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Message |
    
CLK
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 1237
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 8, 2005 - 4:18 pm: |     |
We got a new travel reimbursement policy at work, and it has a few things on it that surprised me.
They will only reimburse tips up to 15% of a restaurant bill.
Only 10% of a taxi fare.
$1 for the doorman.
$1 per bag to the bellhop at the hotel.
I hate being a cheap tipper. Do these rates seem very low? Esp. the taxi tip, seems awfully cheap to me. |
LilLB
Citizen
Username: Lillb
Post Number: 766
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 8, 2005 - 4:27 pm: | |
Yes, seems a bit low. I find with taxis I tend to not calculate in % -- I just tack on whatever I think is fair, and these guys aren't making much, so I'm usually pretty generous.
But, I looked it up in Frommers to see what they suggest to Tourists and they say 15% - 20% is customary to tip in NYC. |
SoOrLady
Citizen
Username: Soorlady
Post Number: 2339
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 8, 2005 - 4:28 pm: | |
They are beyond cheap - do you have a new HR person making these decisions? |
susan1014
Supporter
Username: Susan1014
Post Number: 794
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 8, 2005 - 4:38 pm: | |
Definitely a bit cheap by tipping standards, and an interesting policy decision...saving corporate overhead by squeezing the earnings of the less well compensated end of society. They are saying that if you want to tip well, it comes out of your own pocket.
Granted, having no limits on this makes it all too easy to be generous to the person who does the 6 AM airport pickup! I'm glad I'm not the HR person who has to try to write these kinds of policies! |
Pizzaz
Supporter
Username: Pizzaz
Post Number: 2042
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 8, 2005 - 4:45 pm: | |
What sort of work do you do, Susan?  |
CLK
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 1238
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 8, 2005 - 5:26 pm: | |
Actually, I work in higher ed which is really hurting for cash these days - so I don't mind the U being cheap in general. OTOH I wonder how much money we've really lost because some employees are generous tippers. Probably not a lot.
But it does mean that I have to either fork out of my own pocket for a reasonable tip, which I don't like - or be cheap, which I don't like.
Strangely, they don't have an alcohol policy. Other universities I've worked for have had a policy that they won't reimburse for any alcoholic beverages. i.e. get wine with your dinner if you want to, but you pay for it. I guess I can get looped as long as I don't tip more than 15%. (and as long as I don't embarrass the U and end up in the papers. :-)
Our HR head just quit, not replaced yet. However I think this policy came out of finance, not HR.
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 4751
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 8, 2005 - 5:27 pm: | |
My way around that sort of thing is to put the extra tip into misc. We don't have to show documentation for anything under $25, so if I tip a little more for great service, I add the few bucks to misc. I label it as "tips - 7/7-7/10" or "snack", etc. I've never been questioned. Of course, I have also never been questioned on 20% tips anyway.
What I've found is if the manager who signs off on my expense reports doesn't care, it doesn't get noticed.
One nice thing is that my company takes care of all hotel/transportation tips for meetings arranged by our meeting department. So, once I get off the plane, I only have to come out of pocket for off-site things.
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Two Sense
Citizen
Username: Twosense
Post Number: 321
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 8, 2005 - 5:43 pm: | |
It's a bit cheap, but also reflects general distrust of the judgement of employees it entrusts to travel on behalf of your institution.
Having said this, I worked in a more liberal environment and have seen employees do some wacky things, including submitting for reimbursement of: admission to Graceland in Nashville, to occupy down time between vendor visits; in-room porn flicks; and, $10 per day for housekeeping tips in a hotel.
Maybe there's been abuse, particularly since it's easy to say you used cash for a tip, and pocket the reimbursement.
P.S. The suggestion that you recategorize your tips to mask them is badddddddd advice. If you feel badly for down-trodden service staff, pay them out of your own pocket, but don't commit fraud by falsifying your expense reports. |
SoOrLady
Citizen
Username: Soorlady
Post Number: 2340
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 8, 2005 - 5:49 pm: | |
Greenetree - great idea.. we don't have to provide a receipt for anything under $20. Maybe CLK can tip the extra % out of her pocket and add a misc. line in her expense report to cover it. |
CLK
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 1239
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Friday, July 8, 2005 - 7:31 pm: | |
We can't do misc. We have to itemize everything and assign it to an object code, and we need a receipt for almost everything. And I agree that you shouldn't commit fraud to do it. (though Greentree is explicitly listing stuff as "tips" under misc., so that's not fraud.)
I think what Two Sense said is the reason for this - I have seen people put some wacky things in, too. Mainly out of ignorance rather than sleaziness, though; and often with lots of rationalizations.
I really don't question them cracking down on stuff, just that the limits they're setting are cheap. I suppose there are some people sleazy enough to pay a cab driver a 10% tip, claim 20%, and pocket the extra couple $$ - but I hope I don't work with them, and anyway that isn't going to happen any more.
