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#Post#: 37352--------------------------------------------------
Expenses - the saga continues in post 13
DIR By: NFPwife
Date: August 23, 2019, 6:47 pm
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I'm really heated about this situation, so I'm not sending any
emails or taking any action until I cool down. Thought I'd get
perspective here before moving forward...
I'm a consultant and travel to customer sites to support my
projects. I picked up a new customer and there was some pushback
on my expenses.
I talked to my direct contact and found out that the accounting
clerk escalated something on my report to their CFO.
Ready for what it was? A $6 expense for a protein bar and cold
coffee drink from a discount store. I waited 90 minutes for the
rental, then drove 45 minutes to the site. I ran into a big box
store, bought the bar and coffee drink, and submitted that for
dinner for that day.
Well, the accounting clerk didn't want to reimburse the $6
because they don't pay for "groceries" for their staff. Two
things. That's, technically, a convenience food that I bought at
a retailer. Not a grocery store, but a store that also sells
groceries. Think Super Target. (Because it was. Lol.) Second,
I'm a contractor, not their staff.
They paid it because my contact advised not to make it an issue.
(But he told me about it.)
I tend to do this when I travel, sometimes even grabbing actual
groceries for breakfasts. This is the first time anyone has
commented negatively. One customer even made a "She knows she
can eat when she's here, right?" reply to my company's
accounting department.
So, I've emailed our accounting for a copy of the contract. I
could just go out for every meal and have a "Not groceries!"
attitude. But, my preference is to occasionally grab something
quick like this or get a few groceries. It's not worth having
emails or conversations about this each time I go there (about
six times a year) so I'd like to get it ironed out now.
What do you think? Review the contract and get clarity on
groceries or just eat out and let them deal with the increased
costs?
*editing for one detail
#Post#: 37354--------------------------------------------------
Re: Expenses
DIR By: oogyda
Date: August 23, 2019, 6:54 pm
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Review the contract first. Then decide.
#Post#: 37355--------------------------------------------------
Re: Expenses
DIR By: LurkingGurl
Date: August 23, 2019, 7:06 pm
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I think you should review your contract and instead of having
the client reimburse for receipts, build in a per diem for the
trip. Same with the car--make everyone pay the same thing and
pick a price point that will even out the highs and the lows.
I understand why you're upset. You give them a contract where
you are submitting receipts for your expenses and they are
nitpicking you about it. It's ridiculous and petty.
If they don't like that deal then they need to say that before
they sign the contract. Literally no one should be questioning
you buying a protein bar and a coffee as your dinner. It
shouldn't matter where you buy it from.
My husband gets a per diem whether or not he uses it and its
based on location. Per diem for NYC is a lot more than a
smaller city. It would be better for you if your contracts were
structured based on that rather than receipts. Then, it's just
an expense that they pay, no receipts necessary.
#Post#: 37356--------------------------------------------------
Re: Expenses
DIR By: NyaChan
Date: August 23, 2019, 7:14 pm
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Agreed, see what the terms are first so you can make a fully
informed decision. They are being ridiculous IMO to question
that expense and it honestly sounds more like someone who likes
the power dynamic of saying no or they are cheap and the type to
grumble about everything. Something in that amount should have
been approved as a matter of course because it is absolutely
reasonable, in fact it is minuscule compared to what people
typically expense for dinner in my department.
They should use a little common sense and clue in that $6 isn’t
worth potentially harming your working relationship. My company
technically has rule for field staff only that if you go to a
coffee shop and only buy coffee it doesn’t count as breakfast
for reimbursement unless you also buy food. No one enforces it
because it is absolutely ridiculous and their managers know
better than to cut rough on small costs with the people who
bring in all of our revenue.
#Post#: 37357--------------------------------------------------
Re: Expenses
DIR By: Hanna
Date: August 23, 2019, 7:30 pm
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Not sure what you mean by your “contact”.
It sounds like an accounting clerk just pointed out a few
questions on your expenses to the CFO and he then reviewed and
approved them. Not sure if your contact was telling you this in
some official capacity or just in passing. It’s a normal thing
to review contractor and vendor expenses and flag things for
review to ensure policy compliance. As long as the client
didn’t officially complain about your expenditures or reject
them I don’t see this as a problem.
#Post#: 37375--------------------------------------------------
Re: Expenses
DIR By: Aleko
Date: August 24, 2019, 4:18 am
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--- Quote ---
> if you go to a coffee shop and only buy coffee it doesn't
count as breakfast for reimbursement unless you also buy food.
No one enforces it
--- End Quote ---
Presumably because someone figured out that if they did, their
people would just buy a pastry or something as well as coffee,
and either throw it away or give it to the down-and-out outside
the shop: and the company would be paying twice as much.
#Post#: 37380--------------------------------------------------
Re: Expenses
DIR By: Dazi
Date: August 24, 2019, 6:14 am
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--- Quote from: Aleko link ---
>
> [quote]if you go to a coffee shop and only buy coffee it
doesn't count as breakfast for reimbursement unless you also buy
food. No one enforces it
--- End Quote ---
Presumably because someone figured out that if they did, their
people would just buy a pastry or something as well as coffee,
and either throw it away or give it to the down-and-out outside
the shop: and the company would be paying twice as much.
[/quote] Sometimes places have the most asinine rules/number
crunchers. I worked for a place that I couldn't stop at a gas
station or run through a fast food place, but I could actually
go to a sit down place. Nevermind that it could cost 3-4x as
much, take 3-4 x as long, nope! When I pointed out it was stupid
to dictate to me, an adult, that i couldn't have Doritos or
Chick-fil-A fries for lunch if that's what I wanted, the policy
got changed to a per diem allowance for meals. That was much
much better.
#Post#: 37391--------------------------------------------------
Re: Expenses
DIR By: NFPwife
Date: August 24, 2019, 12:10 pm
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By contact, I meant the person I interface with at the company
the most often.
The person told me in a "can you believe this" manner. He said
the accounting clerk sent an email to him, his supervisor, and
the CFO about denying the $6 it wasn't a "should I deny it?"
question but more an, "This is denied, tell her our policy,"
email. There was a round of discussion with my contact saying,
"That Super Target is by the gym she goes to. She probably ate
that and worked out." Contact says he and his his supervisor
said, "It's $6. Dinner would've been at least $10 more. She's
saving us money." CFO replied with "Pay it," and there was a
comment about wasting more than $6 of productivity on this
issue. (All per my contact.) I'm not sure if the time wasting
comment was in the email or a verbal comment made to my contact.
I'm waiting to see what the contract says. I'd prefer straight
per diem. I had per diem at one customer and it was so much
easier. I just ate what I was in the mood for and didn't have to
track anything.
#Post#: 37393--------------------------------------------------
Re: Expenses
DIR By: Hanna
Date: August 24, 2019, 1:06 pm
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I don’t think the contact really needed to mention this to you
and don’t think you need to take any action.
The CFO is obviously a reasonable guy and accounting clerk is
just trying to make sure rules are being followed. Sounds like
the process worked.
#Post#: 37405--------------------------------------------------
Re: Expenses
DIR By: oogyda
Date: August 24, 2019, 5:52 pm
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I agree with you, Hanna, but think NFP should most definitely
review the contract and perhaps let her contact know the terms
so that they may remind the clerk and the CFO.
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