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Offline Already Gone

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Re: Travel Reimbursement Penalty
« Reply #25 on: Sep 04, 2004, 11:32 »
This happens sometimes, but it ususlly isn't the staffing company who makes the policy.  The client normally establishes travel reimbursement policy.  Some pay full travel at the current IRS rate.  Some cap the amount at $400.00 or so, and some pay a flat rate that is usually really low, like $250.00.  Some pay travel in and not out.  Some will only pay travel to/from you address of record regardless of where you actually are.  (this can be good if you go from one job to the next, and they pay you both ways from home.)  Some will not pay your travel out if you quit early.

The thing is this - travel pay is normally a really tiny portion of the overall money picture.  If you travel far, the mileage may not cover all your travel expenses, like lodging and meals, unless you take an economy car and they pay for all the miles.

The real reason they are ransoming your travel money is that lots of people take off before they are let go, leaving them short-handed.  If they didn't make the travel pay and bonuses contingent on your staying, they wouldn't have any carrot at the end of the stick.

The law doesn't require the company to pay your travel expenses.  They pay it as an incentive for people to travel to their job.  If your next job is so close to that one that you can't afford to stay the for weeks, then you can pass this job or forfeit the travel pay.  These days, most of us look at an extra week's work as a bonus.

My philosophy may be a little twisted but it goes something like this:  If you can't afford to travel to a job, you can't afford to pass up the job either.

What the heck.  If you are like most of us, you'll pocket that much in per diem the first week anyway.  We love to live cheap.

Where is the job?  Is it your first?
« Last Edit: Sep 04, 2004, 12:06 by Beer Court »
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Atomic_Punk

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Re: Travel Reimbursement Penalty
« Reply #26 on: Sep 04, 2004, 05:09 »
Well said Mr. Beer Court.  It's amazing how many seasoned techs still don't know how this system works.  The same can be said about bonuses.  It's almost always the utillity that lays down the rules and stipulations.  Most of the time it means, 'You leave early, you no get!"
So next time you get' boned ' on travel or a bonus, most likely you can blame the utillity, or yourself if you knew the rules upfront and didn't hold up your end of the deal.
« Last Edit: Sep 04, 2004, 05:14 by Atomic_Punk »

ramdog_1

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Re: Travel Reimbursement Penalty
« Reply #27 on: Sep 04, 2004, 08:10 »
wake up and ask for a better deal ! I go no where unless I get travel in and out milage, plus diem and as will I get my base pay for 8 hours a day. in and out.
ahh alara is not that bad .

RAD-GHOST

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Re: Travel Reimbursement Penalty
« Reply #28 on: Sep 05, 2004, 05:13 »
Why work under their stipulations?  Tell them what you want, tell them to put it in writing and if they refuse, tell them to call someone else!  There is only about a million jobs out, not quite that many techs!

PS: 

The customers that make those stipulations, are usually extremely hard-up for people, due to a really lousy work environment!   Three weeks may very well be an eternity!

ramdog_1

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Re: Travel Reimbursement Penalty
« Reply #29 on: Sep 05, 2004, 08:35 »
good call rad ghost Karma to you

NC Bound

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Per Diem Taxation
« Reply #30 on: Jul 16, 2007, 02:24 »
I am currently in line for a position with a large Company whose plan is to hire me as a interim employee.  They will be paying me a wage and when I am working at various sites around the country they will be paying me per diem.  I have been a contractor in the nuclear field for many years collecting per diem during outages and for jobs lasting <1 year.  But I have not worked for a Company who will be paying per diem only when I am at a job site.  This is not an issue for the jobs that occur during the first year but how does it work if I know that I will be working for the same Company for more than a year but still getting per diem only when I am at the job sites?  I don't know if I am making a big deal out of nothing or not.  When I am not working at a job site they will furlough me until my next assignment.

illegalsmile

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Re: Per Diem Taxation
« Reply #31 on: Jul 16, 2007, 02:27 »
As long as the assignments they send you on are <1yr, no problem. You'll just do what you always did.

rlbinc

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Re: Per Diem Taxation
« Reply #32 on: Jul 16, 2007, 07:37 »
If any one job assignment keeps you in one location in excess of 1 year, then all per diem paid by that employer is retroactively taxable.

If they keep you moving and your location changes at least once per year, there is no deadline for tax free per diem.

Per Diem is location dependent. The amounts vary by location. GSA has a rate schedule at
http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=17943&contentType=GSA_BASIC

You can exceed these rates, but then you should document expenses with receipts.

Offline worker1

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #33 on: Apr 17, 2014, 09:07 »
Can someone give me some advice. I have been working for a while now and the company that I work for is saying that I dont rate per diem anymore because of a dirt road, through a forest.  By them claiming that the shortest distance for me to travel is taking this road it takes me away from the per diem minimum distance. can I debate this?

