Anyone Had to Travel for Training? Cost?

[Deleted]

At the end of my interview yesterday, I was told that training for this position would be 3 weeks out of town in a hotel.

He said the company would cover my hotel and meals. 

Any idea how this happens?  I didn't want to ask, but I am trying to figure out how my overdrawn bank account self is going to make this happen...  Are they going to pay for my hotel themselves and give me cash for expenses, or are they going to expect me to pay for it all first and be reimbursed?

I don't have any CC or access to cash, and I really didn't want to ask him this yesterday, but if they offer me a job it is an issue.  

I am currently working my butt off trying to build enough articles in my queue that I can buy some inexpensive clothing and pay for gas.  That I can handle, but the other might be a real challenge.

Clearly if I am looking for a job, it might be assumed that I am a bit low in the cash area?  

[midjd]

My job does it two ways, depending on the expense. For fixed costs that are payable ahead of time (registration fees, plane tickets, etc.) they will pay those directly. For meals, fees incurred during the travel itself (baggage), mileage, etc., you submit receipts and they reimburse you.

IMO 3 weeks in a hotel is a significant enough expense for anyone that they shouldn't expect you to front it. You may be on your own for meals, though - unless they are paying per diem rather than covering the actual meal?

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Depends on the employer.  

In my career, I've had to pay everything up front, I've had my airfare and hotel covered on a corporate card and was reimbursed for incidentals (taxis and meals), I've had a corporate card that all expenses were put on, and one I had to pay myself (and was later reimbursed) and the other card the company paid it.

I think in this case, you are going to have to ask your employer how they handle this.  If you not have a credit card, then they may have one that can be left on file with the hotel.  You might be able to get a travel advance, I know that some who did not have the resources were able to go this route.

[Deleted]

My hope is that they would pay for the hotel themselves, and I could deal with food/gas myself.  I don't require much and I have to eat at home as well, so that isn't as big of a deal to me. Lots of cheaper grocery stores in that area.

I was just shocked when he mentioned it and it is weighing on me.  I don't like to leave my animals home that long with my sons. But, it would be a nice "vacation" of sorts at the same time.  And, I will come home on the weekends, because I am not that far from home and don't want to be bored off my mind in a hotel all weekend. (Well, unless they have a great pool!  LOL  

[Phoenix84]

I only know how it works in the government, but from what I hear, many companies emulate how the government does travel.

We use our government credit card to pay for travel expenses, but if you don't get a company credit card, I would think they would still pay for the hotel.  As MidJD said, most of the time they pay for fixed, known expenses up front.  They might require you to pay for meals though and get reimbursed later. It may not be comfortable, but you could probably eat for very little during the trip, if it comes to that.

The hotel will probably have a continental breakfast, so you can eat a lot then, and maybe save some food in your room for later. Or you can go to a dollar store in the area and buy some cans of soup for cheap.  So, maybe eat a big continental breakfast, skip lunch or eat the biscuits or whatever you managed to save from breakfast, and eat a can of soup for dinner.

As far as gas, most companies will reimburse you for mileage based on the IRS rates.  But you'll have to log your milage.  Or they might ask for you gas receipts and reimburse those.

Regardless, KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS.  You will likely need them to get reimbursed.  If they do send you on travel for three weeks, they'll brief you on how travel works.

[resolution]

This is going to vary a lot by employer. I will explain what my employer does, but it could be totally different than yours.

My employer delivers training in about five locations, and we have contracted rates with specific hotels near the training sites. Typically we will book the room for the employee and they just need to check in at the designated location while we take care of the bill.

If the travel involves driving a significant distance, we may ask the employee to drive a company vehicle with a company gas card, or we may reimburse mileage expenses for their private vehicle. For meals we reimburse after the fact when they file a travel claim.

If the employee has a hardship, we may give them a travel advance for 60% of the anticipated expenses. In that case, the employee files a travel claim at the end of travel and the expenses are reconciled against the claim to determine who owes whom.

