather underpaid, overworked, member of junior staff. I also could not claim extra expenses for food etc that I ended up buying so that was covered.

Nowadays, on better pay, I donate it. Usually to Samaritans or similar because well, they are usually the charities who help people most on the railways

Marvel1

Nasqueron said:

Marvel1 said:

What compo can I get when stuck in a traffic jam?

Nothing because that isn't you paying for a ticket that says you will be at XYZ location at a fixed time

No, it's my time as well as I'm being delayed as you said:

I claim and keep the delay repay money - I am being delayed, it is compensation for my extra time spent on the train and having to potentially rush for my next stage

TopspinJ

The delay is suffered by the traveller not the employer, so unless you are remunerated by your employer for the extra time you spent travelling you should receive the compensation as the journey took place and you arrived at your final destination which is what the employer paid for. (PS I am the company MD).

DAN56

dirtmother said:

I am wondering via what mechanism these 'I pay my employer back' people are managing to do that?

Maybe just deduct the refunded amount when they claim for their next ticket purchase?

Nothanks

Just ask them. Some large employers it’s literally more admin than it’s worth for the price of a train ticket and they won’t care. Others will. 

DorkingChicken

This is a great question and probably quite common for regular business travellers.

Technically, if your employer reimbursed the ticket, the delay refund could be considered theirs. But having worked in an accounts team, I can say most companies don’t have a process for reversing an expense once it’s been paid. 

For small delay refunds, it’s usually not worth the admin, so most people just keep it, and it's rarely an issue unless company policy says otherwise.

mouse477

Don't even think about claiming and keeping. Tell your employer and then claim and return the refund to him/her. If they say keep it, then do so. But if you claim and keep and your employer finds out, you won't be going on any more train journeys, will you?                                                                                                                                     And - to comment on a previous replier - your employer pays you while you are on the journey therefore, the refund still belongs to them. It never ceases to amaze me that people can't differentiate between stealing and not stealing!!

surreysaver

CapeTown said:

So I work for the NHS. If I travel with the job, the NHS pays. If I am delayed, I get refunded - I give that money back to the NHS. How is your conscience if you are pocketing money. 

Conscience is irrelevant