Conference 7.286::digital

    It would seem that the prospective incoming cost center would
    pay your mileage as they asked you to come see them...
    
    Marge

    Yes, you're entitled to it. 
    
    But, 20 miles x .21 = $4.20.
    
    Is it worth getting yourself known as obnoxious for this sum of
    money?
    
    -bs
         

    I wouldn't get obnoxious about it, but it is the principle of the
    matter.  I was once in this position, and had my manager approached
    by personell on this.  Guess who looked like a fool?
    
    If this fellow is giving you grief about this, I truly feel sorry
    for him, as he definately has problems.  I thought this was Digital,
    and everyone is supposed to be treated with respect.  The personnel
    policies are here for everyone to benifit from.
     
    I would not hesitate to further this issue.  Make your manager a
    little humble.  There are many support groups and resources available
    if you feel heat later on.
    
    I myself, got more respect after the incident with my FORMER manager.
    His attitude helped to underline the motivations for me to get another
    job.  You can also request an exit interview with the plant manager,
    as I did upon your departure to another facility.
    
    Good Luck

    Cripes, if I filled out the mileage forms for all the meetings
    I've had to drive to, I'd be about $700 ahead. And you're making
    a fuss about $4?

    I'll be honest. I have trouble justifying the time to fill out
    an expense form for less then $10. So I usually don't.
    
    I would not follow through unless I wanted to cause grief for
    a manager. It would take an awful lot to make me want to do that
    though. None of my managers (and I've had one or two really bad
    ones) ever got to me enough to want to take parting shots. This
    is too small an industry, let a lone a company, to make anyone
    anymore of an enemy then you have to. One friend of mine and I
    left an other company once. Part of the reason was a bad manager.
    Said manager is now a VP at the company my friend went to. She's
    glad she did not take any parting shots.
    
    		Alfred

    
    On mileage, I feel like a twit entering a $3.60 mileage chit.  What
    I do it to try to fill in several trips on different days (staying
    within the 30-day time window) for a sort of cumulative refund on
    mileage.  Over the [more than a few] years, I've probably "donated"
    $600 or so to Digital by lost mileage claims, but the technique
    I've mentioned is a good compromise.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    Re.0 Does your manager maybe feel that a job interview is
    personal rather than company business (internal job not
    withstanding) ?    Or perhaps he (subconsciously ?) resents
    your leaving ?  

    FLAME ON-- The Mgr sound like a twit to me...I wouldn't want to work
    for him...
    
    Btw if I remember correctly there was a discussion about this some 
    time ago about a person who had an accident while on company
    business. DEC would ONLY pay the .21 cents a mile and not even his
    deductible!! 
    
    Joe
    

    Personally, if you feel that $4 is something that you can't afford
    to pay yourself, I certainly wouldn't let other employees who say
    don't worry about less than $10, etc. stop me from getting my money
    back.  If they want to contribute to their favorite charity, that's
    their business, if that charity is DEC, so it goes.  
    
    When I hear about our unprecedented profits, and at the same time
    hear the "OFFICIAL" position of salary increases being in 2-5% range,
    I get a little disgusted.  I take everything I'm entitled to.
    
    As far as this discussion goes, your manager is truly correct, the
    interviewing manager should pay the expenses for your interview,
    NOT the current manager, therefore, your current manager is not
    being a twit (at least not for his/her position on THIS issue)

Re:-9
    
    I can understand if the cost involved was alot more (Like a plane
    Ticket) but we're talking about $4.xx. He must be great with raises
    too!!! I think he still ranks in TWITLAND tho...
    
    
    Joe

    THANKS FOR THE INPUT EVERYONE. A FEW MORE COMMENTS ON THE
    MATTER.. THOSE 20 MILES ARE NOT ON A SEPERATE FORM. IT IS
    AN ENTRY ON A FORM WITH MANY OTHER TRIPS. ALL OTHERS, 50
    MILES OR MORE WERE O.K. LIKE SOMEONE SAID EARLIER, IT IS THE
    PRINCIPLE OF THE MATTER. MY GROUP IS SO BRAINWASHED BY
    OUR MANAGERS IT IS PATHETIC. OUR GROUP IS MOSTLY WAGE CLASS
    2 WORKERS. MANY OF WHOM WORK THROUGH LUNCH AND AFTER 5 AND DO NOT
    REQUEST OVERTIME BECAUSE, "MANAGAMENT SAID WE CAN'T GET IT."
    BUT MANAGEMENT EXPECTS THE WORK TO GET DONE. FEDERAL LAW STATES
    ANY WORK OVER 8 HOURS IN 1 DAY IS MANDATORY OVERTIME PAY, REGARDLESS
    IF IT WAS "APPROVED" BEFOREHAND OR NOT. 
       I WORK FOR DIGITAL, NOT MY GROUP. MY GROUP IS NOT A SEPERATE
    CORPORATION WITH THEIR OWN POLICIES. JUST BECAUSE MY MANAGER
    DOES NOT AGREE WITH WHAT PERSONNEL POLICIES ARE MEANS PEOPLE IN
    THE GROUP HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS AGGREVATION TO RECEIVE THEIR
    RIGHTFUL BENEFITS ?? IT IS NOT RIGHT.
       FOR THE PEOPLE WHO THINK IT IS SILLY BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT,
    THAT'S YOUR OPINION AND YOU'RE ENTITLED TO IT. AS I SAID BEFORE,
    IT IS THE PRINCIPLE OF THE MATTER ALONG WITH I CAN USE THE
    MONEY. I COULD BE INTERVIEWING FOR MONTHS. I WILL NOT THROW
    AWAY HANDREDS OF DOLLARS THAT I AM ENTITLED TO LIKE SOME
    PEOPLE. I AM NOT TRYING TO PULL ANY BALOGNA, I AM ONLY
    ACCEPTING WHAT I SHOULD BE GIVEN. IF THE POLICY STATES THIS
    IS NOT ALLOWED, I WOULD NOT PUT UP A BEEF ABOUT IT. Re:-9
    THANK YOU, I WILL LOOK FOR THE POLICY.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

