Per Diem

[fbhwt]

Is an employer obligated to pay his employee/employees per diem? I worked a job a year ago that was 75 miles from home and stayed in a motel 3 nights a week (worked 4 10's). When I first started the job the general contractor asked me how much per diem my employer was paying me. I told him I was not being paid per diem, He told me that he had told my employer to make sure he put "plenty of money into the contract to cover per diem"
When I approched my employer about this he denied having the conversation with the general contractor.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per_diem

 

[Smart $]

Is an employer obligated to pay his employee/employees per diem? I worked a job a year ago that was 75 miles from home and stayed in a motel 3 nights a week (worked 4 10's). When I first started the job the general contractor asked me how much per diem my employer was paying me. I told him I was not being paid per diem, He told me that he had told my employer to make sure he put "plenty of money into the contract to cover per diem"
When I approched my employer about this he denied having the conversation with the general contractor.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per_diem

No.

That being said, many employers that have there employees work outside there normal area of coverage, especially when it requires out-of-town overnight lodging, simply cover or reimburse the additional expenses incurred by the employee, rather than setting up a per diem program. But even that is not required.

FWIW, those travel expenses, or rather a portion thereof and subject to various restrictions, are tax deductible by whomever paid the expenses, whether in part or in whole.