Corporate credit card and staff time sheets - who is right?

[calmama]

I’m new at my company and have been issued a credit card. In the first week the office manger told me to use my corporate card to pay for staff coffees, labelling the expense “team building”.

Fast forward to today and she’s decided the staff meeting I’ve called with her and the workmate I manage to discuss my team’s finances should be a “working lunch” and that I should put this on the company card.

For context, she and my workmate (who is openly resentful I have been appointed to my position instead of her) are long-term friends. My workmate is casual and her time sheets are signed off by the officer manager. Part of this meeting is to establish order and transparency given there clearly wasn’t any when I started. It’s been an uphill battle.

One of the topics I intend to bring up is ensuring I sign off on my employee’s timesheet. The company has expanded which is why my role was created so transferring sign off to me is entirely reasonable. However, I am expecting backlash from them both.

AIBU to say it is a misuse of the card to pay for our lunches at the Italian restaurant the office manager wants us to eat at?

AIBU to request my staff’s time sheet sign off is transferred to me?

Yes they are taking the piss and possibly trying to get you in to trouble with misuse of the company credit card. Tell them you'd rather have the meeting in the office. Protect yourself from these toxic arseholes.

Whats your company policy on use of corporate cards? Have you received a copy of it? Who is responsible for signing off your expenses?

I'd suggest you familiarise yourself with your expenses policy and refer to that when you say no.

Perfectly reasonable to expect to have sign off on your own team.

@SpeedbirdSquawker Yes. “Taking the piss” are the first words that have come to mind.

They are putting you in a vulnerable position. Is team building a legit expense under your financial regs. You need to find out exactly what the card can be used for. You have final say and accountability so don't be pressurised into anything just to keep the peace.

Why are you listening to the office manager about what to use the card for?
Have you actually check what is allowed and what isn’t? Because coffee for staff during the day wouldn’t really be covered, not in an office. There will be coffee making facilities for them to use.

The meeting you’re having with them, does it need to be over lunch? Why? They’re not clients. Just have the meeting in the office.

Depends on your company policy. My work do class team lunches or coffees for a meeting as "expenses". However, this is openly known and there is transparency about it

All spend needs to be allocated to a code for accounts so presumably its been decided that beverages are under team building? Working lunch should be paid by the company so lunch should equate to at least staff hourly rate unless they are getting paid for their lunch hour, and don't forget they will also be entitled to their 20 minute break over and above. Signing off timesheets is by whoever is detailed in your policy. As a new employee its fine to look at reviewing and to suggest different ways of doing but nothing so far is wrong? Don't alienate everyone to make a point.

If you have a corporate CC, I'm assuming you're at senior manager level + and therefore, with respect, you do not answer to the office manager.

I have a corporate CC but terms of use are very clearly defined - 'team building' covers very specific activities and lunches or dinners are generally for clients. Internal meetings that occur during lunch are covered by an internal budget, if necessary.

I'd run this past your own manager or ask your HR department to clarify your expense policy.

I’d be allowed to do both of these things on my company card so it really depends on your company policy.

Formal work meetings detailing finances and line management in my view should be held in the closed environment of the office in a private meeting room. Anything else would be unprofessional and potentially challengable if things get awkward. So no way would that be out to lunch on expenses - and that's without knowing what the expenses actually cover .. which you do need to find out before you get taken for a ride!

I would not be so pushed around by the Office Manager, who surely should have her own corp credit card. Why she so eager to jump all over your card? Shady.