Employee expenses - courier expense reimbursement

Setanta12

Registered User
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I know the theory but its the practicalities/real-life situation I'm querying;

Some members of staff have credit-cards for office expenditures, but mostly their travel. ,ower grade staff don't - but can be reimbursed for travel expenses etc.

The company doesn't want to put in place a system by which international courier expenses can be ordered and paid by use of company credit card.

Instead up to now, they are relying on staff opening up their own international accounts with FedEx DHL etc to send things, and be reimbursed that way. Cost can be E100 a package; admittedly, there aren't many - 1 every 2 months, until a month when a few are required.

Am I being picky / sticky / bolshie ?
 
Even a small company should not be relying on staff personally paying expenses like this up front.

They should be able to open an account where they are billed directly for such expenses.
 
That's nits. An employer shouldn't expect an employee to pay for a courier. What next, they pay for the photocopier too?

From a practical point of view, DHL etc will offer a better rate for a company doing frequent business with them rather than a load of individuals doing bits and pieces here and there. The employer should just set up a company account and everything is billed through that account, no need for company credit cards or expense claims.


Steven
www.bluewaterfp.ie
 
if you negotiate a company rate with one courier such as UPS you'll get a minimum 40% off their standard rates, so there are substantial savings to be had from an overall agreement.

Possibly have anyone using the service to go through one particular staff member who can query how urgent the package is - even within one courier company you have different service levels that can affect price. Where just safe and signed delivery is required the expedited service (2-3 day to USA addresses) will be substantially less than the next day before noon service.
 
I agree with the last few posters; it's more expensive and it's just plain wrong to expect employees to pay for that sort of thing from personal funds. If you can't trust them to spend a few thousand a year in total on couriers with their company cards then you shouldn't employ them, or if you are the sort of person who doesn't trust people maybe they shouldn't be working for you.
 
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