Friend using Cashback websites for work purchase

[Awebby1985]

Hi, long time lurker on MN but first time poster! Met a friend for lunch on Saturday a whilst chatting about work, my friend mentioned to me that as her work as a PA/assistant she frequently makes hotel/travel bookings for her team of around 30 people and said that when making these bookings always uses her personal online cashback account/website to make the bookings and makes around £200 a month from this.

So my question is, is my friend doing anything wrong? She is not stealing anything from the company as the travel would still need to be booked regardless?

She's taking bribes for booking through those websites. Of course it's wrong.

I book all the travel and accommodation for my office. I'd never dream of collecting points or discounts or cashback for any of them. It would be absolutely immoral.

I would possibly suggest we get a works points card or similar, which work would then directly benefit from on their next purchases, but certainly wouldn't act in a way which would give me personal gain.

In some workplaces it would be instant dismissal, in some (typically smaller family type ) businesses it might be ok with permission.

You say bribe, I say commission.

Assuming she's not using massively more expensive providers purely because she gets money from them there's nothing immoral about it either. It's just a perk.

But she should really check she's not breaking company policy. It certainly wouldn't be worth losing her job over.

"makes hotel/travel bookings for her team of around 30 people "

So she's making a profit from her duties.

This would not be allowed at a sensible company. Many would ignore if you were booking a hotel infrequently just for youself.

It is very likely mentioned in the employee handbook/contract of employment.

She needs to clear it with her HR dept. Our daughter can use her frequent flyers membership to earn points for her work flight bookings which have been approved by her Employer. However in my past position of PA when I was offered a free package by the travel agent I dealt with, my HR dept under advice from the MD advised it was not proper for me to accept, and gave me a box of chocolates instead...

Honesty is the best policy.

I was curious, so went to look at the terms of Quidco...

a Qualifying Transaction is a current activated retailer offer that you enter into in a qualifying high street store using a valid and current debit or credit card that is linked to your Account

She's at work, paying company bills. The business is entering into the transaction and settling the costs, therefore any cash back belongs to them. But she's pocketing it.

Depending on how she's doing it then it's either theft or fraud. And most likely gross misconduct.

You may want to tell her.

Nothing wrong with Cashback or Points schemes as long as the company benefits not an individual.

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This would be fine with my bosses tbh, although there's no travel!
We get to share any gifts brought in (usually meant for said bosses) between us too. It's a little extra perk

If she is doing it through companies they already use and don’t have loyalty cards for it’s of little consequence. Depends on the company too. My last boss wouldn’t have given any shits about this and would have congratulated me on my savvy. Totally depends on the boss... doubt they get any tax cuts for loyalty cards so can’t see how it would hit them...

I organised a massive event at a Marriott and they gave me (personally) a lot of points which equated to three or four nights in a hotel. I asked my company if I could accept and they said yes - if she's asked and it's agreed I think it's a perk but should all be open.

I understand those who fly regularly for work accumulate their own air miles too.

I have a work issued credit card that I must use for travel or purchasing anything on-line. The organization then gets the cash back from the bank that issues the cards.

They won't reimburse expenses put on a personal card without prior approval or having the company card declined, which did happen sometimes when we had Amex cards. We've recently been given MasterCard branded cards, so that won't happen anymore.

She’s using company funds to make money for herself. Not remotely ok and I’m amazed anyone could think it is.

This would be against policy at my work - if we buy anything we then want to claim back the money for we have to pay in cash or arrange to use a company credit card. We can’t use our own credit/ debit cards and we’re not allowed to use any loyalty cards either or we can’t claim for the purchase.

Your friend should check her company policy to find out if this is okay or if it’s sgainst policy as if it is against policy it could potentially be a sackable offence.

I would be fired in a heartbeat.

It is a taxable benefit-in-kind. So is using your personal Nectar card or clubcard to fill up a company vehicle, or for other business purchases.

So she is entitled to do it, but should be paying tax on it. If she isn't, then that is tax fraud.

This would be deemed financial fraud in most public sector employers

Totally wrong and inappropriate. As stated by several already, the company should be profiting from this if anyone, not her. It's also most definitely not right from the point of view of achieving best value and being impartial in striving to do so, and yes - it likely is a tax issue too.

Not quite the same but when I worked in care we were told of our shopping for a resident on our own I paid time we were not allowed to use point cards like boots for instance to gain, as they classed it as stealing. Also if there was buy one get one free we couldn't have the free item as also stealing. Really grey areas as some would argue that they were making purchase anyway...but we had very strict policies!! I bet if she looked, there would be a policy somewhere for this

She seems to like to live on the edge.

This depends on the company how being caught will be handled. In general, personal gain from company purchase is not ok (it's not even okay in many voualntary orgnaosations) even when it comes to nectar cards. This goes even beyond that.

I'm allowed to use Easyfundraising for relevant work purchases (typically

Aren’t you a lovely friend.

I think it just depends on company policy - in a larger organisation or public sector I'd imagine a big no no due to all the rules and regs but in a smaller (i.e. less than 150 workforce) where its less stringent I'd say this is fine. I've done this before, no where near 200 a month though, more like 100 quid a year!
Same as drivers like someone said above swiping personal nectar, Tesco etc points when filling up company vehicles.

I spend a lot of money at Tesco through work each week but we have a policy on not using clubcard, it’s a sackable offense.

It will be gross misconduct, I would have thought.
Even small employers will have something in employee handbooks about this.

Filling up company vehicles at supermarkets and getting points is one thing, this is to a whole new level - after all you have to use 'standard' filling stations whatever you drive.