I've always left a tip for housekeeping but never claimed it before, actually it never even occurred to me to claim it as I didn't have a receipt so it didn't occur to me when I put in my expense report. Same with bellhop tips. So I guess that's another way to get my $ back - pay what I always pay, but start claiming back for these little undocumented tips. I'm still out of pocket a few $, but then I always have been.
Another way around the cheap tip for the cab driver is if the cab driver gives you a blank receipt (as most do). Then you can fill it out for the amount you actually paid, as I doubt the finance people will be be figuring out what your expected cab fare is for every city you travel in. No fraud - I'm only claiming what I paid; I'm just providing adequate compensation to a person providing an important service to me.
Related question: When you travel over a weekend, do you expect to take comp time later to cover it? e.g. if you travelled on Saturday, take Monday off gratis, not claiming vacation time. (assuming your normal work week is M-F.) There is a difference of opinion in my office about this, and I'm curious what those of you out there in Corporate America would assume. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 4753
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, July 8, 2005 - 9:06 pm: | |
Ahhh - weekend travel. The best thing about my current company is that they respect personal time and do not make us stay on weekends to save plane fare, etc.
In my old company, we were "required" to spend Saturday night if the cost of the airfare and two extra hotel nights was less than the cost of coming home on Friday or leaving on Saturday to go to a Monday meeting. The killer was that, on top of all that, since we weren't "working", we couldn't take comp time. So, no one scheduled meetings requiring travel for Mondays or Fridays unless it was unavoidable. In those cases, we would say we couldn't stay over because of a family wedding or some such thing. It was ridiculous. If it was a weekend meeting, we got one comp day if the whole weekend was worked.
The kicker to that was that I went to many "advisory board" meetings where the schedule was as follows: Thrusday night arrival & dinner with clients. Friday meeting & dinner with clients. Saturday morning meeting, afternoon golf with clients and dinner with clients. Sunday morning breakfast with clients & departure. Since we played golf on Saturday afternoon, we couldn't claim it as a comp day. Even tho we were scheduled and required to play golf.
IMHO, if I am required to travel and miss personal time, I have earned a comp day. In my old company, I found ways to take them because I had a good manager. Some managers saw it as a badge of honor to work 7 days with no comp time and required it of their teams.
My current VP doesn't believe in official comp time. I work a 10 hour day most of the time (not so much in summer). I don't take comp time, but I don't stress about coming in late or leaving early for doctor's appointments and the like. I give 100% at work and no more. Even if it means taking back my time.
RE: the expense thing. I do not feel bad making numbers fit because I am careful about what money I spend. Yes, I do expense everything from the moment I arrive at Newark to catch my flight (well, not magazines, but certainly bottles of water). I don't order room service. I don't order alcohol. I usually hunt around for a coffee shop for breakfast in lieu of the $20 breakfast buffet at the hotel. I don't order movies (I'm up til all hours catching up on work and e-mail; who has time?) and I don't expense any personal activities that I (rarely) manage to squeeze in. I have worked with people who get lobster from room service because they are expensing it & that pisses me off. I do not feel bad about drinking the $7 bottles of water left in the room for "convenience"; I am there at the company's convenience and they are getting work out of me from 7am to 1am.
I take pride in doing a good job and being honest (even if I am bored to tears in my current position). But, I am not there out of a sense of altruism. I give good labor and you pay me. If I am not home to do laundry, errands or sit in my backyard naked picking my nose on Saturday, I expect that time back. It's mine. I happen to not always choose to take it on the next Monday or in one chunk. |
CLK
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 1241
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, July 9, 2005 - 7:18 am: | |
Wow! The traveling worker's manifesto.
I happen to agree with you, and allow the same for anybody in my office who has to travel. I spoke with one of the higher-level HR ladies about this once and she agrees - she's like, "well are they getting the work done? then, what's the biggie?" but her boss didn't necessarily agree with this.
My own boss, who just left the organization, was iffy about comp time, too ... never came right out and said it, but gave us the notion that we were all sissies for taking comp time if we travelled on weekends. He used to say stuff all the time about his 80-hour weeks. Well, his income was in a totally different ballpark than the rest of us (rumor had it, and based on his history I believe it) and his wife stayed home with the kids. Plus they had household help - nanny, housecleaner, gardener, etc. Anyway, he never pushed on it, so I didn't let it get to me too much.
Academic conferences often straddle weekends and we have meetings on both Saturday & Sunday. I cannot manage my life in any kind of reasonable fashion if I don't get that time back. |
LilLB
Citizen
Username: Lillb
Post Number: 767
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, July 9, 2005 - 8:27 pm: | |
We don't get comp time for traveling on a weekend. It's just expected that it's part of the gig. Although, I usually get a comp day when I travel (2 if I was there over a couple of weeks or the travel was extremely long - like 24 hours). But, it's understood that you never "ask" for it....and it's not equal time (e.g., 2 days of travel = 2comp days; you just get what they decide to give you). |
Two Sense
Citizen
Username: Twosense
Post Number: 322
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, July 10, 2005 - 1:13 pm: | |
Ahh comp time.
