Rant ahead, have some Stratos.
So I literally just spent 20 minutes arguing with a woman from HR about per diem. I haven’t really told anyone here yet but I’m leaving Chicago and moving back to Detroit. Surprise!
Anyway, my company is supposed to be giving me a relocation package covering a moving truck; meals and gas for the trip; and a house hunting trip which covers meals, gas, and hotel for 2 nights. Unbeknownst to me, this would not operate the same way as every other trip I’ve taken in the name of the company previously. Not to mention that they’re taking their sweet-ass time about getting me answers since I move this weekend.
The source of the hangup: meals’ expenses. According to the woman I spoke to, everything needs a receipt to be expensed, including meals. According to corporate travel policy “no actual meal expenses will be reimbursed as per diem.” Which I take to mean “just fill out this handy worksheet and we’ll just give you $45/day because it’s too much work to expense every little thing.” It was never indicated to me that this relocation would be operated any differently than what is dictated in the corporate travel policy so I didn’t bother to save any receipts. Oh yeah, and they didn’t bother to call and clarify until after I got back from the house hunting trip.
Now, we’re arguing and wasting time over literally $100. Good, job. Way to make me feel like I’m welcome at my own company.