	The way it should be done is:

	1.  put the mileage on your expense
	2.  have interviewing cost center send memo to current
		cost center saying they will pay expenses.
	3.  internal transfer (JV) is done between cost centers.

	result:  You get your $4, your current cost center loses no
	money.  Everyone is happy.  

	PS -- if the interviewing CC won't pay either, then I wouldn't
	take the job. :-)

Frank

    It would be simpler to submit the mileage report directly to the
    incoming cost center, thus saving the corporation the expense of
    the JV.
    
    Marge

I know this is an old note but since I didn't want to start a new one,
here goes ...

I'm a software resident with a customer that is just across the street 
from my DEC office. Up to now, I was told that I could write the commuting
mileage as business miles since I was driving to a customer site.

With all the cost cutting, I have just been told that I must report
that mileage as personal because the difference between my home-DEC office
and DEC office to customer is zero miles hence no business miles.

My question, I know I'm not crazy but I read once upon a time in some
policy manual that an employee could charge the company the difference
between the closest DEC office (as supposed to their actual reporting
office) and the customer site.

Can anyone recall or point me to such a guideline? I can see DEC trying
to take my car away by claiming that I have no business miles and I'm
trying to keep my car since it is part of my compensation (no flames
please) package to me.

Thanks for any pointers

Manny

    I don't know where it is in the orange book off the top of my head, but
    DEC only pays mileage from the regular work site to wherever you
    travel.  If you are travelling from home to another worksite, DEC
    policy is to pay the difference between the normal commute to your
    office and the commute to the other worksite.
    
    

    re: .14

    Your appeal to this kangaroo court is rejected.

    In the case you describe, and many other cases, the interpretation of
    the policy is up to the manager who signs your expenses.
    
    If I were your manager, I'd say if you have "out-of-pocket" expenses
    that you would not otherwise have because of your assignment, then it
    should be on DEC's tab.

    
    Excerpt from PP&P Section 5.11; see VTX ORANGEBOOK for the full story:
    
     "It is Digital's intention that employees will pay for their own
     mileage between their place of residence and their workplace.
     Any required business mileage incurred during the workday in
     excess of that normal commute will be compensated in accordance
     with our Business Mileage policy."
     

    Because the IRS rules differ from Digital's rules you may be able to
    claim an uncompensated business expense on your tax form.  The IRS
    doesn't allow the first trip from your home to your work site, and the
    last trip from your work site to your home.  However, any business
    travel between those first and last trips is considered deductable.
    
    A friend of mine sometimes travels from his home to his father's garage
    (a few yards) to pick up some equipment before going to the store where he
    works.  In this case the IRS allows the trip from the garage to the
    store, since it isn't his first trip.  The reverse is also true when he
    takes equipment from the store to his father's garage.
    
    To claim a deduction on your income taxes you will need to have records
    of each trip, showing the date, business reason and distance traveled.
    The records should be made when the trip is made.
        John Sauter

    I don't exactly understand but if you're saying that you're in
    residence at a customer who happens to be across the street from your
    office,you,like the proverbial double amputee,haven't a leg to stand
    on. Sounds like you *do* have zero business miles. Of course it's up to
    your boss,but even your boss can't override the IRS who may pounce on
    DEC and make someone pay for all those miles you've been charging.
    (guess who will pay.)
    
    Ken

    re: 18 & 19
    Don't forget that to deduct business expenses at all they will have to
    total X% of Adjusted Gross Income....

    There is a Fleet Manual that clearly spells this one out.  I believe
    you would get 0.   This  rules application by different managers varies
    greatly, but it is clear if you read the book.  
    
    Good luck keeping your car.  Luck will have it that you get put on a
    long distance consulting effort they day after they justify taking your
    car away.