Travel Expenses and Cutbacks | Legal Aid

Questioner

I have been working for the same employer for 10 years and have been receiving travel expenses reimbursement for 10 years. Last week I received a written message that due to budget cuts, travel expenses will no longer be paid. Is that allowed?

Lawyer

In any case, the employer must pay travel expenses if this is included in the collective labor agreement or company regulations. The employer may, if this is not included in the collective labor agreement or company regulations, cancel the travel expenses reimbursement if he has weighty interests in doing so and in addition the employer can appeal to reasonableness and fairness. Although it is not entirely legally certain, there is a good chance that the employer will be proven right if it can be demonstrated that he can no longer pay the travel expenses. So you have to look in the collective labor agreement or the company regulations because if it is there then you are right that this is not allowed.