It should come down to whether you're a non-exempt or exempt employee. In most states, non-exempt employees are considered hourly employees, and are entitled to compensation (or comp time) for every hour they work. But, if you're an exempt employee and likely paid an annual salary, you're definitionally EXEMPT from over-time compensation; and, employers can argue that you should be available 24 x 7, without comp time.
If excessive time demands are made on you, they obviously would factor into your satisfaction with your job and compensation, and decision to stay or move-on.
I worked in just such an environment for 20+ years and it's a two-way street. While no exempt employees received extra compensation (money or time) for staying late, coming in early, or coming in on a weekend, no one complains when an exempt employee comes in late or leaves early because of a personal commitment. If this bothers you, maybe you should consider non-exempt hourly work or consulting. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 4763
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 6:16 am: | |
Wow, Two. It's unfortunate that you left the Corporate world. You are the only person I currently "know" who thinks this way. The powers that be could use more folks like you.
For most of us, "salaried" does not mean highly compensated enough to work 70+ hours a week. IMHO. And who says no one complains when exempts come in early or leave late? I've also done the consulting thing. That is a very hard way to make a living: on call 24/7, on vacations, etc. because the client always comes first. We once had to track a guy down on his henoymoon in the Irish countryside to ask a question.
Now, none of this applies if you are among the super highly compensated. There's 6 figures and then there's 6 figures. Ya know? |
CLK
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 1242
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 6:29 am: | |
And then there's those of who are not making six figures, and indeed have some distance to go before we'd get there. Sorry, at my salary, I can't afford nannies, gardeners, people to go buy my groceries, etc. etc. That means that if I travel on weekends, I absolutely need the time back or my life falls apart - not good for my work life. My employer may not be legally required to give it to me, but they would be wise to if they intend to retain me. I am quite employable elsewhere - I stay in my relatively low-paid position because 1) I like my job and 2) the quality of work life is relatively high, with substantial flexibility.
People on my staff obviously make even less than me. I figure that I'm lucky to have them at the salaries they get, so I make sure that their quality of work life is as good as I can make it or I will certainly lose them. And, you know, happy employees who feel that their lives are in control generally provide better work. |
Two Sense
Citizen
Username: Twosense
Post Number: 326
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 11:40 am: | |
CLK, that's why you work at an institute of higher education. And, if you're lucky enough to be a tenured professor, you may have to teach a whopping six hours a week, and have only 4 months of vacation -- not to mention an occasional sabbatical to re-charge your batteries. And, maybe that's why higher education prices are out-running CPI annual increases by 100%-300%.
To repeat myself, if excessive time demands are made on you, they obviously would factor into your satisfaction with your job and compensation, and decision to stay or move-on.
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Nonymous Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 8242
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 11:42 am: | |
I think lowering allowable tips like that essentially lowers your pay, because you'll have to make it up from your pocket. I wish you could shame the finance department into realizing this, but I know better.
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 4767
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 1:03 pm: | |
Two - I'm curious. Can you share more about your former 20+ industry & what you do now? I'd like to live in your world. |
something witty
Citizen
Username: Buckneja
Post Number: 48
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 1:09 pm: | |
I agree that we should thik twice about such travel reimbursement policies. It is a crying shame...
And now for my tangent...
OUCH It is unfortunate that non-academicians MIS-perceive academic lifestyle in the way you describe! At my institution right now (and for the past 5 years that I've been there), we are required to teach the equivalent of 4 courses a semester; that's 12 hours a week IN THE CLASSROOM (performing so to speak) with prep time, grading exams, looking at drafts and grading written papers, assignments, organizing tasks and work groups, handling technology problems and responding to 20-60 emails a week from students, from September through June all additional time on top of brick-and-mortar in-front-of-the-students time. We're trying to move to a 3+3 teaching load. Teaching summer classes is an additional pile-on, and most of us do it because our salaries are not even 1/2 of a 6-figure income. Of course summer funds usually don't get taxed at the same rate--many institutions tax this at BONUS rates--significantly higher. And how exactly do you get a bonus anyway? Never heard of one at a university. No merit raises either. Just a cost of living increase (1.5%?)if it's in the budget. Sometimes we get the 3%. Even the tenured colleagues in my department are swamped and never go home without a mile-long list of stuff to do in the evening.
