Work Travel....questioning policies

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what company insists on traveling on your own time?

Uh, like, every company I've ever worked for. Preferred flights were on Sunday or in the late evening (after you'd worked a full day at the office, of course).

The place I work for now has an awesome policy that I've not experienced before: if you have to travel on a Saturday or Sunday, no matter how little time you're traveling, you get a FULL comp day added to your PTO bank.

This place doesn't even make you rush to catch a flight right after a conference ends, which is something I've been used to. Example, conference ends at 4pm on a Thursday, which is when you can start breaking down your booth. You get that all sorted and packed to be picked up by the logistics company and then make a mad dash to the airport to make your 6:30 pm flight so that you land early enough to get some sleep before being expected back in the office the next morning at 8 am.

The conference I was just as ended at 5pm on Friday and I was allowed to fly out Saturday morning. So I got a free night in Miami on the company's tab and then 8 hours of comp time for flying out on Saturday. It's heaven!

[Anonymous]

my new job doesn't give comp time, but I am in control of my travel and schedule, for the most part, and if I get him ridiculously late or travel the entire weekend I will take a day working at home or a day off if I'e been to Asia or something. I have to find reasonably priced airfares, etc, but no one bats an eye at paying 100 more for a direct flight. I also don't know anyone who doesn't travel on their own time--this week I left my home at 5 am Monday and worked through today--was up at 4:45 am to drive 3 hours to the airport, and landed at 2. I *did not* go straight to the office --went home and am checking emails and dcm from bed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I would assume that the policy about the taking the cheapest option is 'within reason' and just do what that is for you. All day to save $150 is not reasonable!

I worked or a global corporation that the owner was worth in the billions. Most staff regularly stayed at the ritz, kimpton, etc... on business travel. My boss (executive) was the cheapskate in the bunch and when I had a business trip to New Orleans- asked that I stay in a seedy motel/sort of hostel with an outside entrance because it was $29 per night. The conference hotel was the Hilton and the rate was $99 and he basically acted like I was personally robbing him blind.

I flat out refused and immediately starting looking for a new job. When HR got word of both situations they lost it on this guy and I never had my travel questioned again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I worked in big 4 for eight years I did flight, Texas, Tokyo, Florida, Chicago, Canada, Atlanta you name it all on my own time. Any real job you don't travel in work time.

I worked at a Big 4 firm for years and our travel time was always chargeable. It definitely helped for meeting the OT hours metric each year.