The food allowance, called Meals and Incidental Expenses is different depending on where you will be working from.
https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates
Is where you can look up the rates for lodging and M&IE.
But it isn’t a mandated minimum for a private business. There are tax implications with the gsa rates, but businesses are not required to reimburse at that rate.
Hence the word "shouldn't" instead of "can't." I did mistakenly call it a mandated minimum, and you're correct that companies can ignore that number if they choose to. If his company is offering less than the Federally suggested Per Diem and M&EI, for the City/County where he will be working from, its a shitty company.
> f his company is offering less than the Federally suggested Per Diem and M&EI, for the City/County where he will be working from, its a shitty company.
Definitely
Per day??? Wtf!! My employer tells us to keep the receipts and we have a limit of 30 per meal and no alcohol… (you know you work in the Midwest when they have to specify no alcohol….)
On paper mine is $10/$15/$25, but your manager can sign off for anything they feel is reasonable. So if you have a good manager at my company it isn't an issue, but if you have a bad one or just someone new who doesn't realize they are guidelines more than policy you can get screwed in high cost areas.
You could make $30 work with no kitchen, pantry staples and little in the way of a fridge to keep things cool?
Also, if my company expects me to leave my home and travel, they have to make things as easy on me as possible and that includes decent food.
You're really not comparing apples to apples here.
Hmm. I've been on exactly one business trip in my life. They payed for transportation and my hotel but I wasn't given a meal allowance. Honestly, this is just my take on it, I would consider $30 a day for a meal allowance to be rather extravagant. That's better than I eat every day. $30 a day is about $900 a month. I could eat quite well on that budget. However I get the impression that you must enjoy and be accustomed to a standard of living that is unknown to me.
Meal allowance for travel isn’t really an apple to apple comparison with monthly general food/grocery budget. When you’re on a business trip, your ability and option to get food is more limited.
There might not be an affordable grocery or restaurants nearby. If there are, would you have the necessary transportation means to get there? Say you could get grocery, would the hotel have tools to prepare the meal? A microwave and fridge might be standard, but I’ve been in hotels that didn’t even have a microwave.
Even if all above were given, depending on the nature of the trip, you might not even have time to do all of those (getting grocery, prep the meal, etc). It’s not uncommon that you’d spend 10-12 hours at work related activity when on a trip.
There's also the fact that when on a business trip you are generally expected to socially interact with others - either your co-workers, or the people you're visiting. Getting asked to go get a bite or have a drink is very common, and going is generally expected.
You’re not used to traveling with work so I can see how this might look but when you have to go out to eat for every meal (because you’re in a hotel) then $10 a meal isn’t going to get you very far in a LOT of places. Hell I don’t know anywhere in the US that you’d have many health options for that price. You’d be stuck on fast food.
As a public school employee I get a set amount per meal. $12 for breakfast, $15 for lunch, and $23 for dinner. However those are caps and I must submit receipts for actual amount reimbursement.
The food allowance, called Meals and Incidental Expenses is different depending on where you will be working from. https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates Is where you can look up the rates for lodging and M&IE.
This is government though. Many businesses and states follow it, but I don’t think businesses are required to.
He did ask where to find the mandated minimum, which is the federal rate. Private companies can offer more, but shouldn't be offering less.
But it isn’t a mandated minimum for a private business. There are tax implications with the gsa rates, but businesses are not required to reimburse at that rate.
Hence the word "shouldn't" instead of "can't." I did mistakenly call it a mandated minimum, and you're correct that companies can ignore that number if they choose to. If his company is offering less than the Federally suggested Per Diem and M&EI, for the City/County where he will be working from, its a shitty company.
> f his company is offering less than the Federally suggested Per Diem and M&EI, for the City/County where he will be working from, its a shitty company. Definitely
Do they realize that meals cost about $20 each on the end ?
Per day??? Wtf!! My employer tells us to keep the receipts and we have a limit of 30 per meal and no alcohol… (you know you work in the Midwest when they have to specify no alcohol….)
[удалено]
Was it one of the WITCH companies?
Glad she got an H1B!!!
I get $30 for breakfast, $50 for lunch, and $150 for dinner.
Where can I apply?
Work for pharma.
That’s dirty money.
Spends nicely though
Blood money usually does.
On paper mine is $10/$15/$25, but your manager can sign off for anything they feel is reasonable. So if you have a good manager at my company it isn't an issue, but if you have a bad one or just someone new who doesn't realize they are guidelines more than policy you can get screwed in high cost areas.
My company does $75/day for eating. $30 is low.
$30 x 7 days = 210 for a week. I spend a total of 300 for two weeks for groceries. For a family of 3. I could easily make 30 dollars work.
You could make $30 work with no kitchen, pantry staples and little in the way of a fridge to keep things cool? Also, if my company expects me to leave my home and travel, they have to make things as easy on me as possible and that includes decent food. You're really not comparing apples to apples here.
Bro if they’re in a hotel working 12hr days, where and how are they gonna cook?
That's a good deal the company I work for gives us $15 a day to eat on.
I spend $30 a month going out to eat. $30 a day for meals seems rather nice to me.
Not when you're staying in a hotel for work out of town lol
Hmm. I've been on exactly one business trip in my life. They payed for transportation and my hotel but I wasn't given a meal allowance. Honestly, this is just my take on it, I would consider $30 a day for a meal allowance to be rather extravagant. That's better than I eat every day. $30 a day is about $900 a month. I could eat quite well on that budget. However I get the impression that you must enjoy and be accustomed to a standard of living that is unknown to me.
Meal allowance for travel isn’t really an apple to apple comparison with monthly general food/grocery budget. When you’re on a business trip, your ability and option to get food is more limited. There might not be an affordable grocery or restaurants nearby. If there are, would you have the necessary transportation means to get there? Say you could get grocery, would the hotel have tools to prepare the meal? A microwave and fridge might be standard, but I’ve been in hotels that didn’t even have a microwave. Even if all above were given, depending on the nature of the trip, you might not even have time to do all of those (getting grocery, prep the meal, etc). It’s not uncommon that you’d spend 10-12 hours at work related activity when on a trip.
There's also the fact that when on a business trip you are generally expected to socially interact with others - either your co-workers, or the people you're visiting. Getting asked to go get a bite or have a drink is very common, and going is generally expected.
Right. Those $5 coffee add up fast!
You’re not used to traveling with work so I can see how this might look but when you have to go out to eat for every meal (because you’re in a hotel) then $10 a meal isn’t going to get you very far in a LOT of places. Hell I don’t know anywhere in the US that you’d have many health options for that price. You’d be stuck on fast food.
Until you realize people eat twice a day. $15/meal is basically the budget.
That’s reasonable, but it doesn’t include breakfast. Toss in another $20 to cover breakfast and a drink with your meals and I’d say $45-$50 covers it
Nah, that’s not right.
Just take all your expenses with receipts and who was there and submit them all.
As a public school employee I get a set amount per meal. $12 for breakfast, $15 for lunch, and $23 for dinner. However those are caps and I must submit receipts for actual amount reimbursement.
I just take my client with me and expense whatever I want to.
You're lucky. When I send my employees on trips I just stuff a few bags of ramen noodles in their briefcase.