[andi9899]

I had to travel for work at my last job. I was issued a company credit card and then had to submit an expense report.

[Mardi Gras Audrey]

Like the others have mentioned, it varies by employer.

I recently had to travel for training at a new employer. They booked and paid for the hotel directly. The hotel did take my credit card and put an authorization on it though. They released the auth once I checked out and they billed the company. Their corporate rate included breakfast at the hotel (hotel didn't have free breakfast).

They also paid for meals, up to a certain dollar amount. For them to pay for the meals and mileage (at IRS set rate of 56? cents/mile) we had to file a voucher for reimbursement (paid up front for those expenses). It took about 2 months for the mileage/food reimbursement to get paid.

If this is a training for new employees, I would hope they would directly pay the hotel. I doubt you would get a corporate credit card that fast and I would think they wouldn't want to shell out an advance to someone who just started working for them. It wouldn't be right for them to expect you to front the money and then get paid back...

[Deleted]

Aug 9, 2014 12:46:27 GMT -5 Mardi Gras Audrey said:

If this is a training for new employees, I would hope they would directly pay the hotel. I doubt you would get a corporate credit card that fast and I would think they wouldn't want to shell out an advance to someone who just started working for them. It wouldn't be right for them to expect you to front the money and then get paid back...

First of all, congratulations on getting this far in the process!

I agree with Audrey- even for a Hampton-Inn type place you're talking $2-$3,000 for the hotel alone over 3 weeks.  Given this economy and the fact that your job is probably entry-level or close, they can't expect the average employee to have that kind of money to advance for travel, or even that kind of credit.  If you get the offer, that's the time to ask how to handle it.  Something on the order of :"I'm rebuilding my credit right now so I don't have a credit card and don't keep enough in my bank account to use a debit card for a trip that long.  How can we make this work?"  They have to have had this issue before.  There are several possibilities.

1.  As Audrey said, they may pay the hotel directly. 

2.  You'll probably have quite a few group dinners and lunch may be brought in during the training sessions. 

3.  Companies used to provide cash advances but that's been pretty much eliminated because it got abused.  (People would take a cash advance for a trip and then not file expense accounts to show how they spent it when they got back, which really messes up the company's record-keeping).  This company may still do that.

4.  Maybe they CAN get you a company credit card that fast- who knows?

And most hotels do have pools (although the Hampton Inn/Fairfield Inn ones may be tiny in some locations), so pack your swimsuit!  Don't miss the opportunity to have a few meals with your coworkers, though.  Always good to build your network and learn form other people in the business.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

[sarcasticgirl]

Good luck! I have nothing to add but I am rooting for you!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using proboards

[zibazinski]

I'm sure that AFTER you get the job, they will tell you. I'm concerned you won't pass the drug test. I hope you've cooled it with smoking. I've had drug users tell me it passes after 3 days so maybe you will.

[Blonde Granny]

++++++++++++++++

Does anyone besides me think this situation is really strange?  The company has a test that no one can pass, pays a pittance and only 1 other employee, but expects Shasta to go for 3 weeks of training?  For a job like this?

I would take a step back from this and do some serious checking on this company.

[zibazinski]

I didn't see all that. I did see a ten per cent pass rate but has anyone ever taken that Target test? Very few pass it, either, but they have plenty of employees. Checking into your potential employer is a very good thing. 

[resolution]

30k is a great wage in a lot of small towns. From Shasta's description of her area, this could be one of the better jobs in town.

[TheHaitian]

OP, once you get hired ask about cash advance / petty cash.

Corporate will probably pay for the hotel (3 weeks) and you will probably be responsible to pay for your meals and get reimbursed (keep all your receipts).

Good luck!

[cronewitch]

We would book the airlines and hotels for employees then give them a cash advance for what we expected them to need then settle up when they got back. Our people were either a teem of experts or estimators not new employees.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 10, 2014 7:06:43 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

++++++++++++++++

Does anyone besides me think this situation is really strange?  The company has a test that no one can pass, pays a pittance and only 1 other employee, but expects Shasta to go for 3 weeks of training?  For a job like this?

