Mileage Reimbursement Vs. Hourly Pay

[jess_pom]

I have a question for all you HR (or not) professionals out there. I recently found out my company does not pay me my hourly rate if I drive my vehicle somewhere and am reimbursed for the mileage. Is this a common or correct practice? I was always under the understanding that the mileage reimbursement was for gas, car, maintence, etc., not for your time.

I think this screws me in the end. My coworker figured it up and if I can drive 60 miles in an hour than I'll make like $22. But take out $6 for gas and I'm down to $16 which is pennies more than I make anyway, and does not include, wear and tear on my car, tires, oil changes, windshield wiper fluid, etc. Plus, usually when I travel it's after hours, so that should count for overtime, which would be more.

Plus, then I was thinking about my boss, who's salaried. She gets paid her salary if she drives all day, plus mileage reimbursement. For instance when she drove to New Burn, an all day trip, she still collected her salary, it wasn't a day off for her. Plus all those miles were reimbursed.

I guess my question is: Am I thinking too much into this or is my company following regulated standards?

Thanks in advance for your imput!!!

[Lil' Hannah]

A quick check on SHRM came up with an article that states there are no federal regulations regarding mileage reimbursement. There may be state regulations, but I couldn't find anything with a quick search. You are, however, required to be paid your hourly wage for any hours that your employer requires you to be on duty, or on the employer's premises or at any other prescribed place of work. It also depends on whether or not you are an exempt or non-exempt employee, and what industry you work in.

But basically if you're losing out by being reimbursed for mileage you may want to bring it to your employer's attention and tell them you don't want to be reimbursed but you must be paid for those hours that they're requiring you to travel.

[WCUgirl]

Your boss is going to get her salary whether she works ten hours or just one that day.

As far as the overtime pay is concerned, if the work is after hours, but doesn't put you over that 40-hour threshhold for the week, then you are not entitled to overtime pay.