Entitlement to travel allowance for work-related travel

[MotoGirl]

I'm trying to determine whether I should be getting paid a travel allowance for using my own vehicle to travel to client sites.

For the rest of the year I'm expected to travel to a local client site three times a week, which will require me to run my own car. My daily commute is normally 8km return so this effectively doubles my fuel bill. Edit: I car pool so never atually drive myself to work unless hubby is sick, hence this means we would also have to run two vehicles because we would be going in opposite directions.

My boss has told me I can't claim for the mileage because the client is local but other people have told me she's ripping me off.

Can anyone suggest any websites where I could find some info about my rights or my boss' obligations?

[FJRider]

Check your personal employment contract.

[popelli]

your boss is ripping you off unless your employment contract specifically mentions two normal places of work

tax law is quite clear, travel from home to your normal place of work is a personal expenses

however work related travel, travel from your normal place of work to a client, or travel from home to a clients etc is a work related expense

you should be reimbursed a mileage allowance to compensate you for the additional travel entailed

if your boss will not reimburse you for mileage, then stop using your own car and use public transport and claim the bus fares / taxi or use the company pool car.

as regards websites - inland recenue websites re tax free travel allowances would be a good place to start

if your boss does not want to play ball, then best bet is to find another more ethical boss to work for because your current boss is taking advantage of you

[MotoGirl]

your boss is ripping you off unless your employment contract specifically mentions two normal places of work

tax law is quite clear, travel from home to your normal place of work is a personal expenses

however work related travel, travel from your normal place of work to a client, or travel from home to a clients etc is a work related expense

you should be reimbursed a mileage allowance to compensate you for the additional travel entailed

if your boss will not reimburse you for mileage, then stop using your own car and use public transport and claim the bus fares / taxi or use the company pool car.

as regards websites - inland recenue websites re tax free travel allowances would be a good place to start

if your boss does not want to play ball, then best bet is to find another more ethical boss to work for because your current boss is taking advantage of you


Thanks for that! :first: I have been reading the IRD website but I was kind of hoping to find something saying "paying the travel allowance is mandatory when..." I'll keep looking :D

[p.dath]

This should all be covered in your employment contract. Failing that, there should at least be a description of your duties.

Typically employees should be re-imbursed for expenses personally incurred. Otherwise it is the companies responsibility to provide the transport for you. They could always send you in a Taxi ...

[Nasty]

Generally when I have used my own vehicle I get paid the government milage rate .. which is quite good .. but since you don't normally bring a car I would question having to provide one ... check your contract ... thats a good place to start.

[Jantar]

Unfortunately your boss doesn't have to either supply transport, or reimburse you for using your own transport. However he must pay your time in travelling. So the simple solution is to use your normal method of transport to get to your normal place of employment, then walk to the client. I'm sure you'll only have to mention this method of transport to your boss once, and something will be done quickly.

[Gareth123]

If it doesn't state anything in your contract about getting paid mileage then yes you are getting ripped but I don't think there is anything you could do about it.

[MotoGirl]

Generally when I have used my own vehicle I get paid the government milage rate .. which is quite good .. but since you don't normally bring a car I would question having to provide one ... check your contract ... thats a good place to start.

Yes, I normally get paid 62c/km if I travel out of town. I questioned her a week ago about this client and was told I can't claim it because the temporary workplace is local.

[Mom]

Go with Jantar. If you dont normally bring a vehicle to work, then you dont have one to use. Nothing changes, just walk. I am sure your boss will quickly realise they need to let you use one of their own vehicles to vist the client.

[geoffm]

Yup, you is being robbed. I get 65c/km. THe IRD max that you (or they ) can claim as tax expenses is less than this.
I make on the deal with my economical, well paid for Corolla.
Also check your insurance - often you are not covered if you are using your car for business purposes. There have been a number of people caught out like that.
IMO - have some stern words - either they pay, or they supply a car or taxi.
I had a job like thisonce - it cost me a fortune in running costs (tyres, maintennce, petrol, oil, workshop costs, depreciation, etc) when I added it up and it made a big, hidden hole in the paypacket.
Geoff

[popelli]

I questioned her a week ago about this client and was told I can't claim it because the temporary workplace is local.


The boss is always correct, take your boss's word for gospel and because its local you can easily walk there, actions speak louder than words

[Winston001]

It's not exactly clear what you are saying - will you be driving from home directly to the client three days a week? - in which case this is private travel.

Or - are you going to work, then driving 4km to the client, then back to work? That's a work-related expense and would normally be paid by your employer.

Still, 4km isn't far and if you enjoy your job, is this a big issue?

[MotoGirl]

It's not exactly clear what you are saying - will you be driving from home directly to the client three days a week? - in which case this is private travel.

Or - are you going to work, then driving 4km to the client, then back to work? That's a work-related expense and would normally be paid by your employer.

Still, 4km isn't far and if you enjoy your job, is this a big issue?

