per diem/allowance when travelling

[Satoy]

Hi, just want to know what your system is regarding allowance when you travel for your company. Aside from the plane and lodging accomodations, how much allowance does your company give you? When involving air travel, do they give you business class tickets? Can you save all the provisions for the hotel and sleep in a friend's house? Thanks.

[KuyaDanny]

When I used to work for big companies, employees travelling on business were given per diem allowances which were supposed to cover meals. All other direct expenses associated with the trip (transportation, hotel, laundry, and insurance) were paid by the company either directly to the vendor or to the traveller as reimbursements.

Now that we own our own company, costs of business travel are all absorbed by the business, subject to pre-approval and our own judgment of their reasonableness. We do not give anyone a per diem allowance.

We fly business class for trips longer than four hours, and economy for all others (including domestic).

In general, one does not need to account for per diem allowances. If your per diem is supposed to cover lodging and you choose to pocket the money and sleep on the sidewalk, your employer shouldn't care - within reason. You might get picked up by the police in a foreign city. Who would pay for your bail? ;)

[angel_princess]

I work for a big Property Trust company that now controls malls across the US. I have to travel there on and off through the year as well as spend 3 months there to oversee new retailing opportunities.

For short trips (anything less than two weeks), you pay for things on your corporate credit card (ie meals and local travel expenses) and the bill is paid by the company - you odn't even see it because it goes directly to accounts payable. Only personal expenses (which shouldn't be on the account) are queried (and sometimes the let you get away with a few freebies). With most business trips you are allowed the luxury of freedom for business dinners or lunches so you can go wherever and eat whatever without worrying about the bill. Accomodation and flights are pre-arranged prior to departure through the travel order system and paid by corporate account, as are bills for cleaning. For all flights, employees above Level 4 and 5 travel business or first class.

For longer trips we stay at serviced apartments and are given a travel allowance which covers your living expenses on top of your salary. It allows you to live comfortably but not to the point where you can afford to eat out at fine restaurants every night.

[spicyham]

For P&G, HP, Canon, Accenture, and consultancy peeps:

In general if the company sends you abroad on a business trip, you get an equivalent daily allowance in USD.

I have three questions, around what range is the going rate of per diem (daily allowance) of people based in Manila sent abroad?

My second question is, does the rate significantly change per intl country assignment?

Third, is (should) the daily allowance adjusted (increase or decrease) if you will stay offshore for a longer period of time?

[ruroni]

Originally posted by spicyham
For P&G, HP, Canon, Accenture, and consultancy peeps:

In general if the company sends you abroad on a business trip, you get an equivalent daily allowance in USD.

I have three questions, around what range is the going rate of per diem (daily allowance) of people based in Manila sent abroad?

My second question is, does the rate significantly change per intl country assignment?

Third, is (should) the daily allowance adjusted (increase or decrease) if you will stay offshore for a longer period of time?

per diem varies from country to country and project and company...

in our company its around $63 for assignments in the US

35-50 pounds in the UK

$50 in HK

apartment or hotel and car rental is free :) (car rental is also dependent on the are and if you need a car)

rate is standard regardless of stay but we get to go home every 3 mos. for free(again this depends on the company, country and project)

where will you be assigned?

[spicyham]

Currently in North America, was wondering kasi the company HR is evaluating a decrease in the per diem dahil MATITIPID (not me)daw ang mga Pinoy from past experience..so wala ring point magbigay ng above-rate..slight ewan yung HR namin coz sa dati nyang companies lower yung binibigay so gusto nya babaan.

I think she should purchase a salary survey para mas valid yung assumptions nya, since I can't purchase a salary survey on my own resources, nakikipost dito sa PeX.

North America namin is 25-40 US a day, Japan/Singapore/HK is 55.
Dun ask me why mas mababa sa North America, as I said slight ewan yung Manila HR manager.

So I suggest sa mga receiving ng per diem, wag ever ipangalandakan na sobrang nagtitipid ka otherwise may makakaisip na mag-readjust..

[ruroni]

Originally posted by ruroni
per diem varies from country to country and project and company...

in our company its around $63 for assignments in the US

35-50 pounds in the UK

$50 in HK

apartment or hotel and car rental is free :) (car rental is also dependent on the are and if you need a car)

rate is standard regardless of stay but we get to go home every 3 mos. for free(again this depends on the company, country and project)

where will you be assigned?


damn that's below the belt dude... eh kung gusto mag ipon ng mga pinoy eh... stupid nga

[KuyaDanny]

What's your company's policy on per diems? Do you need to liquidate? What would make the HR guys conclude that matipid ang Pinoy unless they actually see what you are spending your money on?

[floreno]

Diba pag sinabi mo per diem...Wala nang liquidation yun....as in sayong sayo na yung fund na ibibigay sayo?

[KuyaDanny]

That's the way I understand it. Basta bumiyahe ka, iyo ang per diem. Wala na silang pakialam kung paano mo gastahin.

[dekster]

Originally posted by spicyham
For P&G, HP, Canon, Accenture, and consultancy peeps:

In general if the company sends you abroad on a business trip, you get an equivalent daily allowance in USD.

I have three questions, around what range is the going rate of per diem (daily allowance) of people based in Manila sent abroad?

My second question is, does the rate significantly change per intl country assignment?

Third, is (should) the daily allowance adjusted (increase or decrease) if you will stay offshore for a longer period of time?

In my company, I was given an AMEX card and for my 6 day trip I had travellers cheques for USD 300. Had to account for the cash though.

The cash allowance differs depending on the country.

[spicyham]

Well Kuya Danny ganun din ang understanding ko na yung per diem that's a daily thing. In our case excluded yung housing and car rental and no (itemized) liquidation necessary afterwards kung saan napunta.

A co-employee who went abroad before me, nag-ipon ng todo dahil ikakasal as in they cook at the apartment and eat-all-you-can Chinese buffet sa weekends. When he got back nakapagkasal sila sa Greenhills church and reception sa Valle Verde. The whole time open sya sa lahat kung anu-anu yung ginawa nyang pagtitipid.

Which in retrospect naisip ko na ginamit against giving a higher-than-average per diem coz unfair(?) sa ibang employees na hindi na-send abroad.

Sagot ng HR, the allowance is NOT an extra source of income. You are not expats. Grabe humiliating for everybody who ever get sent abroad and received allowances...so sinagot ko na yung HR at that point kasi I believe also wala syang pakialam nga kung gusto ko ibayad yun sa lalaki or ipunin diba.

My suggestion to everyone still, kung may natitipid kayo sa per diem nyo, wag na ipamalita sa HR at di mo masabi..lalo na kung wala silang opportunity like that.