Job not offering travel expenses when away from base location

I’m reminded of a planning meeting in Mumbai, to do with an oil platform. The client’s top bloke arrived in his chauffeur-driven car, as he was entitled to. He waited a bit for the two senior engineers who arrived by taxi, as they were entitled to. They all then waited a lot longer for the more junior engineer, who arrived by public transport: all he was allowed. He brought the plans, and was the only one who knew anything about the job, nothing could be done without his input.

ONGC, Bombay High Field, yonks ago.

I wonder if it’s changed.

slowoldgit – Member

I wonder if it’s changed.

By the looks of it, nope.

mudshark – Member
Well I started on Monday, currently all seems fine in theory around expenses and now told I can claim 45p/mile for my car. I can only claim £75 per night for a hotel outside London which isn’t great but there’s a decent per diem which could make up for that.

Some people are in a different world!
Try 17p a mile and £65 hotel, with maximum £20 food allowance per day (receipts needed not a blanket £20)
And this is a British company not Indian, you service sector people don’t know your born, try working in a management position in the construction industry 🙁

try working in a management position in the construction industry

No thanks sounds crap. Back in 01 I was on 50 quid dinner B&B though.

maximum £20 food allowance per day

What’s wrong with that? 10 x 2 quid is three Greggs items per meal, plus one for afternoon tea.

What’s wrong with that? 10 x 2 quid is three Greggs items per meal, plus one for afternoon tea.

Exactly. Last week when I was away with work I forsook the £25 hotel full english breakfast which I could have claimed for and got a couple of pastries from tesco.

Ours is OK – just OK

They find the hotel + breakfast, usually Premier Inns, and we get £30 (receipted) for food and drink.
They will however pass larger amounts if it occasionally goes over or the hotel food is a bit steep.

Some people are in a different world!

He he I’m in a different world to some of my colleagues now – assuming all is honoured as agreed.

He he I’m in a different world to some of my colleagues now – assuming all is honoured as agreed.

This also could be one of their recruitment methods; and you’ve all had to negotiate 🙂

Some people are in a different world!
Try 17p a mile

Well, you must be getting a company car or allowance then, as that’s the IR rate for someone with those. 45p is the IR rate for those who provide and fund their own vehicle.

FWIW, I’m a ‘mobile’ consultant working for a global IT consultancy, so same as the OP I’m expected to work on client sites. We pay 17p a mile for those on a car allowance or with a co-car with a diesel engine larger than 2 litres. Hotels range from 75 to 175 depending on where in the country, and up to 30 a night for evening meal. Public transport is reimbursed at cost but can only claim for standard class travel. The only thing I have to do, is deduct the cost of travel from my home to my ‘base office’ which is 8 miles away. So 3 quid gets knocked off every fuel claim.

If I was the OP I wouldn’t touch this company with a barge-pole, I’ve got a pretty good idea who it is.

The only thing I have to do, is deduct the cost of travel from my home to my ‘base office’ which is 8 miles away. So 3 quid gets knocked off every fuel claim.

And you can get the tax back on this if you apply to HMRC.

‘Triangulation’ was something got rid of in the 80’s.

I haven’t read all replies but I certainly wouldn’t take a job that didn’t cover expenses. I travel a bit for work and am always amazed at how the costs add up. A week in Europe can easily be £1000 without trying very hard. Flights, hotels, taxis and a basic evening meal if I am not being taken out. Add to that your phone bill, incidentals you end up paying for while away and it is a lot.

More local travel is a bit different but could still add up pretty quickly.

‘Triangulation’ was something got rid of in the 80’s.

Do you have a reference for that, as our finance lady still applies it with zeal and fervour…

17p per mile

I presume though that is after a car allowance / company car..?

I’m currently waiting for security clearance to go on-site so my 1st week has mostly been at home, told it’s not likely to be until 5th Jan that I can go on-site so a month on the bench over Christmas 🙂 Met my manager today and someone else I’ll be working closely with – I recognized him and turns out we both worked for the same consultancy and left earlier in the year, I gave an overview of some work I’d done to him and some others. Not sure if he’s getting expenses, should be more senior to me so will have to subtly find out. Anyway, our roles on the new project sounds pretty interesting so quite hopeful all will work out well.

Well this will amuse some – recruited for a project for which I need security clearance so can’t start on that until clearance comes through, just had my 3rd automatic warning for being on the bench. With each warning a more senior person is copied in, the latest 1 is only 2 away from the CEO. My manager said he’ll call me about it, wondering if he’s getting hassled now.

3rd automatic warning for being on the bench

Well they’ve come across as a caring employer throughout the recruitment process so it’s not a huge surprise 🙁

Just to confirm though – they won’t/can’t get you any work you can do other than on a security cleared site so they’re sending you a written warning?

No these are just mails saying I should find a project to go on automatically generated by the computer system. I was told after the 1st one to just ignore, so I am, but yeah the idea that this will happen whenever I finish on a project is not appealing. Obviously couldn’t join a project for a few weeks anyway but there are only 2 for which my skills are relevant in the UK so it’s pointless. I’m used to being allocated to projects with bench time just part of the way these things work. Not concerned really for the moment but is making me think about looking for a contract to go to.

Just got another email warning – lots more important people copied in. In my contract it says I’m on 1 week’s notice for my 1st 6 months from the company, no mention of how much notice I would have to give so do I just assume it’s the same from me?

so do I just assume

Probably unwise….

In reality just not turning up and seeing how long they pay you might be an option.

]In reality just not turning up and seeing how long they pay you might be an option.

According to the wife, IBM pay for about three months in this scenario.

Sounds like a cluster **** of an organisation. Sit the holidays out and then look to move on.
Surely the automated bollockings should be for your manager, not you?

Yeah I’m not concerned, will look for a contract in Jan – currently getting paid for being at home so OK with that! I’m told to ignore the warnings but do wonder if my mgr is getting asked some questions – as I’m just waiting for clearance shouldn’t really be an issue, currently they’re waiting for my accountant to give a reference – hope he’s not on holiday….

Just got another email warning – lots more important people copied in. In my contract it says I’m on 1 week’s notice for my 1st 6 months from the company, no mention of how much notice I would have to give so do I just assume it’s the same from me?

Generally notice periods are reciprocal unless expressly stated in your contract

Don’t you have a resource manager whose job it is to find you projects? Every consultancy I’ve worked for has had that, including the current. Bench time affects my bonus though, so it’s in my interest to push for projects. But if the company doesn’t provide me with work, it’s their problem, not mine. I certainly wouldn’t stand for it affecting a probation period in a negative way. If they didn’t have the work, they shouldn’t have hired.

I’m surprised they’re even getting SC work if this is how they conduct themselves.

Does remind me I need to sort out my SC next year as it gives me greater variety of projects to go on.

Starting onsite on Monday, just heard that the guy I was supposed to start with has resigned – suspect it’s the expenses issue as he told me he hadn’t negotiated them but not sure so trying to contact him.

Well I’m still here 🙂 I raised my main concerns and get reasonable responses from the managers. Had a bit of a worry about getting my expenses for a while but all sorted in the end.

They’ve even told me I’ll be getting a company laptop bag – quite exciting really, shame I don’t have a company laptop though.

a company laptop bag

they’re spoiling you!

Glad it’s worked out so far.