Travelling with Work - Regulations?

dulpit

Hey,

I'm just wondering if there are any regulations/guidelines that a company needs to follow when sending their lowly employees (i.e. me) travelling? We have office in Ireland & London, so occasionally I have to go there for meetings/etc, and have to stay over - but is there anything I should be aware of that the company should be doing for me? E.g. accommodation/pay/expenses/flight times/etc?

markpb

Your contract should explain the process when travelling and tell you what you can and cannot expense.

dulpit

I suppose what I really mean is what sort of responsibility is on company w.r.t. accommodation (in particular)?

MiCr0

It really depends on the t+c's that you have with the company.

Is there a specific question you're wondering about:

• do they need to provide a specific level of hotel?
• do they need to pay for a hotel rather than a b+b,
• should they provide an apartment if you have to travel for longer than x amount of time?
• should i have to pay for the accommodation and then claim it back?

It'll all depend on the company and their policy's.

dulpit

MiCr0 wrote: »

It really depends on the t+c's that you have with the company.

Is there a specific question you're wondering about:

• do they need to provide a specific level of hotel?
• do they need to pay for a hotel rather than a b+b,
• should they provide an apartment if you have to travel for longer than x amount of time?
• should i have to pay for the accommodation and then claim it back?

It'll all depend on the company and their policy's.

Ya, what sparked this is that I'm off to London on Monday, and have been told that I'm staying in the flat that is owned by the company director (he's rarely in London, so it's normally empty). This wouldn't be an issue, but my boss is also going, and she's staying in flat also. It's a 1-bed, which means I'll be on an airbed...

From my reading of posts, it's company policy that dictates these things, not laws/regulations?

useless

An airbed on the floor? For business travel? That takes the biscuit... Tell your boss that you're getting a hotel room.

MidlandsM

an airbed? WTF like?

Tell them no..........

dulpit

I get that it's utterly unprofessional and shoddy, but where do I stand legally/etc?

MidlandsM

Well, they have a "duty of care" to you as an employee and providing you with an airbed on the floor of an anonomous flat whilst away from work and sharing toilet facilities with the boss is low.

Do you have a bad back?

maglite

That's fairly bad, I would expect at least a hotel, but I suppose it will depend on company culture(contracts) and the level of expense they can afford.

IMHO I'd personally shell out for a hotel if faced with an airbed in a strangers house. Hotels can be had for about £50

dulpit

MidlandsM wrote: »

Do you have a bad back?[/Quote
Not yet I don't...

There's nothing I can do about this trip, but I do think it's disgraceful carry on from a company...

allibastor

Hello.

if a company is expecting you to travel for work purposes they are obliged to provide you with clean safe comfortable accommodation, or are obliged to let you arrange your own and recover the costs as a business expense. same with meals and other related items that are incurred during your secondment.

what type of company is it you work for? i mean this in a nice way as if its some door to door company or a very very informal company they may think it is fine.

more details please. also your contract should have some form of outline for international travel, or your expenses claiming procedure.

helimachoptor

dulpit wrote: »

Ya, what sparked this is that I'm off to London on Monday, and have been told that I'm staying in the flat that is owned by the company director (he's rarely in London, so it's normally empty). This wouldn't be an issue, but my boss is also going, and she's staying in flat also. It's a 1-bed, which means I'll be on an airbed...

From my reading of posts, it's company policy that dictates these things, not laws/regulations?

I would be giving them a polite PFO!!!

OP to give you some perspective...
I'm in London generally every week or 2nd week.
I stay in a 4* hotel... If my company suggested that.. they would get a swift STFU tbh

Cgoodie

That is not acceptable OP I travel on a monthly basis to London for a week at a time and the company have 2 of their own corporate apartments to stay in & if these aren't available then it's a hotel.

I would refuse to stay in that situation. Get online, price hotels around the area and when you have found a suitable one ask the boss for the company credit card number to book it. While there may not be any legal obligation that I am aware of on the company regarding travel, they still owe you a duty of care.

MiamiMice

If she's hot then I fail to see the problem!

useless

Well OP, how did it work out? You sleeping on an airbed on the floor tonight or did your employer have the decency to pay for a hotel room?