california labor code section 2802 mileage

California Labor Code section 2802 requires employers to reimburse their employees for mileage they incur in the course of their employment. California Labor Code § 2802: Employers Duty to Reimburse California Labor Code section 2802 requires employers to reimburse employees, “for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee” while completing work duties. If an employee’s duties require the use of the employee’s car, the employee should receive reimbursement for automobile expenses such as mileage, gas, and wear and tear. Under California labor law, employers must reimburse employees the entire expense of using … A statutory duty generally has a three-year statute of limitations, [See CCP Sec. Whether your company pays a monthly allowance or the IRS mileage rate, you cannot assume that your program complies with CA Labor Code 2802(a). The Court also warned that employee cannot waive the right to be fully reimbursed for their actual expenses: We agree that, as with other terms and conditions of employment, a mileage rate for automobile expense reimbursement may be a subject of negotiation and agreement between employer and employee. In fact, employees throughout California may be owed significant compensation for basic work-from-home expenses. California Arbitration In Employment Disputes: Don’t Believe The Hype! California Labor Code § 2802. Yes. Under the mileage reimbursement method, the employee only needs to keep a record of the number of miles driven for job duties. Labor Code Section 2802. Under California labor law, employers must reimburse employees the entire expense of using personal automobiles. Employers do not need to provide reimbursement for expenses incurred by independent contractors. The latest litigation trends, court decisions, & issues on California Employment Law. Gattuso, at 478. code: article: section: code: section: ... labor code - lab general provisions. 335 through 349.5] while the recovery of a penalty generally has a one-year statute of limitations. If you have been the victim of wrongful termination, wrongful demotion or any kind of discriminatory business practices, it is time to take action and contact a Ventura employment law attorney that can help. If you are not fully compensated for auto or car expenses and need experienced representation by an employment lawyer who will fight passionately for your rights, please contact Mr. Kaufman at 818-990-1999 or email him here. This manual also sets forth the DLSE’s position regarding California’s expense reimbursement laws, including Labor Code, section 2802. Costs of doing business in California. Corbett H. Williams Employment Law. ABM Industries, a janitorial service provider, recently agreed to a $5.4 million dollar proposed settlement in Marley Castro, et al. But it does offer significant information with respect to how the DLSE approaches California’s expense reimbursement laws, even including several factual scenarios. If an employee’s duties require the use of the employee’s car, the employee should receive reimbursement for automobile expenses such as mileage, gas, and wear and tear. . Actual expense method of reimbursement. In general, employers must reimburse the cost of uniforms, travel expenses, tools and equipment required for the job. Did you know that California Labor Code Section 2802 requires employers to reimburse employees for any necessary expenses the employees incur while doing their jobs? The California Supreme Court also held that the reimbursement rate can be negotiated by parties as long as it fully reimburses the employee, and the amount does not have to be set at the IRS mileage rate. In Gattuso v. Harte-Hanks Shoppers, Inc., the California Supreme Court clarified the parameters of mileage reimbursement under California law, as well as the three different methods available for employers to reimburse employees for their mileage reimbursement. . California Employment law requires employers to reimburse employees for all “necessary” expenses they incur while performing their jobs. If an employer fails to … If the plan does not fully compensate for all expenses, the employee can recover the difference. (a) An employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties, or of his or her obedience to the directions of the employer, even though unlawful, unless the employee, at the time of obeying the directions, believed them to be unlawful. The California Court of Appeal agreed there were violations and held (which means, it’s now the law): “We hold that when employees must use their personal cell phones for work-related calls, Labor Code section 2802 requires the employer to reimburse them. It does not specify what amounts are specifically necessary. Mileage reimbursement in California is governed by California Labor Code Section 2802. The penalty amounts and procedures applicable to “expenses” are set forth in Labor Code Section 1197.1. Labor Code Section 2802. California Labor Code section 2802 has been around for a long time (since 1937, to be exact). June 27, 2017. The state of California has the strictest labor laws in the country when it comes to auto allowances and vehicle reimbursements. The general reimbursement statute of the California Labor Code is Section 2802. Overtime Pay Laws in California & Exemption Laws. In Gattuso v. Harte-Hanks Shoppers, Inc., an outside salesperson wanted to recover for driving his personal car to meet clients, and the California Supreme Court held that employers could adopt different types of expense reimbursement plans under California law such as lump sum payments, the IRS Standard Mileage Rate, or higher wages to compensate for auto expenses. The employer must communicate to its workers the method or formula used to reimburses for car expenses. This rule, embodied in California Labor Code Section 2802, prohibits employers from shifting their costs of doing business onto the backs of employees. The Manual is not binding legal authority. Section 2802 operates to prevent an employer from passing its operating expenses to employees. The purpose of this statute is "to prevent employers from passing their operating expenses on … This type of lump sum payment is often labeled as a per diem, car allowance, or gas stipend. 