'I wound up being paid at least double': Firefighter submits honest $375 travel expenses for training convention, accounting team demands he follow their rigid reimbursement "corrections", turning his legitimate expenses into nearly $900 in payouts

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Jan 19, 2026 7:00 AM EST

Honesty (and a really great accountant) seems to be paying off for this firefighter!

When most workers, of any kind, take their own time off, in addition to using their own resources, to meet the requirements of a company, it is not unusual for those employees to expect compensation. Whether it be for gas, accommodation, meals, and in some cases, all of the above (and more!). Because if training courses or conventions are a company requirement, especially if out of state, it doesn't cost just a fragment of the employee's pocket change. It's expensive. 

But that does not mean employees should take advantage of their company's open wallet. For example, just because they're paying for the meal, doesn't mean you have to order the "Premium steak and lobster surf and turf, with truffle fries on the side…" A plain old Club Sandwich should do the trick! 

But this is the exact reason most companies require receipts…So that their client's words become credible in the form of little crumpled-up pieces of white paper. Allowing their compensation to meet the exact statistic of the employee's credit card balance after their weekend away…However, some companies' expense calculation formulas may differ, either in favor of their employee or not. 

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  • It seemed this company was in favor of this firefighter, or at least their compensation formulas were! After requesting a payout of $375 spent on accommodation, meals, and gas during a three-day training assignment, he assumed the compensation process would be simple…

    However, the accounting team kept demanding that he revise the receipts and further explain them, claiming he was not filling them out correctly. 

    And after doing so…Suddenly, he went from getting reimbursed $375 to receiving almost $900! Either he has great luck…or a super solid accountant! 

  • 01
    Smiling man driving in his car with two hands on the wheel
    via halfpoint

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    Expense report you say?

    So, many years ago I worked for a large municipal fire department. Took a three day training assignment about four hours away from home.
    via ClientNo2000
  • 03
    Drove my own car there and back. As instructed, saved all my receipts. Gas, meals and lodging.
    via ClientNo2000
  • 04
    When I got back, I filled out the requisite paperwork for expenses. Uploaded receipts and filled out said form with my actual expenses.
    via ClientNo2000
  • 05
    Came out to around $375. Submitted it to accounting. Next day I get an email from them.
    via ClientNo2000
  • 06
    I need to recode the receipts and delve how I did the form. Okay, I do that.
    via ClientNo2000
  • 07
    The next day, I get another email. I didn't label the travel correctly. Instead of actual fuel used, they have a formula at some gas price and I have to calculate it based on mileage.
    via ClientNo2000
  • 08
    Okay, did that. Instead of what I actually paid, wound up being paid at least double.
    via ClientNo2000
  • 09
    Next day it was the hotel, instead of being paid what I actually spent, gets paid per a predetermined amount.
    via ClientNo2000
  • 10
    Okay. Several more corrections and "You didn't fill this out correctly" and I went from getting reimbursed around $375 to being paid almost $900 for the training.
    via ClientNo2000
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10597751552
    via kasto

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 12
    Not sure it's malicious per se, but I did exactly what the accounting person said and made almost three times what I spent.
    via ClientNo2000
  • 13
    Plus my hourly pay. Crazy.
    via ClientNo2000
  • 14
    ROYteous They do it by mileage instead of fuel because the per mile rate basically includes vehicle wear and tear in with fuel cost. Not sure about the rest of it though.
    via ROYteous
  • 15
    thieh "Look, everyone has been taking advantage of this so if you are doing this honestly everyone who took advantage will be fired and we can't have that."/s
    via thieh
  • 16
    Honest_Manager Sounds like the accounting guy did you a solid!!
    via Honest_Manager
  • 17
    Double-Portion Not malicious, and this person was just trying to do their job right and in a way that benefited you, you shouldn't feel malicious towards them
    via Double-Portion
  • 18
    A male accountant calculating invoices to pay
    via gettyimages

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 19
    ReaderOfTheLostArt Consider it compensation for pain and suffering from the training event (jk).
    via ReaderOfTheLostArt
  • 20
    bfrabel Years ago shortly after joining a construction union, I was invited to attend a 3 day national convention that was being held at a hotel a few hours away. They told me to keep all of my receipts. On the last night I was having dinner with some of my union leaders and one of them asked to see my receipts. He started going through them with his pen, turning many of the 3s into 8s, and 4s into 9s, etc. He then handed them back and said "there ya go, I fixed them"! I said thanks. I learned a
    via bfrabel
  • 21
    Deep_Sea_Crab_1 There is a method to the madness. The mileage reimbursement rate is by the IRS and GSA to include gas, taxes, insurance, and maintenance. The per diem rate for meals is set so if you eat at McDonald's three times a day or at five star restaurants, you get the same reimbursement. The hotel is usually a government rate published by GSA. Just ask for government rate. Taxes, fees, etc., are added on top. It's so you can stay in a safe and reasonably priced hotel. Airfares are usually
    via Deep_Sea_Crab_1
  • 22
    wabarron Travel policies are written by executives. Executives do most of the travel. You do the math.
    via wabarron
  • 23
    nottakenby Wins are hard to come by in gov work. Take it where you can get it.
    via nottakenby
  • 24
    SNS989 My company uses a government website that provides per diem rates per city. This sets our reimbursement amount regardless of actual spend.
    via SNS989

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