Re: Work Expences Pollicy?

[Gangie]

It’s a work one. I work for a charity, my job involves lots of outside hours (evenings & weekends) with a good bit of travel. We get a very modest amount of mileage (around 30p per km). I need to bring equipment with me so public transport is not possible. A few months ago the policy around expenses changed: we used to clock the mileage on the dash of the car, then input that into a spreadsheet with the reason/event and journey details – so far so good.

The new policy dictates that we must now use a route planner (google maps/AA route planner) and each journey must be printed out and then posted to my manager (in a different county) and then he checks it and sends it on to Head Office. Ok it’s a pain but fine. However, I don’t think this works for people who travel as much as I do. Some staff travel sporadically, straightforward journeys from A to B. I often have multiple stops, road works, traffic etc and when I compared the mileage on the clock to the mileage on the route planner its not accurate.

Last month I was due €405 as per my mileage clock. (Thats for 3 months btw) I received €350 as per the route planner. I am really annoyed! I am very conscious that I work for a charity and therefore most careful about what I put in for. We get a food allowance but I never use it, I often don’t put in for smaller journeys etc (things I would be entitled to and would put in for if I worked for any other business or company). I know it’s a Charity but I am not a charity! I have to pay for the diesel, wear & tear on tyres breaks etc and tax insurance and need to have transport for my job. I really don’t think it’s a fair or a well thought out policy but I know that I will probably be the only one to have an issue with it (well others may have an issue but wouldn’t dare to bring it up). AIBU should I just suck it up or should I bring it up with my manager?

How does this compare to others mileage policy?

Sounds like a pain but it is what it is. On google map directions you can drag the blue line around to the route you actually took which would help (but is even more of a pain).

We get a food allowance but I never use it, I often don’t put in for smaller journeys etc

Well. There you go - start doing those things!

Our milage policy is based on trust i.e. we input the actual mileage from home to client, or office to client (whichever is the shorter distance).

According to the (UK) tax man you can claim 45p per mile up to 10,000 miles and 25p per mile over 10,000 miles. That's what I've used before and seems fair.

Having to post a Google maps thingy is ridiculous. But if they are going to be that anal is there any sort of tracker app you can use on your phone etc that tracks your actual mileage (with multiple stops etc) so that your claim is accurate?

I dont know MrsC this is the first job that I have had to travel and expense for. Its really really bugging me!! I hate when things are not fair and I really dont think this is. I am doing X mileage and only getting paid X. When I sent up the route planners last time I put a note with every single one 'Actual Mileage' and they just ignored it!!

It's pretty standard. Your use of euros suggests you aren't in England, but the HMRC guidance is 46p per mile in a private car, which is about the same as you are quoting per km and that includes wear and tear and running costs, based on 40mpg you are paying around 11p a mile at the moment if my maths is right.

From a management side of things, I think your old system could have been abused (not by you, but by others), people fitting other personal trips into their business claimed mileage etc and the new system is protected from that.

You mention traffic and roadworks. If you are regularly having to go via route B instead of route A (B being longer but quicker because of traffic) then you should have a case to go to a manager and say "I'm claiming this route, because the other route is 20 mins longer despite being a shorter distance"

Otherwise it all looks very typical of that sort of policy.

Whois - yes I could do that but I feel its tit for tat then!! Although I have other issues with the job and am unfortunately getting to the work to rule stage....not exactly but you get my meaning! I often do a lot of overtime but dont get all of it back in TIL - only some?! I am starting to say NO to things deemed outside my remit and that is not my work ethic at all!!

(I am looking for a new job!)

I would guess you need to be more accurate in your google submissions is all. The tool is very accurate in itself so yes it's a pain but as long as you're aware of where you're driving it should be perfectly possible to get it right. Of course they will ignore you saying 'actual mileage' if it doesn't match the distance on the ground.

Epilepsyhelp - I am not in UK you are right. Googlemaps isnt as accurate as in the UK - often have to go to very rural areas and we dont have postcodes so it can be difficult to pin point exact addresses. The old way was still reliable I think as you would have to put in the reason for the journey as well as the mileage amount which would correspond with my diary which is sent to manager every month. Also if there was any query on a journey surely a quick check on google maps would show any inconsistency?

So is it me thats BU?!!

Feck....

It's hard in this type of job, because you know that money is tight. I'm a teacher, and spend hundreds of pounds of my own money on classroom resources which improve the children's education, but the school can't afford.