1. 5. Expense reimbursement may seem like a small issue in comparison with the other areas of liability facing California employers, but the exposure for not appropriately reimbursing employees can be substantial. Reimbursement of Employee Expenses California’s Labor Code Section 2802 normally requires employers to reimburse employees for “reasonable” and “necessary” expenses incurred while performing their job duties. Mileage reimbursement based on IRS mileage rate is presumed to reimburse employee for all actual … . It is a major part of your lifestyle. This important statute reads as follows: An employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties, or of his or her obedience to the directions of the employer . Citing Section 2802, plaintiffs' attorneys have aggressively pursued claims against California employers for failure to reimburse various employee expenses, including home internet and cell phone costs. California Labor Code section 2802 requires employers to indemnify their workers for expenses they necessarily incur in their duties. By clicking submit you are agreeing to the. California Labor Code section 2802 has been held to cover the following types of necessary expenses: Personal Vehicle Usage: Employers must reimburse employees who use their personal vehicles in completing job duties, typically at the IRS’ standard mileage rate. That includes expenses you might incur while working from home. In addition to paying for travel time, under California Labor Code section 2802, employers are responsible for paying employees’ “necessary” business expenses, including travel-related expenses. This Friday’s Five post discusses five issues employers need to know about automobile and mileage reimbursement under California law. All right reserved. 2. California Labor Code section 2802 requires employers to indemnify their workers for expenses they necessarily incur in their duties. The employer then multiplies the miles driven by a predetermined amount that approximates the per-mile cost of owning and operating an automobile. In Gattuso, the Court made it clear that employers paying a lump sum amount have the extra burden of separately identifying and documenting the amounts that represent payment for labor performed and the amounts that represent reimbursement for business expenses. The IRS publishes standard mileage rates each year (and sometimes adjusts these rates during the year). California Labor Code Section 2802 states an employer shall indemnify his/her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in the direct consequence of the discharge of his/her duties. Section 2804 says that employees cannot “waive” (i.e., forfeit) their right to receive reimbursement for miles driven for work. © 2020 by The Kaufman Law Firm. Employers must tell employees how its formula or method for reimburses for automobile expense; merely stating that wages cover auto expenses is not enough. Types of Expenses The Cochran case expressly extended the expense reimbursement requirement to cover personal cell phone usage where the employer does not otherwise provide the equipment and/or a cellular plan. The California Labor Code – and, consequently, Section 2802 – only … Employers sometimes focus on federal tax-related rules and impose “per diem” expense limits set by the Internal Revenue Service. The Court recognized that the mileage rate agreed to between the employer and employee is “merely an approximation of actual expenses” and is less accurate than the actual expense method. Necessary expenditures or losses include all reasonable costs. You Have Rights As A Worker. Necessary expenditures include any attorney fees or costs incurred by employees to recoup … Attorney Matthew A. Kaufman and the team at The Kaufman Law Firm bring experience and a vast arsenal of legal resources to help clients recover the money they deserve. Your job is more than just a source of income. The California Labor Law. Under section 2804, however, any agreement made by the employee is null and void insofar as it waives the employee’s rights to full expense reimbursement under [Labor Code] section 2802. Who is submitting the receipt? California Labor Code Section 2802 obligates employers to reimburse their employees for all expenses incurred during the … division 1. department of industrial relations [50 - 176] division 2. employment regulation and supervision [200 - 2699.5] division 3. employment relations [2700 - 3100] The 2017 IRS mileage rate is as follows: If the employee challenges the amount reimbursed, the employee bears the burden to show how the “amount that the employer has paid is less than the actual expenses that the employee has necessarily incurred for work-required automobile use (as calculated using the actual expense method), the employer must make up the difference.” Gattuso, at 479. In doing so, the employer can utilize an actual reimbursement, mileage reimbursement, or lump-sum method. Yes. It is important to note that while this amount can be negotiated, the employee still is unable to waive their right to reimbursement of their actual costs as mentioned above. Gattuso v. In making the determination about whether an employee’s actions are in the “course and scope” of their job, courts examine whether the expense being sought by the employee is “not so unusual or startling that it would seem unfair to include loss or expense among other costs of the employer’s business.” Employers need to be mindful about reimbursing employees for cell phone use, printing and office supplies (if employee is required to maintain a home office or use personal printer for work), and other work related expenses. Sec. The upshot is that employers can have different expense reimbursement plans, but the plan must reimburse the entire cost of using a personal car on-the-job, including depreciation. The Court recognized that employers may simplify calculating the amount owed to an employee by paying an amount based on a “total mileage driven.” Gattuso, at 479. California Disability Discrimination: The ADA and FEHA, FMLA & CFRA: California Leave Rights & Conditions. 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