'Now I have to bring these to the contracting officer' : Boss flips out after he sees employee's vacation expense reports, even though they are well within company budget

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    Furniture - 'You expensed Euro Disney?! How am I supposed to justify this?!" 70
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    Font - Posted by u/rrognlie 8 hours ago "You Expensed Euro Disney?!?!" S OC I was reminded of this anecdote a little bit ago.... So it's the Spring of '92 and I have just completed nearly 4 years of contract work to the US Army at HQ EUCOM in Stuttgart, Germany. Nothing major happened while we were in country... (just Desert Shield/Storm, Berlin Wall fell down, German Reunification....) 4
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    Font - Anyway, it's late March, and our household goods have been picked up and are on the way back to the States, and my wife and I (and the 2 little ones we'd spawned) are going to be in a hotel for the next 30 -ish days. I asked my boss what rate was I authorized for my per diem (hotel and meals)? Was it the German rate? Or the US rate? I don't recall what rate he told me, but I then said "OK. we're out of here. I'll see you next time you're at company HQ" With that, we left, rented a car and
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    Font - I get back to the States, and from HQ, fill out my expense reports (mind you, I only charged for the hotel and meals, not the park itself) and submit them to my former boss for his approval. He blew up when he got them
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    Font - Boss: "You expensed EuroDisney?!?!??" Me: "Yes" Boss: "How am I supposed to justify this?" Me: "Were my household goods at my residence yet?" Boss: "No" Me: "Was I authorized to spend up to $xxx/day for a hotel?" Boss: "Yes" Me: "Did EuroDisney exceed $xxx/day?" Boss: <sheepishly> "No... but now I have to take this to the COTR (Contracting Officer)" Me: "Not my problem" ;-)
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    Font - Serenity_B +3.8 hr. ago I guess the COTR was the kinda officer that rode in the hum-drum- vee instead of the fun-vee. Vote Illustrious_Leg_2537 +1 · 6 hr. ago The ho-humvee. Vote Reply Share Vote Reply Share calcifiedamoeba · 6 hr. ago 8ood Reply Share
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    Font - Nondscript_Usr +1 - 8 hr. ago Temporary housing is supposed to be grim and dismal, not magical! Vote Reply Share The Truthkeeper +3. 23 min. ago Have you been to a Disney hotel? Grim and dismal sums it up pretty well. Vote Reply Share
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    Font - aaaaaaaarrrrrgh +2.4 hr. ago now I have to take this to the COTR Shouldn't be a problem. The discussion should go roughly as follows: COTR: "He expensed EuroDisney?!?!??" Boss: "Yes" COTR: "How do you justify this?" Boss: "Were his household goods at his residence yet?" COTR: "No" Boss: "Was he authorized to spend up to $xxx/day for a hotel?" COTR: "Yes" Boss: "Did EuroDisney exceed $xxx/day?" Reply Share Vote
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    Font - Xibby +3.4 hr. ago Back when I traveled for work after being shoved in a LaQuintia that was ... gross ... I worked with corporate travel to make the best of things. The expense policy allowed for better hotels, valet parking, etc. within reason and paying for a downtown hotel and parking (with valet tips) worked out to be within the budget... because retaining an employee willing to travel (as long as he wasn't sharing a hotel with roaches or bed bugs) was worthwhile.
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    Font - One trip, had to bring a coworker from another division that did travel very differently (bunk with the bed bugs) along. At the airport: "So McDonalds breakfast?" "No way, here's my favorite." At the rental car lot (skip the line, pick your vehicle): Me: "Neat I haven't driven one of these before!" Coworker: "Shouldn't we get the compact?"
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    Font - Me: "Why? Same price with my perks. Let's get something fun and comfortable." And of course coworkers mind is blown when we pull up to the downtown Hilton, valet park, etc. The best was dinner at the hotel after a 8-8 (or longer day.) Me: "I'm too tired to go anywhere else, let's eat at the hotel restaurant." Co worker: “This is going to be over $100 each!" Me: "And it's already almost 9. If anyone fights me on the expense report they can look at my time card and check it against the rece
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    Font - Never got any pushback on any expense reports. My corporate card had a ridiculous spending limit due me having to do IT purchases as well as domestic and international travel for myself and occasionally a coworker or two. I don't really miss the the one or two weeks a month business travel these days... Reply Share Vote
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    Font - +2.8 hr. ago God forbid that your family should have a little affordable vacation on the Army's dime after four years... Svete_Brid Vote Reply Share Veriden_ +2.7 hr. ago Stuttgart is beautiful lived there for a few years. Well played Vote Reply Share

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