In this case, they aren't going to change their minds about the mileage claims. But you are not a charity, and part of the business of a charity is to pay their employees. So you have to work to their systems.

• Google maps will let you drag the route, so select the route you actually took. Print out the maps at work too (printer ink is another thing I end up spending a fortune on because school IT is not always reliable!)

• Claim for all qualifying journeys.

• Claim the food allowance.

• Claim the time off in lieu.

I understand that it's hard- in my previous role I could claim TOIL but rarely did because it would have made things harder for other colleagues. But I have started making sure that I claim for mileage, overtime worked etc whereas in the past I'd have carried the cost myself, simply because I can't afford to subsidise my job.

That does change it a little on the basis that Google maps is less reliable.

Try getting one of those apps on a phone that tracks your journey (a running one would do even if you are driving) - work won't accept it, but it might give you some peace of mind.

The difference you refer to in your post is pretty significant even over 3 months. 55 euros at 0.3 per Km is 180+ km. Are you sure your spreadsheet is right, that does seem a big difference?

That said, if you are doing a lot of trips the differences will add up

how do roadworks and traffic affect the mileage? 100km is 100km even in a traffic jam. i can see the time changing but not the distance

Well you're not BU if it's not accurate in your country!! Raise this with management straight away and point out that they need a new policy which allows for accurate calculations.

Because you end up going a different route ariba

I agree that you should look for a new job. But complain first and say it's not working for you. Charities are notoriously mean to their staff. Except to the directors of course to whom some charities are exceptionally generous.

I think you need to raise this with your manager. It's not acceptable for you to have to be out of pocket travelling on business. The fact that you work for charity is irrelevant here.

I feel for you OP. I had this a few years ago and all our expenses and trips were compared to the AA route finder. I once had to write a 3 page detailed breakdown of why I took the routes I did (perhaps because the shortest route may not be the safest in the middle of nowhere in the middle of winter eh?) and I deeply resented it. They accepted it and all was fine after that.

However now when I submit my claims I write on the form which route I took and why it may differ ie diversion cos of road works etc. I've had no problems since but I made sure that I claim for meals etc now because like you I never did previously.

Simply start putting in ALL journeys and use your meal allowance to make up the difference.

If you do get sent on long diversions, can you put in a different, updated map to show the actual route taken due to diversions on the day?

The route you print out should be the route you drove. Therefore there will not be a difference between that and actual mileage. If you are printing different routes to what you ate driving, it's your own fault!

Retired employer here - IME the Routefinder thing is being used more and more now, sadly as a result of too many folk taking the piss in the past. It's unfortunate but hardly the fault of companies who've been ripped off endlessly, and while your place may not have experienced this, I doubt charities generally have been untouched

The only possible solution is to make sure that every legitimate expense is submitted in full - no "it was only just that one time" or "it's not worth it for x amount" but claim everything

Thanks for all the input. I know I should put in for everything and I am starting to as I have found out after two years here breaking my b*lls going the extra mile and it is NEVER appreciated. The only time management discuss anything about my role is when I have done 'wrong'..... (management do not forward plan they just want you to get on with it and when you do they come back and say well I didnt want it that way which is most annoying) as I said I am looking for a new job which is a pity because I actually enjoy the role and love my (local) colleagues.

There is a bit of a bullying element I feel and anyone that dares to question a procedure or policy is scapegoated. The real client centered work is fantastic but the admin/management side is a real archaic one.

I used to do travel plans for staff members. They hated that I had to use AA route planner to calculate the mileage because it might be out 1-2 miles depending on where in the postcode you were travelling to. It was regularly argued even though I pointed out I was only a) following government policy and b) by using the same route planner each time, it created fairness rather than having a person tell me what their mileometer said. They could easily be lying and how was I to know? I just told them to make sure they were claiming all their subsistence costs as there would be no way the difference that would make would still be less than whatever the mileage rate was at the time.

When it came to roadworks they had a choice, wait and still follow the route permitted. Or take an alternative route and take the loss. Funnily enough they never complained when the mileage was in their favour. Eg they had to claim from work to a meeting. But their home was closer to the meeting so they were permitted to travel directly there instead - home to work mileage is automatically taken off any journey so mileage was calculated from the regular place of work.

Unfortunately people do abuse the system and so it's easier to use a facility already available than have individuals take date and time stamped photos of the miles they travelled.