Ex-Employer Refuses to Pay My Business Expenses & Wages

[720sinc]

What is the name of your state? GEORGIA
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My ex-employer is a publicly traded, multi-million dollar corporation with headquarters in Chicago.

I resigned from the company in March of 2005 and still have not received $400 in expense reimbursements that they owe to me.

I was in the sales department with this company. The specific expenses that they are now denying were approved first by my manager while I was with the company, and then by the president of the division AFTER I left the company. (I have the email from him approving the expenses.) However, a person in the accounts payable department is refusing payment as she claims that the expenses are not covered per company policy. (I do not have the handbook but might be able to get a copy.)

I re-wrote the president of the division stating that she was refusing payment of the $400 and now he is saying that he will abide by her decision.

(Note: The expenses were $80/month for 5 months of a broadband wireless service, where I would be able to log on to the Internet while in hotels, airports, etc. Typical one-time charges for such access are in the $10 per session/day range and WERE reimbursed by the company.)

Now I am stuck because they refuse to budge.

In addition, part of my discussion with the president (via email) around this subject had to do with a sign-on bonus repayment. In a nutshell, I repaid the company over $9000 since I left the company prior to my 1 year anniversary (this was part of my contract with the company.) The company also shorted me $1600+ in vacation pay when I left. The president approved the payment of this $1600 shortage over a month ago (I have the email) and I have still not been paid.

So, in summary, I paid them back $9000 in good faith that they would pay me my $400 in expenses and $1600 in vacation. I lived up to my end of the bargain and they did not. They have cashed my check - so I have no recourse there.

WHAT DO I DO? CAN I EVEN TAKE THEM TO COURT IN GEORGIA? (NOTE: THEY DO HAVE A LARGE OPERATIONS OFFICE HERE IN ATLANTA, BUT ARE HEADQUARTERED IN CHICAGO?) SHOULD I TAKE THEM TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[JETX]

(Note: The expenses were $80/month for 5 months of a broadband wireless service, where I would be able to log on to the Internet while in hotels, airports, etc. Typical one-time charges for such access are in the $10 per session/day range and WERE reimbursed by the company.)

They are not required to reimburse you for personal expenses that you incurred that are outside of their policies.

In addition, part of my discussion with the president (via email) around this subject had to do with a sign-on bonus repayment. In a nutshell, I repaid the company over $9000 since I left the company prior to my 1 year anniversary (this was part of my contract with the company.) The company also shorted me $1600+ in vacation pay when I left. The president approved the payment of this $1600 shortage over a month ago (I have the email) and I have still not been paid.

Again, unless the payment of accrued vacation is their company policy, there is no statutory obligation to pay you vacation time upon your leaving their employ.

So, in summary, I paid them back $9000 in good faith that they would pay me my $400 in expenses and $1600 in vacation. I lived up to my end of the bargain and they did not. They have cashed my check - so I have no recourse there.

Or more accurately... you paid them $9000 because you had a contractual obligation to do so... and they won't pay you the $2000 that they are not obligated to pay.

WHAT DO I DO? CAN I EVEN TAKE THEM TO COURT IN GEORGIA? (NOTE: THEY DO HAVE A LARGE OPERATIONS OFFICE HERE IN ATLANTA, BUT ARE HEADQUARTERED IN CHICAGO?) SHOULD I TAKE THEM TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT?

Yep, that sounds like a logical option. However, I think your chance of success is little or less.