Asked to buy a webcam myself for WFH purposes

machaseh · 17-01-2022 1:30pm #1

Hi all,

I am working for a company here in the RoI. As most people do, I have been working from home (WFH) for almost 2 years now. In fact I have not even so much as visited the office of my current job even once.

For my role, it is required to hold video conferences with customers, this requires a webcam and headset. I happened to still have an old headset lying around which I am using (not provided by the company, but I already had it anyway). In addition, I use a laptop provided by the company which has a built-in integrated webcam like most laptops do. I also use an extra screen (basically required for this role, if not obligatory) which, again, I happened to have lying around here already anyway. So far so good.

Recently my manager instructed our team to purchase an external webcam so that we would appear more representative on camera to our customers. They stated that a webcam can be purchased for as little as 20 quid. I proceeded to ask my manager if the webcam could be expensed by the company (we do have a company credit card and can expense certain things but it needs to be preapproved) so that we could actually get a PROPER webcam, preferably one above 20 quid but worst case just expense the 20 quid for the cheap webcam; in addition I also took the opportunity to ask for a proper headset for WFH purposes to also improve audio quality.

My manger did not directly refuse this but from the answer I gather that odds are that we will not be able to expense this. Hence I went here to boards to ask yous: Here in the Republic of Ireland, can an employer legally require you to buy certain items that are essential for the job and not allow you to expense them? What are the legal rights of an employee in this matter?

So the bare minimum necessities are already there (mostly self-provided and with a company-provided laptop in my case), but the new additional requirements are not there and the company is most likely going to refuse providing these necessary forms of equipment.

My contract states:

The Employee shall be reimbursed all reasonable expenses properly incurred in discharge of the Employee's duties in accordance with this Contract and subject to any other instructions or regulations issued by the Employer from time to time. As a pre-condition of payment, the Employee will be expected to produce vouchers, receipts or other evidence of the expenses in respect of which the Employee claims reimbursement. All expenses claimed must adhere to the Employer's expense policy.

Please do not reply with 'stop nagging and just buy the 20 quid headset', I am looking for more information about the rights that you have as an employee here in ireland and not for advice like that.

callaway92 · 17-01-2022 2:04pm

So long as you're PAYE, any items REQUIRED for work must be provided by the Workplace to you. Very cheeky of them to ask for you to expense it yourself.

If you're a contactor, then costs like this would've been factored into your salary.

machaseh · 17-01-2022 2:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118489043#Comment_118489043

That's exactly what I thought, I am PAYE.

And the strange thing is, my colleagues found my question hilarious. They seem to be unaware of this, but oh well that is their problem not mine. If they want to pay for these forms of equipment out of their own pocket that's their choice of course.

callaway92 · 17-01-2022 2:09pm

Funnily enough, not many people are aware of it

With the WFH circumstances for so many people now, a LOT unfortunately are just using their kitchen table/chairs etc. People need to be educated on it that if they are required to WFH and are PAYE they are entitled to anything like this.

If anything, I think it's a let-down by the Govt here that in reality, people that were never used to the WFH environment haven't been educated on what they can get from it.

Back to the point anyway, ya, I would push back on this for sure. They'll get their VAT back on the stuff anyway, so it's costing them nothing - and if like they said 'it's more representative', it probably translates to better customer relations so would be hugely cost effective for them to do it.

machaseh · 17-01-2022 2:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118489075#Comment_118489075

To be honest, I think that my manager was just quite lazy. They probably just got a message from some higher up saying 'hey can you make sure your employees appear well on camera, more representative, tell them to get a new webcam if you need to' and then my manager was probably just like 'ah surely I'll just tell em to get a new webcam and call it a day'. Rather than putting in like literally 5 minute's worth of effort to contact the relevant teams to ask if this can be expensed.

Mickeroo · 17-01-2022 2:32pm

I would just keep using the one on the laptop and if anyone brings it up just say you are still waiting for one to be sent out from work. No way you should need to buy something like that yourself.

Donald Trump · 17-01-2022 2:36pm

If they want you to use one, they have to provide it. The danger is that they might say they you can return to working in the office to use the one in the office.

On the other hand, if they pay for it, you wouldn't be supposed to use it for your Onlyfans side gig.

machaseh · 17-01-2022 3:19pm

Okay thanks all. After having a talk about the principle of the matter, they budged and will attempt to get it expensed

Asked to buy a webcam myself for WFH purposes

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