Let go from role but work won't reimburse expenses

[MutantBug]

I've just been let go from my role just before end of probation period. As if I'm not already raging that I was let go 2 weeks before being made permanent, I was invited to the work Christmas do in another city. Company gets employees to pay for transport and company reimburses later.

Asking for reimbursement for train tickets I've already purchased (£100) as I won't be attending - manager says I am still welcome to attend but they can only cover costs of employees. I won't be working for the company at the time of the party.

This sounds completely outrageous to me. Can they do this or was I foolish to pay for the tickets? I've had to get reimbursed for other travel expenses months before end of probation. One friend has said I should have waited until 2 weeks before the event before buying travel tickets so I am doubting myself.

Probation was 6 months. They said the reason was product direction change and my skills not needed for foreseeable future.
And no I do not intend to go to the event.

And yes they are advance tickets. Company requests we opt for advance tickets where possible so I did what they asked. They also only reimburse after travel.

Call ACAS. They will advise on the legality. Have you got the email where they asked you to buy the ticket and that they would refund you?

Most train companies will refund this for a small fee, or let you change them, or let you have credit you can use later. Not ideal but if you have to absorb the cost of any fee but all good options.

@fruitbrewhaha No email explicitly stating this. Just general company policy in employee handbook and a teams call where manager said "I'm sure travel will be reimbursed as usual" to the whole team.

were you very confident you would pass you probation?

oh op just read this.

not a chance i’m afraid

Long shot, but is there any way you could sell them to a colleague who hasn't bought tickets yet, in a way that would still allow them to claim them on expenses? Like if they submitted your proof of purchase as their own?

in the employee handbook they actually stipulate that the christmas party travel expenses will be reimbursed?

or (and more likely) that business travel expenses will be reimbursed?

Call ACAS op. You need the advice of people who know the legalities of this, rather than gobshites with an opinion.

This is a shitty thing to do, if you didn’t need a reference from them I’d say you’ll be leaving a review on glassdoor. Whoever suggested passing them onto someone who is going probably has the best idea though if they aren’t refundable. I refund staff expenses on receipt it’s another shitty thing to expect employees to cash flow a business.

Interesting idea but we all live all over the country (remote role) so would be odd for a person coming from the other end of the country to submit mine

@idealgift The company handbook just says what email address to send expenses claims to. It doesn't say anything about what travel will or won't be reimbursed. Nor do any of the company policy documents.

ah ok

expenses really won’t automatically include travel to a party.

expenses will be business expenses (there may even be an explicit definition at the front of the handbook?)

Either way - the boss was uncommital in the teams meeting to everyone whether expenses would be covered and you were still in your probation (had you booked a yearly train travel pass for example - would you expect a refund?!)

Well the team were reimbursed for travel to the Christmas party last year and most have already booked their travel weeks in advance as expected to be able to claim back. Annual train pass is refundable on most of the remainder in my area so not something I've been worried about

ok just one question

why didn’t you wait until you knew? was there a pressing reason?

@idealgift wanted to snap up best deals on advance tickets - as the company handbook requests we do

for travel expenses incurred for company business. The christmas party would not fall in to this expense category.

op - you can waste your time and energy on pursuing this or you can focus on finding another job

good luck

Even before you booked, your boss was non committal to you and your colleagues whether travel would be reimbursed

@idealgift well the company have booked our hotel rooms and dinners and activities - all paid. Verbally told travel would be covered as usual. Why does the hotel fall under business expenses?

it is the part of the christmas party they are paying for - like the food, venue hire etc. They are not contractually obliged to do this. They have chosen to. If next year they do not pay for these things, no employee will have a right to claim for them

But you spent £100 on a train ticket, so presumably you didn’t get that good of a deal? I think you bought them too early, I can’t really imagine a company reimbursing train tickets for an ex member of staff for a trip they haven’t taken.

Not necessarily. £100 would be a half price ticket for me to London.

OP I'm sorry this has happened. It's shitty and would hope if they were a big enough company they would write-off the £100 and reimburse you

@Figmentof I work remotely and the ticket was a return ticket covering half the length of the UK so yes it was a good deal!

what are going to do Op?

but honestly - i’d focus your effort on job hunting rather than this