Offline hamsamich

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #34 on: Apr 18, 2014, 02:37 »
You can debate it but there is no requirement for a company to pay you per diem at all.  It is up to them based on their policies.  Per diem is tax free reimbursement companies pay you because nobody local can/will do the job.  Companies that take away workers per diem risk losing non-local workers, but if they can get away with not paying per diem they will.  If you were promised per diem and they took it away from you unfairly you could push the issue with upper management but it is not a law.  It is basically like a justified pay-cut.  At some places the people who do the pay will work with you and actually drive the route to be sure what you are saying is true.  It depends upon the real reason they took it away; they may be trying to trim the budget or maybe they have enough workers so they can afford to take a chance by cutting your per diem based on flimsy circumstance.  For sure push the issue, but don't think they are required to give it to you.  If it is a fairly run company and they made a mistake you could get it back.

Offline Ksheed

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #35 on: Apr 18, 2014, 09:40 »
Can someone give me some advice. I have been working for a while now and the company that I work for is saying that I dont rate per diem anymore because of a dirt road, through a forest.  By them claiming that the shortest distance for me to travel is taking this road it takes me away from the per diem minimum distance. can I debate this?

Per diem is a pass through cost for the employer. They do not make a profit on it and the direct cost is passed on to the customer. They are probably receiving pressure from the Utility to trim their costs. The rules for eligibility are well defined in the contract and it sounds like you are right on the edge of the eligibility requirements. Contracts are written differently depending on the utility or the job.

If your employer's contract is a hard bid job, they may be trying to trim the budget internally. As hamsamich said, per diem is not a requirement. The GSA website has a recommended rate for each area, but few employers actually pay the GSA rate. Some don't pay for commuting daily at all.

You can try to fight it, but if you do make sure you do so tactfully because the decision will ultimately be up to them. If loosing per diem is a deal breaker for you, be prepared to look for a different job. If the employer is willing to pull your per diem on a technicality, then they must consider you expendable. If the job is less than a year you can keep receipts and deduct it on your taxes. I know that doesn't pay the bills right now but it is something.

Good luck.

Offline btkeele

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #36 on: Apr 18, 2014, 10:58 »
First off, I am not an expert on this, but, I have some experience.

Just because you live outside (lets say a 50 mile radius) of a plant and their limit is 50 miles.. does not
automatically qualify you for perdiem... It is about duplicate expenses... You could live 100 miles away and choose to commute each day, but, if you are not renting a room, etc (duplicate expenses) then you still would not be eligible.    Does this make sense?   It's a fine line sometimes.

Offline Ksheed

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #37 on: Apr 18, 2014, 12:36 »
First off, I am not an expert on this, but, I have some experience.

Just because you live outside (lets say a 50 mile radius) of a plant and their limit is 50 miles.. does not
automatically qualify you for perdiem... It is about duplicate expenses... You could live 100 miles away and choose to commute each day, but, if you are not renting a room, etc (duplicate expenses) then you still would not be eligible.    Does this make sense?   It's a fine line sometimes.

You are correct. Technically per diem is not for commuting. That should be paid as mileage, IF it is in the contract. The employer is not going to pay you for something that is not billable to the customer and in accordance with the contract requirements.

Offline retired nuke

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #38 on: Apr 18, 2014, 02:49 »
Can someone give me some advice. I have been working for a while now and the company that I work for is saying that I dont rate per diem anymore because of a dirt road, through a forest.  By them claiming that the shortest distance for me to travel is taking this road it takes me away from the per diem minimum distance. can I debate this?

You're staying in your own place at night? The fact that you are commuting pretty much makes you ineligible (by IRS rules) for per diem. If you are duplicating expenses (have a place near work, plus paying for your primary residence) than you may be able to deduct your living expenses. Otherwise - you are working at your home.
Deal with it...

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Offline hamsamich

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #39 on: Apr 18, 2014, 08:56 »
The guy never said he was staying at his own place, I don't why everyone is assuming this.

Offline SloGlo

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #40 on: Apr 19, 2014, 11:28 »
Can someone give me some advice. I have been working for a while now and the company that I work for is saying that I dont rate per diem anymore because of a dirt road, through a forest.  By them claiming that the shortest distance for me to travel is taking this road it takes me away from the per diem minimum distance. can I debate this?
hail yes, yins can debate this. Butt, if they are using a mileage calculator based on most direct route for all travel compensation yule knot get far with yore argument. check to see if they're standard for per diem is corporate wide or particular to the site yew are working.
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dubble eye, dubble yew, dubble aye!

dew the best ya kin, wit watt ya have, ware yinze are!