In addition to teaching, you have to have committee work to keep the place running; as well as advising, letters of recommendation, supervision of student theses (Undergrad, AND GRADUATE WORK), as well. I estimate at least 1.5 hours for each committe meeting, and additional role duties on top of that (and if it's a year for hiring...that can be up to 4 hours...). Advising and writing letters and helping non-class students takes place after the expected three hours of office time that you hold for in-class student needs.
Next throw in the expectation to do your own research, collect data, write it, and publish... As well as go to conferences to present your work so that it doesn't stay in a file drawer... Summer vacation is a falacy. So is sabbatical--unless you gain approval at all levels and have the most competitive of applications for such.
...And if you have family responsibilities....
Well, now, I've gone on and on. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE MY JOB, and I HOPE THAT TENURE HAPPENS SO THAT I CAN REMAIN AT MY UNIVERSITY FOR A LONG LONG TIME. I find fulfillment in what I do. And I would much rather work in academe than in a corporate job. But comp time, and what not, are such moot points in my line of work. |
something witty
Citizen
Username: Buckneja
Post Number: 49
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 1:15 pm: | |
I somehow deleted that I probably pull 50-60 hr weeks, but am learning to whittle down to the most important stuff.
Didn't mean to sound defensive (re-reading my post). Two sense, I **do** love what I do. To each their own joys. It'd be great to enjoy it more. Since grad school I've been saying (and promising my husband) "it'll be better soon." What do you do? |
CLK
Supporter
Username: Clkelley
Post Number: 1243
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 1:51 pm: | |
Two Sense, you have no idea what you're talking about. I happen not to be a professor - I am in university administration. However, I am married to a professor and know plenty of them.
First, it is a total myth that faculty get summers off, and even less so anybody in admin or support. Anybody who has ever worked near higher ed knows that. That's when the most important activitiy that they do - research - really kicks in - and it's generally unpaid, as most faculty are on 9- or 10-month salaries. That's right, they don't get paid during the summers, but they're still expected to show up for work!! And even work more intensely than the rest of the year! Kind of the opposite of the stereotype, isn't it.
These guys work their ASSES off - I've worked in other industries, as well, and rarely see the dedication and true devotion to their work that I see in academe. Any of these guys could easily step out of their jobs into far, far higher-paid work than they get as professors. They stay because they love what they do. Depending on the field they teach & do research in, $50K would be considered a very generous salary - and for some categories (non-tenure track, for example) they make WAAAAAY less than public school teachers. More & more of the classes at most universities are taught by these low-paid "slave adjuncts." That's not so that the tenured guys can sit on their asses - there are just fewer & fewer tenure-track positions available. Universities are cutting back everywhere, and number of full-time faculty is a huge area where cuts have been made. This is especially so at private institutions (with the highest tuitions), but is beginning to happen even at the big state research U's.
At my university, faculty live as far away as Pennsylvania and have these absurd commutes in their practically antique rattletrap cars because they can't afford to live locally.
Oh - if you were familiar with academe, one way you would know I'm not faculty - faculty generally don't travel, as universities don't pay for faculty travel in any but the most unusual circumstances. If you have a federal or foundation research grant, sometimes there is travel money built in so that you can disseminate the results of the research, but otherwise forget it. My travel is for official university business, and necessary for the work of my office.
And as to the reason for tuition increases: Largely it's because federal funds have dried up, as well as large foundation grants. Trying to do what my office does with the funds we have available is nearly impossible, and I would challenge the creativity of nearly anybody I know to do what we've done with the resources we have. My office's operating budget has been cut, not increased, in the four years I've been there. And at the same time, the price of the stuff I'm expected to buy, as well as software licenses etc. that I'm responsible for, have all gone up.
As to CPI increases - we're certainly not seeing that in our salaries. My salary is not keeping up with inflation - my real salary has been going down for about 5 years now. Something Witty is lucky if she ever got 3% - at my U the standard is 1.5%, hasn't varied for the four years I've been there that I can recall. No bonuses, either.
I got a couple raises at my last employer, but that was because I had a couple of title changes. That's the only way to get a raise - get a promotion, which is nearly impossible. Either that or find a new job.
That's a really good reason for the University to keep its current staff - because every time you replace somebody, especially a long-timer, you have to bring in somebody at a much higher salary because nobody would take it at the rate that the "old" person was making, as in effect their salary has been going down for years.
So I do my best to keep my people, and the U would be wise to try to keep me as they'd never be able to replace me at my current salary. I do a damned good job - they're getting a bargain. Even if I do reclaim time when I travel on a weekend. SOMEBODY has to do the grocery shopping, laundry, weeding, house cleaning, helping the kid with her school projects, etc. My husband - being faculty at a research-heavy university and working well over 70 hours a week - does not have time for it any more than I do. |
something witty
Citizen
Username: Buckneja
Post Number: 50
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, July 11, 2005 - 5:25 pm: | |
CLK,
you've hit it right on.  Thank goodness for your university role! |
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