Cheap company refuses to reimburse employee $20 because they didn't keep receipts, so employee racks up a $280 bill on the next work trip: ‘I went all in’

Work trips often come with the company you work for and the role you work in. The highlight of a work trip is that you get to charge the company card—hopefully. If your job is making you cover the costs of dinners, hotels, and cabs… Quit immediately. A company card is like the apple in the Garden of Eden. It is so tempting to indulge, but once you do, you might not be able to stop…

The employee in this story sure didn't stop. However, he had malicious compliance in mind when he spent almost $300 work of company funds just to be petty. These companies have cash to spare, right? What's $300 dollars to them?

It all started when the employee asked to be reimbursed for $20. He didn't have receipts to back up the purchase, so his request was denied. So on the next work trip, he lived like Eloise at the Plaza. See how it unfolds below.

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Author image for Lana DeGaetano Lana DeGaetano
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  • The h ELE VISA "My total expenses? $280 instead of $20."
    via Clay Banks

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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  • "Expense Reimbursement Policy? I'll Follow It to the Letter!"

    At my previous job, we had a strict expense reimbursement policy. The rule? Only expenses with receipts were reimbursed ―no exceptions.
    via Agyaani_
  • One month, I traveled for work and had a few small expenses, like bus fares, street parking, and tipping, where getting a receipt was impossible. I submitted my report, clearly listing these minor charges, totaling about $20.
    via Agyaani_
  • Rejected. My manager: "No receipt, no reimbursement. Policy is policy. We need every receipt for Audit Purpose" Fine. Cue malicious compliance.
    via Agyaani_
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  • What happened to the honor code? If this employee was actually trying to pull a fast one on their company, wouldn't they try to get a bit more money out of them? Tipping, bus fares, etc. often don't provide receipts, which the company should have kept in mind when they decided on a receipt policy. Luckily, the employee had another work trip coming up and he never faltered in grabbing a receipt for everything—expensive water, Ubers and Lyfts, and extra good tips at fancy restaurants.

  • The next trip, I went all in: • Needed a bottle of water? Bought it from a fancy café with a printed receipt.
    via Agyaani_
  • • Short taxi ride? No cash-only expensive app- based rides with e- receipts. • Instead of public transport, I took more costly options that provided invoices.
    via Agyaani_
  • Cheezburger Image 10462184960
    via Nadia Valko
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  • Tipping a server? No cash-added it to the bill at high-end restaurants with detailed receipts. My total expenses? $280 instead of $20.
    via Agyaani_
  • When finance processed my claim, my manager was furious: “Why is this so high?!" Me: "Well, you said no receipt, no reimbursement. So I made sure everything had a receipt."
    via Agyaani_
  • A new policy was introduced the following week: "Reasonable expenses may be reimbursed at management's discretion-even without receipts."
    via Agyaani_
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  • dsdvbgu... Bean counters stepping over a dollar to pick up a penny is a tale as old as time.. But it never gets old.
    via dsdvbguutres
  • ZirePhiinix I liked the one where they wouldn't expense driving costs so the guy books multiple connecting flights for something that should've been a 2 hour drive. It was 20x the cost or something ridiculous.
    via ZirePhiinix
  • Mountain-Butter... Penny wise, pound foolish. But hey, if that means you can enjoy yourself more, go for it.
    via Mountain-Butterfly38
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  • RivaTNT2M64 Not a problem until its their problem...
    via RivaTNT2M64
  • ARoundForEvery... Keep spending on the more expensive stuff. With receipts, of course. Push the limits until you find out where they draw the line between "reasonable" and "unreasonable."
    via ARoundForEveryone
  • NightMgr I found I like the level of service provided. I'll continue to use them. Thank
    via NightMgr
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  • BridgeOverRiver... You were reimbursed $280, so I'd stick with sending in receipts. They're the ones that opened the box, so keep it up.
    via BridgeOverRiverRMB
  • Ohberon And that's why I went to Staples and bought a pack of receipt books used in locally owned diners and such. :)
    via 0hberon
  • Courtcourt4040 Worked at a place back in 2000 where expenses up to like $20 didn't need a receipt. I was shocked at how many lunches equalled exactly $20, that was a LOT of Taco Bell back in the day!!
    via Courtcourt4040
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management reddit stories boss workplace-stories-reddit workplace-stories toxic-workplace manager credit card expenses malicious compliance revenge work malicious-compliance-reddit finance reimburse askreddit reddit story horrible-management workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread red flag Reddit malicious compliance reddit workplace malicious compliance entitled people toxic-work-environment
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