Driving my car for ERAC business???

This always confused me. When I was an MT, I was required at times to drive my personal vehicle. I never understood why I was required to drive my personal car when I was working for the single largest car buyer in the country. If it was around town, it was no big deal. I might do it once or twice a week.

But the issue I have is driving for required events. Not the happy hours, those were semi-optional. My AM would setup after hours meetings at his office, which was 2 counties away and over 60 miles driving time. We would lock the doors at 6-6:15 and were expected down there at 7 to begin the meeting. Of course, no rental was provided, even though the whole branch was going down there. But then when I asked about being reimbursed for driving, I was given a quarter tank of gas on the company card. Using the IRS reimbursement rate for the round trip, I should have been paid almost $60!

So my question, is this a practice that happens in other areas? Or if you had a mandatory trip that wasn't on the clock, did your manager give you a rental to drive, or how was it handled? Is this something that could be pursued in court if this happened frequently?? Just curious, I don't care about suing them, its over and done with for a while, but it happened a half dozen times to me in my year and a half there.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This always confused me. When I was an MT, I was required at times to drive my personal vehicle. I never understood why I was required to drive my personal car when I was working for the single largest car buyer in the country. If it was around town, it was no big deal. I might do it once or twice a week.

But the issue I have is driving for required events. Not the happy hours, those were semi-optional. My AM would setup after hours meetings at his office, which was 2 counties away and over 60 miles driving time. We would lock the doors at 6-6:15 and were expected down there at 7 to begin the meeting. Of course, no rental was provided, even though the whole branch was going down there. But then when I asked about being reimbursed for driving, I was given a quarter tank of gas on the company card. Using the IRS reimbursement rate for the round trip, I should have been paid almost $60!

So my question, is this a practice that happens in other areas? Or if you had a mandatory trip that wasn't on the clock, did your manager give you a rental to drive, or how was it handled? Is this something that could be pursued in court if this happened frequently?? Just curious, I don't care about suing them, its over and done with for a while, but it happened a half dozen times to me in my year and a half there.

I never heard of this happening where I worked, but I see SERIOUS potential problems with it. Many insurance companies WILL NOT cover you if you are using your vehicle for "business purposes." This included running your own small business (real estate agent, etc) OR running for your employer. You're supposed to have a commercial policy for that. Your personal policy may well only cover you in transit to and from work (commuting). One would think ERAC would know this. If it were me, I would flat out refuse to go in my personal ride. Just me.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This always confused me. When I was an MT, I was required at times to drive my personal vehicle. I never understood why I was required to drive my personal car when I was working for the single largest car buyer in the country. If it was around town, it was no big deal. I might do it once or twice a week.

But the issue I have is driving for required events. Not the happy hours, those were semi-optional. My AM would setup after hours meetings at his office, which was 2 counties away and over 60 miles driving time. We would lock the doors at 6-6:15 and were expected down there at 7 to begin the meeting. Of course, no rental was provided, even though the whole branch was going down there. But then when I asked about being reimbursed for driving, I was given a quarter tank of gas on the company card. Using the IRS reimbursement rate for the round trip, I should have been paid almost $60!

So my question, is this a practice that happens in other areas? Or if you had a mandatory trip that wasn't on the clock, did your manager give you a rental to drive, or how was it handled? Is this something that could be pursued in court if this happened frequently?? Just curious, I don't care about suing them, its over and done with for a while, but it happened a half dozen times to me in my year and a half there.

I would send an ms01 to the Group Controller and simply ask as to the proper ways to submit miles for reimbursment and play stupid. Your BM is using you.

[slave no more]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This always confused me. When I was an MT, I was required at times to drive my personal vehicle. I never understood why I was required to drive my personal car when I was working for the single largest car buyer in the country. If it was around town, it was no big deal. I might do it once or twice a week.

But the issue I have is driving for required events. Not the happy hours, those were semi-optional. My AM would setup after hours meetings at his office, which was 2 counties away and over 60 miles driving time. We would lock the doors at 6-6:15 and were expected down there at 7 to begin the meeting. Of course, no rental was provided, even though the whole branch was going down there. But then when I asked about being reimbursed for driving, I was given a quarter tank of gas on the company card. Using the IRS reimbursement rate for the round trip, I should have been paid almost $60!

So my question, is this a practice that happens in other areas? Or if you had a mandatory trip that wasn't on the clock, did your manager give you a rental to drive, or how was it handled? Is this something that could be pursued in court if this happened frequently?? Just curious, I don't care about suing them, its over and done with for a while, but it happened a half dozen times to me in my year and a half there.

Well if the meeting is REQUIRED then you should get your hourly pay plus you should also get the miles reimbursed through taxes as a work write off. Not 100% sure how as I have never been a 1099 employee but you should be able to.

I am not worried about it anymore as I have been removed from the company for over a year now, but this was something that happened less than 2 years ago, so its not something that happened in the 'olden' days. It was my managers discretion to make us do this too. Other employees from other branches would all ride together in a minivan or some rental car, while we were stuck driving our personal vehicles. I was appalled that this happened and then that I was not reimbursed except to get a little gas. I suppose this was his punishment to myself and the other employees, as one time in particular was a DW sales training class that EVERYBODY from our branch had to go, AM/BM/and all MTs.

I was an area manager and embarassed how our group handled it.
Basically, if the MT didn't ask about it, we did nothing.
No mileage reimbursement, no pay for meetings.
When a smart MT asked about getting paid for mandatory meetings and/or mileage reimbursement on their personal car then we had to pay them both.

Instead of making this public knowledge to every MT we were told to just not draw attention to it and keep quiet unless someone asked.

Been out a while and not sure how it is handled now or was handled by other groups.

^My AM flat out refused to reimburse us or give us a car. Guess he was worried about it hitting his chicks, as he was paying for all the coke his slut wife was blowing up her nose between banging doctors at work.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

^My AM flat out refused to reimburse us or give us a car. Guess he was worried about it hitting his chicks, as he was paying for all the coke his slut wife was blowing up her nose between banging doctors at work.

checks, not chicks. can't type today

[Dom182]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I would send an ms01 to the Group Controller and simply ask as to the proper ways to submit miles for reimbursment and play stupid. Your BM is using you.

Great idea. The look on the BM and ARM's faces would be a classic when the controller chewed their ass.

Personally if my people had no other choice and ended up using their car I would tell them to fill it up give me the receipt then I would chit it out as gas expence.

What could the company do? Fire me? That would end up in at least 2 lawsuits. One from me for wrongful termination and the other more than likely a class action for not reimbursing the employees.

My BM always gave me a "shop" car if I had to go to any training or functions that were more than 10 to 15 miles outside of our area. Of course, had I not said, "Hey, i've got training tomorrow in bum f*** Egypt, I need to use a car" she would have gladly let me you use my own car and gas. You just have to speak up and know your rights when it comes to using your own personal vehicle for work activities.