My normal work hours are 7:30-4:00 but the people at the client site don't start until 8:30 so I have to go to work beforehand.

It's the principle that bothers me and the fact that I'm having to fill my Fairmont twice as often.

[discotex]

My normal work hours are 7:30-4:00 but the people at the client site don't start until 8:30 so I have to go to work beforehand.

It's the principle that bothers me and the fact that I'm having to fill my Fairmont twice as often.

I'd say in that case it's fair to expect to be paid milage between the office and your client site. Probably not from the site to home if you head straight home tho.

However unless it's a company policy or in your contract they aren't under any legal obligation to pay milage just as you're not under any obligation to provide transport to work off-site (unless your contact says so). You may even be able to refuse to work off-site completely if it's not in your contract.

It's stories like this that help me put up with corporate life.

[MotoGirl]

I'd say in that case it's fair to expect to be paid milage between the office and your client site. Probably not from the site to home if you head straight home tho.

However unless it's a company policy or in your contract they aren't under any legal obligation to pay milage just as you're not under any obligation to provide transport to work off-site (unless your contact says so). You may even be able to refuse to work off-site completely if it's not in your contract.

It's stories like this that help me put up with corporate life.

Cheers for that. Corporate life sounds tempting at times purely because I would love to work for a company that has its shit sorted out! Small companies just suck!

[James Deuce]

IRD rate is 55cents per km.

Start keeping a log book.

NZ Corporates are less organised than most NZ small businesses, and there are many more organisational layers to unravel to get things fixed.

That isn't green grass, it's painted concrete.

[Headbanger]

Wait a second, didn't you recently have a thread where you said you and your boss hate each others guts and can barely speak to each other?

[discotex]

Cheers for that. Corporate life sounds tempting at times purely because I would love to work for a company that has its shit sorted out! Small companies just suck!

Haha yeah they seem to. To be fair big companies suck too - just for a whole load of other reasons. The grass is always greener eh.

Good luck getting a result :)

[MotoGirl]

Wait a second, didn't you recently have a thread where you said you and your boss hate each others guts and can barely speak to each other?

That's me :rofl: This is the latest thing she's sprung on me and I don't like to take things lying down. Hence why I'm trying to do my research.

[Winston001]

Wait a second, didn't you recently have a thread where you said you and your boss hate each others guts and can barely speak to each other?


That's me :rofl: This is the latest thing she's sprung on me and I don't like to take things lying down. Hence why I'm trying to do my research.

Ah. I see.

Ideally you should get another job. However in the current recession that might not be so easy.

As for the travel - your employer cannot reasonably expect you to pay this yourself. So your choice is to refuse to drive to the client. Walk instead to make your point. No, you won't find a rule somewhere saying this although there might be a Employment Court decision somewhere. It's not a complex question. Your boss is wrong, based on the information you have provided.

Your employment relationship has broken down. You are entitled to lodge a personal grievance with the Employment Relations Authority to get these issues sorted (the boss's treatment of you and the mileage). Many people think grievances only arise when you are fired - but that's not so.

[MotoGirl]

Ah. I see.

Ideally you should get another job. However in the current recession that might not be so easy.

As for the travel - your employer cannot reasonably expect you to pay this yourself. So your choice is to refuse to drive to the client. Walk instead to make your point. No, you won't find a rule somewhere saying this although there might be a Employment Court decision somewhere. It's not a complex question. Your boss is wrong, based on the information you have provided.

Your employment relationship has broken down. You are entitled to lodge a personal grievance with the Employment Relations Authority to get these issues sorted (the boss's treatment of you and the mileage). Many people think grievances only arise when you are fired - but that's not so.

Thanks for that :D

[popelli]

It's not exactly clear what you are saying - will you be driving from home directly to the client three days a week? - in which case this is private travel.



wrong, this is not your normal place of work therefore it is not personal travel

if you want to really nit pick you could deduct your normal work travel off the trip to the clients and the additional travel would be deemed work related

[CookMySock]

Just get a ride to work and look at her and shrug.. "no car, sorry." You know the game. ;) hehe.

If it doesn't say in your contact you have to provide a car, then you don't.

Always remind yourself, it's not your heart attack. ;)

Steve

[imdying]

4I'm trying to determine whether I should be getting paid a travel allowance for using my own vehicle to travel to client sites.

Can anyone suggest any websites where I could find some info about my rights or my boss' obligations?

Check the IRD website, there's a formula for it.

[ynot slow]

In a real world you'd get paid,I was in similar situation,was supposed to get company car when lady went on maternity leave,I was filling in the 2 weeks previous,anyway the lady went home early due to stress etc,I used my car for a couple of clients visits,manager said take km,used 45kms of my car.Also the head support manager said as the car was part of my contract and such they would pay me to get to and from work(150km),didn't happen,but when shifting to another area stuck in my normal hours for the fortnight,was paid so near enough.Ended up with 24 hours for shifting.