I would take a step back from this and do some serious checking on this company.

Questions I would ask:  Are you considered an employee if you attend the training?  If not, are you paid for your time while at training even if you fail ìt?   And are you required to be away from home during the weekends in between the training weeks?  Will the company pay for travel home on weekends?  And if not, do they pay for your hotel room and meals on weekends, maybe even allow a rental car to get away from the hotel during weekend days.

[goldensam]

I have traveled for the past several years under three expense policies.  My trips all required a flight and hotel, and often a rental car.  I was expected to pay everything up front and then submit for reimbursement.  My first week at two companies, I was expected to be on the road (consulting). One of the companies had a corporate provided credit card we could use but were still responsible for submitting expenses to get reimbursed to actually pay the bill.  It took several weeks before the card arrived.  I had been on the road for at least 4 weeks at that point.

[Deleted]

Aug 10, 2014 7:06:43 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

++++++++++++++++

Does anyone besides me think this situation is really strange?  The company has a test that no one can pass, pays a pittance and only 1 other employee, but expects Shasta to go for 3 weeks of training?  For a job like this?

I would take a step back from this and do some serious checking on this company.

This position is to manage a local check cashing store location.

It is a management position, but in a small town store.

He likes me for the position because I have excellent math skills, bookkeeping experience, professional experience, and I have managed other people before.

The reason for travel is that is where there are more locations and I can be trained. Right now they have managers coming from all over the north state to cover for this store.

The exam required math, and apparently not too many people have those skills these days to compute things like interest rates... 

Most jobs in the area pay $9-10.  This job pays about $15 and will have full benefits, 2 weeks of vacation after a single year, etc....  

The opportunity, on paper and financially, is good.  I have concerns about:

1. travel
2. I don't agree with predatory lending...
3. If they drug test I will not get the job.

Honestly, if I am offered another position in the area, I am tempted to take it, even for less money.  I have a bit of fear that I could end up covering for some of his other stores at some point, in lands far from home.  

I am also not sure I want to deal with the whole payday loan thing and calling customers to remind them to pay, etc...

A night auditor job at a local hotel seems much more up my alley, stress and overall BS wise.

[Deleted]

I was told that all that remains for me to start training is a phone interview with the district manager's manager, and then pass a criminal background check.  No mention of drug testing at all.

[Deleted]

I would consider it weird if they expected you to be able to cover all those costs up front and then get reimbursed. They'll know from your background that you've been paying the bills mostly through freelance writing so they have to know you aren't rolling in money right now.

One thing I would check: if they invest that much in training you and you decide the job isn't for you, do you have to reimburse them if you leave say, a month after you've gotten back and worked in the store? (This is another question I wouldn't ask until I got an offer.) That would be a reasonable policy on their part, but you have to know the risk/commitment going in.

[Deleted]

He said that rather than have people travel here to train me in a slower store, I would go there to a busier store.  The commute would be over 160 miles per day, and so he said they expect to cover me to stay in a hotel and pay my expenses for those three weeks. He said it is hard enough to learn everything without adding a 3+ hour a day commute as well.

When we were taking, and after he said he was recommending me for hire, I asked if they run your credit. He said he wasn't sure but didn't think they care about it.  I let him know that after my DH passed I filed BK.  He said it didn't matter because he had also filed prior to being hired for his job.

He said the only thing they do is a background investigation with law enforcement to make sure you do not have any issues there.  

As for the weed, we can go round and round on that topic all day.  I grew up with a raging alcoholic and don't understand people's great objection to weed, but approval of alcohol.  That's all I am going to say on the topic.  And, the fact that I think it is a generational thing.

[Anne_in_VA]

I regularly travel for work and my company has issued me a company credit card for hotel and meal expenses. Airfare is booked through our corporate travel department and they pay for that. When I return from a trip I fill out an expense report (on-line), scan and attach all receipts. I usually get reimbursed for anything I paid out of pocket for within a week or so.

