What to do fi my former employer is asking for reimbursement of my travel costs?
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What to do fi my former employer is asking for reimbursement of my travel costs?
My former employer emailed me this morning asking me if I wanted the costs of 2 flights for business trips deducted from my final paycheck or if I wanted to reimburse her personally. I did not sign anything or verbally tell her that I would ever assume the costs of any business expenses. How do I resolve this issue?
Asked on August 15, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Ohio
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
If you did not agree to reimburse for business travel and this was legitimate business travel (e.g. it wasn't a vacation you took and tried to pass of as business travel), and if the company's general policy was to pay for business travel, then they can't now take the money out of your paycheck. (Note that the law does not require employers to pay for busines travel--it is legal to make employees bear this cost; therefore, if the company's policy was that you would need to pay for this, you do have to pay; the issue, though, is what was the policy in effect when you took this trip?)
Assuming that the policy was that employee's don't have to absorb their own travel costs, that you did not specifically agree to pay for this travel, and that it was a legitimate business trip, you can tell her "no"--you can inform her that you will not pay for this travel and that if she does not pay your full paycheck that you will file a complaint the the state department of labor and/or sue her/the company for the money.
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