One thing that has definitely reduced for most businesses during Covid are expense claims. It remains a thorny issue though. The refurbishment of Boris Johnson’s flat at No10 at certainly caused some heated debate about expenses. So, how will things work though when we have a full return to the workplace for some but remote working for others?
The question is, where will the boundaries lie for expenses to be paid?
We’ve advised clients in the past on addressing issues with an employee expenses – we had an employee who thought there was nothing wrong with adding a Percy Pig Easter egg to his mileage reclaim, as they were of course on the same receipt, and then tried to justify it by saying it was a snack (in his view!).
We’ve seen an increase in many queries about paying for travel expenses to the office now for someone who has been working remotely. Is this a reclaimable expense? The short answer to that is, it depends on where their contractual workplace base is. And what about the ‘expenses’ of homeworking, for example, equipment, heating, electricity, phone and broadband bills?
So, what can employees claim as legitimate expenses and what do you want to pay for?
The usual principle is that, as an employer, you would normally cover the reasonable expenses that you would expect the employee to incur when carrying out their work for you. Common day-to-day expenses could be:
As we re-engage in the workplace and enter a more agile period of working, now is the time to review your expenses and benefits and ensure your policies and procedures are fit for purpose. For more information on providing equipment at home, please get in touch with our Employment Law Solicitors.
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