OT My Car and Work

M

Madonna

Cathlete
I need to get your opinions on a work issue. Once a month, we have to go out and make site inspections. This consists of driving all over town and out of town, inspecting houses that are under construction. We get .37 cents a mile reimbursement.

I requested a rental car to do these inspections. My boss got angry and said I could use the rental car "this time". He said no one else got a rental car to do inspections and he was worried about the cost.

I dont think I should be required to use my personal automobile to do company inspections. I want to keep my car nice and dont want to wear it out driving all over the place doing site inspections each month for my employer. Do you think I am being unreasonable?


Madonna
 
I guess that would depend on what your company's policy is, and how high up this policy goes. Is this something that's decided on a local level, or at the corporate level? Is it something one person decides (your boss), or does the decision come down from above? Is it a policy you can petition to have changed?

Carol
:)
 
Well ... because it sounds like you don't agree it's a fair policy. So ... I should think you'd want to start up the chain of command. You've already told your boss, and he doesn't agree with you. Time to move up to the next level. But ... perhaps I read your original question in the wrong way? Perhaps you were just looking for whether or not others agreed with you it's not a good policy? If that's the case, never mind.

Carol
:)
 
Hi, I personally don't think it is a fair policy. The money might cover the cost of gas but not the wear and tear on your car and the fact that you are decreasing the resale value of the car with the additional miles. However, I agree with Carol...you need to check the policy of your company. It may have been the written policy when you signed on and then there isn't much you can do about it except petition those in authority to change it. If this policy wasn't in writing or not discussed with you before you signed the dotted line you may have more options. If you have a lawyer friend I would discuss with him/her to get some advice. But also be careful that you don't make too many enemies along the way...it might not be worth the battle. Good luck.
 
Hi Madonna,

I don't know what region you're in, but the $.37 per mile reimbursement rate is pretty standard here. I'm in Vermont and the rate that our institution uses recently went up to $.375 from $.37. My job requires me to travel frequently around the state (usually 125-150 miles round trip), and while there is a fleet of school owned vehicles to use, I usually use my own car due to logistical reasons and just because I prefer driving my own car (I know how it handles, it's comfortable for me, blah, blah).

How many miles per month are you accumulating? To take an executive perspective on this, you'd probably have to put on a lot of miles in order for it to be cost effective for the company to start renting vehicles - particularly if it's not a very big company.

Maybe a more advantageous approach for you might be to request that the company increase the reimbursement rate. With gas prices as they are right now, you (and your colleagues) would be able to make a good case for it.

HTH
 
Was this policy in place when you took the job, and did you know about it, or is this something that was added to your job description later, or something that you took on later? If you took the job knowing about the policy of using your own vehicle, I don't think you have much grounds for changing it or will have much luck (ie: some pizza places--most?-- hire employees to make deliveries using their own car, with the same type of mileage reimbursement. That's just part of the job).

If this is a new responsibility that you took on, or something you were not aware of, you might want to look into it further. You don't say what kind of business this is, but are there any company cars available?

I can understand the boss not wanting to use a rental car, as the rate for renting it for just one day a month could be prohibitive
 
I think that is probably the 'standard' company policy. When I used to work, I got paid $0.25/mi for using my own transportation for work related meeting or customer relations. However, I do have the option of using the my boss's car and not get reimbursed. I have never done that since I preferred to drive my own car and not be told -- be back by so-and-so so I can go to my meeting at 3 pm, etc. I think it's fair. My car gets about 25mi/gallon -- that's more than $6/gallon reimbursed. That is PLENTY for gas and to account for wear and tear on my car! I usually have to go about once/week.
 
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