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a few years ago I had to travel for work. i rented a car and drove to the hotel in another state. the next day after work the plan was to have everyone go to dinner at a restaurant then everyone who traveled would go back to the hotel and leave the next day. i wanted to go home sooner so i checked out of the hotel that morning and drove home after dinner.
i expensed the car, gas, hotel and meal but on my next paycheck they deducted about $35 to cover the meal because their logic is you cant expense dinner without a hotel stay during the same nite.
if i didnt check out and expensed them $100 for a room i didnt use, they wouldve covered my meal.
"Back in the day" one of my colleagues had assignments in Alaska's outback. He needed to buy footwear specific for that assignment which he put on his travel voucher. Bean-counters declined to reimburse him. Two months later he wrote "You find the boots!" on his travel voucher.
Bottom line, some of those expense rules are driven by the Internal Revenue code. That said, most savvy travelers figure out how to hide 'boots' in their vouchers.
I've found it very important to carefully read expense policies before travel. I usually bring a copy of the policy with me.
I had a boss who was idiotic about expenses. I managed my own budget, which was funded by a grant, and travel expenses were spelled out within the grant contract...so I know I was spending only about half the allowed amount on meals. Yet she made a big production out of everything.
She wanted to see what we ate--she said it would look bad if we were eating steaks. Well I wasn't. I was eating regular foods.
Once I had a cheap appetizer instead of dinner and walked across the street to get a $3 ice cream cone. She said once you finished eating dinner at the first place, everything after that is a snack, which is not reimbursable. omg. I said, "Just so we're clear for my next trip, I get reimbursed for dessert at the same place I eat my meal, as long as it's within the allowed amount, even if it costs more than an ice cream cone across the street?"
Stupid woman.
I had another person in the expense department who kept getting counseled by her supervisor for enforcing her own rules about expenses that went well beyond what the company policy said. She told me I have to eat at fast food places only. She would read every line item on the receipt and tell me I shouldn't be ordering such and such. One time I ordered a milkshake just to **** her off. lol
Again, I eat very cheaply. My manager was telling me to spend more on meals because the excess funds would just be surrendered back to our funder!
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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That's normal, the same applies to someone that stays overnight when the event ends in time to fly home the same day, no meal and no hotel reimbursement. It would be considered additional pay by the IRS. In this situation, the latter did not apply because they were all together, so it could be considered a "team building" opportunity or just a dinner meeting. You didn't participate so are on your own for the cost of dinner.
I had another person in the expense department who kept getting counseled by her supervisor for enforcing her own rules about expenses that went well beyond what the company policy said. She told me I have to eat at fast food places only. She would read every line item on the receipt and tell me I shouldn't be ordering such and such. One time I ordered a milkshake just to **** her off. lol
This is too priceless. Did she say anything about the milkshake?
I think people get lost in the $$$ it is costing, or the technicalities, and lose sight of logic.
a few years ago I had to travel for work. i rented a car and drove to the hotel in another state. the next day after work the plan was to have everyone go to dinner at a restaurant then everyone who traveled would go back to the hotel and leave the next day. i wanted to go home sooner so i checked out of the hotel that morning and drove home after dinner.
i expensed the car, gas, hotel and meal but on my next paycheck they deducted about $35 to cover the meal because their logic is you cant expense dinner without a hotel stay during the same nite.
if i didnt check out and expensed them $100 for a room i didnt use, they wouldve covered my meal.
crazy, huh ?
This was a few years ago and you're still thinking about it?
That's normal, the same applies to someone that stays overnight when the event ends in time to fly home the same day, no meal and no hotel reimbursement. It would be considered additional pay by the IRS. In this situation, the latter did not apply because they were all together, so it could be considered a "team building" opportunity or just a dinner meeting. You didn't participate so are on your own for the cost of dinner.
i did go to dinner with the team.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WestCobb
This was a few years ago and you're still thinking about it?
This is too priceless. Did she say anything about the milkshake?
I think people get lost in the $$$ it is costing, or the technicalities, and lose sight of logic.
I think a lot of the people who don't travel think those who do are living the high life of exotic places, fine dining, and parties every night. Our office secretary is like that. Even though she doesn't see the vouchers, she is constantly making comments about travel, hotels, "fancy meals" etc. Heck we had several go to a conference about eight years ago that she constantly brings up to everyone.
I think a lot of the people who don't travel think those who do are living the high life of exotic places, fine dining, and parties every night. Our office secretary is like that. Even though she doesn't see the vouchers, she is constantly making comments about travel, hotels, "fancy meals" etc. Heck we had several go to a conference about eight years ago that she constantly brings up to everyone.
I retired from the railroad after 37 years. It involves a lot of hard work and travel. Way back when, we got a new supervisor. He was a total hard ass. Good friend of mine was a machine operator. His nickname was "tiny". guy was 6'9 and weighed just a little over 450#. Usually a great guy..... but do not take advantage of him. this is the background.
Tiny turns in his expense account to the new boss. tiny eats a LOT. Everyone knew this including his old bosses. His meal expenses were usually twice most others. That being said.. he was also one of our best heavy crane operators. these were like hens teeth. Well the new boss decided his meal expense was "excessive"....and wrote across the form that same reason for denial........
A few days later "tiny" went to see the new boss personally. the secretary told him to go ahead into his office.........The story goes that Da boss looked up... and up........and up........said "can I help you?"
Tiny placed his rejected expense form in front of the boss and said " i'm Mr. lowe, and I would like to know why you do not expect me to eat when I am away from home in a hotel???".........at the same time he leaned way Down and over the bosses desk while placing his hands on the edge {they were about the size of two hams}
The boss is said to have taken about 10 seconds to profusely apologize AND assure Mr lowe it would not happen again...........
I knew them both. and they both told it the same way.........
"Back in the day" one of my colleagues had assignments in Alaska's outback. He needed to buy footwear specific for that assignment which he put on his travel voucher. Bean-counters declined to reimburse him. Two months later he wrote "You find the boots!" on his travel voucher.
Bottom line, some of those expense rules are driven by the Internal Revenue code. That said, most savvy travelers figure out how to hide 'boots' in their vouchers.
What does that mean or do writing that on an expense report?
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