Per Diem

In California, I get a per diem for travel that is to be used for food and other personal necessities. I am given a check which I cash and am told by my employer that I have to turn in all reciepts for purchases that I make with the money so the company has the records for their tax purposes.
Is this correct as I feel that I should be keeping the reciepts for my tax records as it is income and they should be writing off my per diem as a business expense, just as my wages are. Who is correct?
Thanks for any information in advance, Al

If I understand you correctly, they should not be treating this as income to you, but as an expense to them. If they are treating this as income to you, then photocopy your receipts before you give them to them.

Any thing that they write checks for (broad generalization) they are ultimately expensing. So, you are both correct.