Travel-delivery of mail/errands

dkank · March 2003

According to WV law, if travel is part of the employer's principal activity", then travel to the post office is compensable. I am considering offering the employee the option of leaving 15 minutes early and paying for the mileage to the post office since she is using her vehicle for company business. I really do not want to have to pay overtime for this task which occurs every day. Do you see any problems with this solution.

Second, I have looked at Worker's Compensation Law and understand that since the employee is on business, if injured, the employee injury is normally compensable. I think this is a risk we will take, since I do not see another option.

Your thoughts,

dka

ladyzuesse · March 2003

In our Northern Virginia office the accounting assistant leaves early every day for a trip to the bank and post office. She is paid milage and leaves approximately 20 minutes ahead of her regular end time. We trust her with the cash, so we also trust her to calculate time spent at this task each day and to record it accurately.(sometimes it's 20 minutes, sometimes 40, depending on traffic and lines at the bank)

Tammy

NaeNae55 · April 2003

We use a delivery service to bring our "PO Box" mail every morning, and pick up our outgoing mail every evening. The post office delivers our "street address" mail about noon, but there is usually very little there. When we consider the time we would pay an employee for this service, as well as other potential risks, we find it is well worth paying the monthly bill.

Terri · April 2003

I leave 20 minutes early each day to make the daily deposit and drop off the mail. I also use my own vehicle. Currently, IRS allows .36 cents/mile and this is what we go by. When they change it, we change. When I attend meetings throughout the state, I use my own vehicle and am reimbursed as well. I keep a daily log and pass in my business mileage monthly for reimbursement. It works for us. Good Luck!

jimlegal · April 2003

Agree with other posts on payment and mileage. You may want to consider contacting your insurance provider to obtain a "non-owned/hired vehicle" rider to your insurance policy, which we found to be rather inexpensive. In the even the employee is in an accident this coverage would offer protection to the company from the damaged party, "not the employee". The employees damages would be covered through other insurance means. We use the "non-owned/hired vehicle" rider at our company for employees who travel and rent cars while traveling and situations as you have described in your post. Wish you well with your situation.

Jax · April 2003

For our staff that travels, we do require a certain level of personal insurance coverage. (in addition to the company's policy)

We also pay for their time and mileage for all travel.

Travel-delivery of mail/errands

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