Offline Ksheed

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #41 on: Apr 21, 2014, 10:13 »
The guy never said he was staying at his own place, I don't why everyone is assuming this.

You're right, he/she did not specifically state that. However, it did sound that way since he/she did not mention a secondary residence. If he/she is that close on the mileage requirements the assumption is that he/she would be commuting. Typical mileage requirement is 50-85 miles? In the past commuting for per diem has been allowed, but utilities are starting to crack down on it. The commuting per diem people are the first casualties of the per diem cost cutting.

It is also common to continue receiving per diem after one year on the job. You just have to have it taxed. In my opinion taxed per diem is better than no per diem.

Content1

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #42 on: Apr 24, 2014, 07:33 »
I am working for company, who shall remain nameless, but wears blue hard hats.  This particular jobsite I was told based full travel home with no caps. They asked for volunteers to be laid off early. I accepted their offer and went home by train. I arranged the purchase over the phone and went to the train station and was identified by my drivers license. It took 3 1/2 days to get home. I was told if you travel over 600 miles per day in need to provide proof of such travel. I submitted a copy my credit card statement showing the cost of the travel. They responded that is not sufficient proof and wanted an itinerary of my travel. I tried to call the Railroad Company after the fact to get an itinerary, but they didn't have it.  So this company that wears blue hats is refusing to pay me for my travel.
I had seven days to get back there after I went home. When I returned, even though it was well under the 600 miles per day they wanted all the travel receipts. They are also refusing to pay my return trip, unless I produce all the receipts for that trip too.  Is anybody else the trouble with companies that use blue hard hats trying to cheat you out of travel pay? Another couple also went home cross country, they paid them and made no special requests by their documentation for the same time period. Am I being singled out here? Oh I have to sue them to get paid for my travel?

Jr8black3

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #43 on: Apr 26, 2014, 06:32 »
I hope your just frustrated as I have been in the past with the company that wears blue hats. Don't think your going down the right avenues to get your money, they will pay you if you kiss the right butts, I agree you shouldn't have to do that.

Offline Rennhack

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #44 on: Apr 26, 2014, 09:32 »
Suing your employer because they are following federal law is always a good idea, I think you should go with that plan.  Nothing bad could come from it.  After all, they need you more than you need them.

Content1

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #45 on: Apr 26, 2014, 01:00 »
I traveled 577 miles per day.  My mileage can be shown on a cell phone or google search.  Accord to their own handbook, documentation is only required if you travel in excess of 600 miles per day.  My departure time and return time is documented in my paystubs.  If they have rules and they do not follow it, who is the wronged party here?  Are rules with them like the "code" in Pirates of the Caribbean, only a guideline they can change when they feel  like it?  If I went to court, would their handbook show evidence of a breach of contract?  Do we just roll over when we have been cheated and do nothing?

Offline SloGlo

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #46 on: Apr 27, 2014, 10:57 »
yins gotta copy of that handbook?
quando omni flunkus moritati

dubble eye, dubble yew, dubble aye!

dew the best ya kin, wit watt ya have, ware yinze are!

Offline 61nomad

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #47 on: Apr 27, 2014, 01:26 »
Content1,
Let me see if I got this right. You had ten days off between outages and you chose to travel home and back, over 3000 miles, by train?  Sounds crazy but I guess it is possible. I dont understand the 600 mile per day thing. I have always got travel pay based on road miles with no consideration of how long it took.  I also live a long distance from most plants and if I was doing back to back outages I would get it in writing that I would get travel pay home and back between outages with no receipts required. Am not sure if they would go for it.

Content1

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #48 on: Apr 27, 2014, 09:36 »
I quoted the travel section of the book.  I took the train home and came back with my car.  That is the way I am going back home. The reason they are fighting me is they agreed to full travel with no cap to attract workers from California.  I thought the same as you, and the book was never explained to me, nor did I get a copy given prior to my travel, nor it was ever explained.  The book even quotes it is only there to prove we went home if traveling over 600 miles per day.  Do they expect us to hang around unpaid for 9 1/2 days?  They seem to think so in my case.   If they can find an excuse not to pay it they will;  they are trying to take it from me.   I traveled the distance at less than the 600 miles per day rules, but they still do not want to pay without documentation. It is like the rule book is only there and followed when it is convenient for them.  If they insist on full documentation, which I don't have, as following the book I thought it was not needed, and it goes to court, the book should provide the evidence they are breaching their own rules, not me.

Offline 61nomad

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Re: Per Diem & Travel Pay
« Reply #49 on: Apr 27, 2014, 11:32 »
Content1
I guess you should change your user name. Withouth knowing all the details there is a 89.56% you are getting screwed.

 


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