"official" mileage question

K_Lynch

I received an e-mail from my supervisor with an "official" mileage number to be reimbursed by the company. No matter what route an employee is taking to/from another location, they will get "X" amount covered. Each alternate location has now been given an "official" mileage each way. The numbers are fairly accurate, leaves no option for unusual circumstances.
Once a company chooses to reimburse for mileage, does it retain the right to select the amount of miles it would cover? If an employee takes a detour, they have no recourse? It seems like splitting hairs to me. And a bad move for morale.
No, the management isn't telling the staff, I'll be left that rewarding opportunity.

ray a

When we had 2 facilities about 9 miles apart, some of us would travel between the two and were able to collect mileage reimbursement. We used a fixed rate based on the most direct route. If someone took a detour, they still only claimed the fixed rate.

Balloonman

I agree when you have a situation like that, a couple of facilities x miles apart. I in a past life was aware of a manager who did the same thing with travel between two cities 2 hours apart. She had a number, and really it was incorrect as it did not cover travel between scheduled visits once they were in the city. Fortunately I did not work for her, as I would have fought this issue. But hey that is me.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman

Hunter1

Since the numbers are 'fairly accurate', you could sell the positive aspect of this: No need to remember to take your beginning and ending mileage. I always forget to take one or the other this would be great for me!

MS HR

Paying mileage is a perk that is not mandated by any agency that I know of.
Employees ought to be glad they are getting what they can from management.
I've been with companies that won't pay mileage and you have a choice to either take it or take the highway.

cthr

We have 17 locations throughout the state. We have taken the mileage for the most direct route and that is what we reimburse for. These amounts are given to all employees who travel amongst the locations and so far no one has complained.

TN HR

I really don't see any problem with having a fixed rate. The Federal Government (maybe states too?) does this. They will only pay the mileage according to what is published in the Joint Federal Travel Regulation, no matter how many detours or alternate routes you take.

Gene

System

Hey MS HR I call intentional punning!

San Francisco

I believe that employers are required to reimburse employees for all that the employee expends or loses in direct relation to the performance of his/her duties for the employer. This would include mileage, travel and dining expenses. The employer may reimburse for mileage at or below the rate allowed by the IRS.

Elizabeth

MS HR

I don't know of any law, rule, or regulation that supports your comment, but I am open to a learning experience if there is such an animal.

Balloonman

Set distances, make sense if you have fixed point travel. I think if you have a company that does not reimburse milage, that tell you something about the company................. like you would probably be better off working elsewhere.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman

Don D

There is not such a law in any state I'm familiar with, which, by the way, would not include those on the left coast (with apologies to San Francisco, but not to Gillian).

I took the question to mean that the employer states a specific number of miles between points, as opposed to setting a reimbursement cents per mile. The reason employers do that is because of the number of people who submit travel/expense reports with wide variations in the mileage between frequently traveled points. On my last job we had two plants 8 miles apart. We never saw requests stating 16 miles. We frequently saw 20, 32, 44, 38, 62, etc., round trip. So, the round trip rate was set at 16, period. Employers don't fancy paying employees to ride around or take side ventures or run up on the freeway and go by Home Depot.

San Francisco

MS HR and others. Yikes, you are right and I am wrong! There is no "such an animal".

Elizabeth

hrbanker

We have set distances we pay for travel between offices. We make exception for one route which goes by a lake, as on foggy or rainy nights it can be dangerous. Then we pay for an alternate route that adds about 15 miles one way but is all interstate. For that route, we pay the either mileage, depending on what the employee submits.

MrCreosote

Distance between our branches is on the bottom of our expense report. It's easier that way. It was there before I arrived and I like it. I have trouble remembering to set my odometer before every trip and noting the mileage afterwards.

marc

To the extent ees have unreimbursed business expenses, they can be deducted in your federal income tax returns. Keep your receipts though, it is a high profile statistic for audit purposes.