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Work-related travel expenses

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  • 01-01-2024 5:21pm
    #1
    TiWe33
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭


    Hello all and happy new year! I'd be interested in opinions on the following issue: a friend of mine is employed (i.e. not agency or self-employed) by a construction firm as a specialised operative (i.e. not a general labourer). He has to drive to wherever their latest site that needs him is located, and this can often be quite far from where he lives. The next site he's to be based at (for at least the next 6 months) is about 45 miles from home, so that's going to cost him in fuel and wear-and-tear on his vehicle. My question is: is he within his rights to ask his employer to reimburse some or all of his travel expenses? I think, legally, the employer doesn't have to do so and that, technically, his journey classes as commuting to work, but if his employer's/his place of work keeps changing, that's not his fault and he has no control over it, so why should he be out of pocket? Does anyone else have experience of a similar situation and maybe have advice regarding if/how he should approach his employer, or is this situation just the way it is in the construction industry? All helpful input offered in good faith gratefully received!

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    #2
    Buddy Bubs
    Registered Users Posts: 3,785 ✭✭✭Buddy Bubs


    There is a normal place of work in mist contracts, travel to site should be, if I am correct, the shorter of workplace to site or home to site and there is a case for expenses here.

    I'm not sure what happens when it changes or what his contract says. I'd be more inclined to look at my overall package of pay and benefits as a whole rather than one aspect, expenses in this case.

    The company might have a very strict policy on this, not sure



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    #3
    TheSunIsShining
    Registered Users Posts: 366 ✭✭TheSunIsShining


    45 miles seems a lot. Thought there was stuff in the construction sector on travel etc. In public sector, I think anything within 50km is regarded as being akin to home office.



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    #4
    Dav010
    Registered Users Posts: 14,523 ✭✭✭✭Dav010


    Construction site jobs are rarely long term at one location close to home. If your friend is a site manager or health and safety, moving from site to site would presumably be mentioned in his contract of employment.



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    #5
    SEPT 23 1989
    Registered Users Posts: 43,028 ✭✭✭✭SEPT 23 1989


    he should ask the company for the use of a small van and a fuel card



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    #6
    blackbox
    Registered Users Posts: 4,318 ✭✭✭blackbox


    He should read his contract of employment to see where his normal place of work is.



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    #7
    Oscar_Madison
    Registered Users Posts: 5,999 ✭✭✭Oscar_Madison


    Yeah as others have said check the contract. I don’t know where your friend lives Vs where the jobs of this particular construction company are normally based but say if the construction company’s jobs are mainly based in south Dublin and your friend lives in Newbridge, well straight away, you're talking a commute of some distance - and wouldn’t expect to get reimbursed

    Saying all of that, there’s likely some mention around a minimum distance not covered by expenses (to take into account normal commuting) but that above that distance some expenses are paid.

    Saying all of that though, I find it strange that “your friend” wouldn’t have known all of that before signing an employment contract - it’s an expense worth a few thousand euro after tax which is no small money assuming the job isn’t particularly well paid - in addition using your car for work purposes may need a mention to his insurer and may have a financial impact there too

    In terms of your question, he has the “right” to ask for anything he wants but the employer doesn’t have to give anything 😀

    But saying that, there’s common sense to be applied here- they need to talk to their employer but as I said, this should all have been worked out in advance of starting - are the employer flatly refusing to pay any expenses? Had they promised to pay before employment commenced?



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    #8
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,404 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    If your friend is a labourer or tradesman, the registered employment agreement may cover this. However, it's a long time since I've dealt with these and it might not be addressed any more. If not addressed, look at contract. If not in contract, then they need to explain to the employer that the commute is killing them financially and ask what can be done.

    Generally, if commute to site is less than commute to normal place of employment, then they won't get anything. If they do, it will be taxed.

    Time commuting to site might be counted as working hours for certain purposes.



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    #9
    Jim2007
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 10,286 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jim2007


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121560248#Comment_121560248

    Exactly. As well as any company policy, discussions he has had with management and how other employees are treated when they are required to travel. It is not as if its a new concept!



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    #10
    Jim_Hodge
    Registered Users Posts: 10,711 ✭✭✭✭Jim_Hodge


    It's hardly rocket science. Look at his contract. Where is his base? What is the company policy on expenses? He can't be the first employee travelling to a site.



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    #11
    CelticRambler
    Registered Users Posts: 6,828 ✭✭✭CelticRambler


    My son works in a non-labouring, but physical presence essential job at a few sites in England and Wales, remote from his defined place of work. He doesn't drive, and the public transport option is expensive, but the journeys are not frequent enough to justify getting a "frequent travellers" card. Faced with the same question, he just gets up a bit earlier on the relevant days, goes to the main office, says "hi!" and heads out straight away to the remote location, putting the longer-distance travel on expenses. As he'd normally be taking the train, he can make calls and review/prepare documents en route, so he can claim to be genuinely working during this extra travel time. This situation arose because his contract is not clear on the point.



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    #12
    TiWe33
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭TiWe33


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121560243#Comment_121560243

    He has, apparently, but keeps getting the "we'll look into it" answer, with nothing actually being done! They have quite a few spare vehicles, apparently, including some that were previously used by other employees at the same level of seniority as my mate, but he just can't get a straight answer out of them.



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