For example, I recently went to Philadelphia for a conference. My airfare was paid by our travel dept. and my hotel and some meals went on the corp. card. Some additional expenses (meals while traveling, etc.) that I paid for in cash were reimbursed once I submitted the expense report.

I would ask once they extend an offer how they handle the expenses for the training. They will tell you how they normally handle it and you can then decide how much of your personal finances you want to reveal.

I understand your stance on MJ, however since you'll be handling money, I'll be extremely surprised if they don't do a drug test.

Good luck!

[Deleted]

For me, it's simple, if they drug test for weed, then I will not pass it.  It is what it is.

And, since I didn't really expect anything to come of this application, I am still on the fence about if I really want to do the job or not.  

I want to work, make no mistake, freelancing is hard for my brain and has invaded most of my life.  I want to be able to go in and collect a regular paycheck and reclaim some work-free time. 

If I can find a night auditor position, and I applied for one that is available right away, I might prefer that.  Less stress and BS, my weekdays are clear for enjoying the area without the influx of tourists, and I could still do some writing during my down time.  

My local Dollar Store is also hiring and I gave them my application. That sounded promising as well, but I assume my hours would be limited to PT, like most other retail jobs in the area.

The cool thing is now with the ACA healthcare rules, I can work and still have medical coverage.

[CCL]

I hope the job search works out well for you. Things are looking up.

[mollyanna58]

Aug 10, 2014 14:42:20 GMT -5 @atsahsreborn said:

.  I grew up with a raging alcoholic and don't understand people's great objection to weed, but approval of alcohol.  That's all I am going to say on the topic.  And, the fact that I think it is a generational thing.

Nobody approves of a raging alcoholic.

[TheOtherMe]

My nephew got his MBA in May and started working full-time.  He had his first business trip.  It was a 3 day trip.  All expenses, including last minute air fare, went on his credit card and he will be reimbursed.  I was surprised they didn't pay directly for the air.  He only had two nights at a hotel, a Hampton Inn.  They gave him a price range and he got to select the hotel.  After being in the town, he said it was by far the nicest hotel in town and it did get him breakfast.

DN1 said that when he was applying for professor jobs, air fare and hotels were paid directly by the universities.  Travel vouchers were filed for meals (if any), mileage, parking, etc.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Aug 10, 2014 21:54:26 GMT -5 @tbird said:

Aug 10, 2014 21:20:31 GMT -5 mollyanna58 said:

Nobody approves of a raging alcoholic.

I wonder how multistate companies will handle this if pot is legal in some of it's states and not in others?

What about medical marijuana? how will that factor in? many states have that legalized - and I'm assuming drug screens are checking for prescriptions?  Interesting if they are doing drug screenings - but will know if you are taking meds for depression, bipolar, or schizophrenia.

That said - I know plenty of people who embraced "clean living" for days-weeks just to pass a test and get a job. Then back to old habits.

Why would that be a big deal?  to knock it off for a week?

If it is against company policy, then it really doesn't matter if it is legal or not.  There was a news story last month about some guy in a WA company who got fired for being positive for pot.  Company policy trumps law.  Man on the news was pissed, but the company policy was clear.

At my last job, being drunk, drinking or having alcohol on your person was grounds for immediate dismissal.  Supposedly it was not to be in your cars either, but that was really not inforcable.  

As to how it is handled as a prescription, that is a good question.  

[Deleted]

I think eventually companies who drug test for BS reasons, will no longer have that power over people. In my area they already have serious issues hiring people over weed, and many places have stopped drug testing for jobs where it isn't appropriate.

I would never, and have never gone to work under the influence of anything. Ever.

What I do on my time is my own damn business, and unless I have a job where it really matters, then I don't think it should even be legal to test.

[midjd]

Why would that be a big deal? to knock it off for a week?

Depending on your metabolism and percentage of body fat, THC can take 1-3 months to clear your system.