CEL

iTrader: (1)

Our employers have decided that we can no longer claim for expenses incurred during the day while we are out on company business.

If we were in the office, liquid refreshments are free to all staff and you could bring in your own food for the day, so the only cost is whatever your sandwich components cost from a supermarket. IE -very little!

If we're out on company business, we have to pay for food and drink ourselves. They say we should take our own food and drinks with us, fair comment. But how are we supposed to take food and drinks with us to last 2 or 3 days when we’re out? The cars are not equipped with fridges and besides there has to be some health and safety issues with eating 3 day old preservative free tuna sandwiches.

On the plus side, if we are staying overnight we can still claim for our evening meal – to a maximum of £15.

On top of all this, they have decided that we will no longer be paid for overtime. The job requires some overtime to keep clients happy and feeding work to the company. When I say some, it can be anything from a couple of hours a week to 20 or 30 hours.

We used to get 2 hours paid overtime for the inconvenience of staying away from home, which was a great help going towards paying for a few beers.
Another question, are we able to claim VAT back on the expenses we incur ourselves? Also, calculating our evening meal to £15 never happens and is often quite a lot more. We only get £15 back but they are claiming the full receipt value for VAT?

I surely cannot be right that it actually costs us money to be out of the office on behalf of the company?

ReallyReallyGoodMeat

I'd be more upset about the unpaid overtime than the lack of a free sandwich at lunchtime!

Graz

This seems to be the case with more and more companies. Although we can claim for breakfast, lunch & dinner if working away there are rules as to how much you can claim for each meal, any booze you want to claim for can only be bought with the meal etc.

Also expected to do some overtime as and when needed for the good of the company.

I guess it largely depends how much you get paid in the first place. I don't begrudge a few hours overtime here and there as I do get quite a good salary.

Back in the day expenses were pretty much signed off with no questions provided you weren't silly about it. Beers in the hotel bar at the end of the working day all picked up. IMO this is how it should be, that fact that you are going above and beyond by being away from your creature comforts (i.e. home) for a few days should mean a few luxuries are acceptable. Such is the nature of all companies being run by accountants and/or answerable to share holders these days

47 NAT

The food part I can understand but the overtime? No, not really.
I'd be saying good bye.

ReallyReallyGoodMeat

Sounds like they're playing the "In this climate you're lucky to have a job so let's screw you" game. May be time to see what openings their competitors have, it's unlikely to get any better.

CEL

iTrader: (1)

Of course, but the non paid overtime was forced upon us a couple of months ago, this expenses thing has just wound everyone back up.

Agree with you completely, but the pay is a complete joke also. I'm still trying to work out how I'm now earning £6.5k less than I was 7 years ago

Used to be the same here too. Generally expenses were paid without question and no one was silly about it.

I also forgot to mention. Breakfast - is generally paid when with the accommodation. However, sometimes were are on site for 6am, well before breakfast is served. We also cant claim for breakfast if we are setting off at say 4am. I don't know anyone that wants to eat breakfast at that time.

A senior member of staff recently put a claim in for breakfast in this situation and was told he should have booked a hotel and gone the night before. So instead of it costing them a few quid, it would cost close to £100 for a hotel. Makes perfect sense

Seriously don't think they have thought this through at all and have no idea how much it has p!ssed us all off.

So would I, if there was other opportunities out there. But there aint!

100% correct, and one of the directors is quite open about it.

urban

iTrader: (1)

None of our employees get paid subsistence when out with customers - its their responsibility to feed themselves, however, most clients generally provide them with something to eat, especially as many meetings run into/over lunch.
They can claim entertainment expenses though if bringing clients out for lunch/dinner etc.

If staying overnight during billable time, they get £75 quid for the night, if its non-billable, they get zero.
We pay the hotel bill - including food within reason.

hodgy0_2

do a tax return and claim it

ScoobyWon't

I'd just pop in to a supermarket etc to grab sandwiches if there's no fridge to store them in the car.

I'm more concerned about the unpaid overtime. I hope I never have to do any work for the company which employs the OP.