When working for a big corporation, you can expect that the company will do everything they can to save money.

What would you do if your employer promoted you so you were exempt, then when you traveled they tried to deny your expenses?

That is what happened to the training specialist in this story, so he slacked off at work until he ‘recouped’ the money he was owed.

Check it out.

Expense Report Revenge…

Back at a previous employer I was a Training Specialist and I was pretty good at it.

I love to share information and help people understand things that are new or difficult for them.

Good rapport with all staff and new hires.

Our company hired an outside contractor to take over a portion of the business that was unprofitable but, expected in our industry (people want it even though it may not be the best product for them or it is used short term).

A few weeks after the switch, the company realized that the new group did not know how to handle our customers.

Example: We were not allowed to say “No.”.

It was “I’ll see what I can do.”

It was decided that they would send a team of people to train them on what our customers expected and how to handle them.

I was chosen to be part of that team.

But, there was a problem – I was hourly.

Cue corporate greed.

Anything to get out of paying someone what they deserve.

They decided to promote me and make me salary.

Okay. Now, I can’t claim any extra hours for the upcoming trip.

It became expected and part of the day.

I decided with the small bump in pay – I wouldn’t complain and just accept it.

Trip went well.

In fact, everything flowed nicely.

We returned and I had to fill out my first expense report.

During the trip I made an effort to save money and chose to go grocery shopping instead of restaurants for all my meals.

I liked the control of it too – I knew what I was getting.

Big mistake.

That is a very small expense report for traveling.

My total expense report for the time away was $268.00.

Do you think they paid it? [Insert laughter here].

Over the course of six weeks, I would submit the report and they would send it back with one item declined and asking me to fix it and resubmit.

Over and over again.

At one point – going into the 3rd or, 4th week – I needed that little bit of money to cover the last part of my rent and after letting them know the bind I was in – their response was “Next time, you should consider declining the trip if it would put you in that type of financial bind.”

Ugh.

I read the whole expense report section line by line – making sure they couldn’t/wouldn’t send it back again.

I am a bit of a gym rat and did visit their local gym during the visit.

At first, I left it off the expense report – just a few bucks – eh.

Luckily, I saved that receipt and added it during one of the later revisions.

Why are they trying so hard to deny everything?

They attempted to deny it and I quoted the portion of the handbook that showed it is an approved expense (they were not happy).

[Insert heartbreaking tiny violin music for the Accounts Payable Department]

When all was said and done, I got a check for $84.00.

I was livid.

This sounds like a very relaxing time at work.

I thought about what I could do and chose the following:

• Being a vanpool driver, after our morning meeting I would take the van and drive to a nearby coffee shop to get my morning latte. Inside the building coffee was suddenly deemed inferior and undrinkable. I would even take people with me – a morning excursion.
• My lunch break stretched to 90 minutes. I would bring the LA Times with me and after eating – sit in my cubicle and read.
• And, finally – I slowed down on my work. Purposely, dragging my feet to get any and all projects completed. It was so relaxing.

This went on for many-a-day until one day – while reading the paper – I got the thought.

“That’s enough.”

Back to a being a regular, normal good employee.

Sad/Interesting thing in all this?

I’m really not surprised.

They didn’t even notice.

Because I was already established and had good rapport with everyone – life went on.

I got my money’s worth – learned a valuable lesson and got my revenge without nary a peep from the peanut gallery.

If they were still happy with the performance, he should have kept slacking.

Let’s see what the people in the comments think of this story.

The revenge was slacking off.

Here is a similar story.

This would be the smart move.

Sometimes slacking off is the best revenge.

What else can you do?

If you liked that story, check out this post about a group of employees who got together and why working from home was a good financial decision.