mileage and fuel

Hi, I live in Bakersfield, Ca. and recently started working for a local house cleaning service. I drive my own car from house to house, 40-80 miles a day, aprox. 200 miles a week. Is my employer required to pay any of the mileage or fuel costs? Or is it just something I have to claim on my taxes?

They aren't obliged to pay your costs. You can deduct that, but you'd better keep good contemporaneous records. Your boss if he was smart insures himself because even though he's not paying your driving costs, he is open to liability if you have an accident.

Are you being paid as an employee or an independent contractor?

Actually, in California and Massachusetts, if the OP is an employee (which she almost certainly should be), they DO have to reimburse travel expenses incurred in the performance of her duties.

Here's the California cite.

2802. (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,

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http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=lab&group=02001-03000&file=2800-2810

The DLSE has determined that using a mileage rate of at least the IRS rate meets the state's requirements.
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/DLSEManual/dlse_enfcmanual.pdf
Section 29.2.4

The question is if he is an employee or independent contractor.

FlyingRon said:

The question is if he is an employee or independent contractor.

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Or better put, the question is IF she is being treated as an independent contractor, SHOULD she be. I would opine the answer is no.

FlyingRon said:

The question is if he is an employee or independent contractor.

Click to expand...

I did say "IF" Better put, perhaps, the question is IF she is being treated as an independent contractor, SHOULD she be. I would opine the answer is no.

Im an Employee

Im an employee, and starting pay is min. wage!