Corporate travel policy - FF points

[Rebekkap]

I know I've read about this before, but I've unsuccessfully spent about the last half hour searching and can't find anything relevant!

My understanding from what I've read previously is that a company can't legally compel employees to give up their frequent flyer points, or to use them for work travel, as the points are earned and owned by the individual no matter who earns the points - can anyone who knows more about this please shed some light on the issue?

thanks
RP

 

[docjames]

My understanding always was that points are “owned” by the individual - QBR is (I’m sure partially designed) for company points.

Wiithout professing to be anywhere near expert on this topic, my understanding is that broadly:

FF points are not meant to (do not) have any actual value (they are “worthless”) otherwise there would also be FBT issues and ATO issues.

Companies usually dont care as it’s an employee benefit and the points can be difficult to use (historically) on flights - some may be changing their tune now they can redeem for poor value physical rewards.

 

[Lynda2475]

Government Departments often requires their employees to travel on special fares where no FF points are earned only SCs, because they don't want staff to benefit from tax payer funded travel.

However a company cannot requisition your private FF point balance, QBR allows companies to earn extra points which can be used to fund further company travel.

 

[Rebekkap]

Government Departments often requires their employees to travel on special fares where no FF points are earned only SCs, because they don't want staff to benefit from tax payer funded travel.

However a company cannot requisition your private FF point balance, QBR allows companies to earn extra points which can be used to fund further company travel.

I'm aware, I used to work for government - such a joke! However what I'm trying to get to is the legal basis that stops companies requisitioning your FF points after you've earned them?

Post automatically merged: Feb 10, 2022

My understanding always was that points are “owned” by the individual - QBR is (I’m sure partially designed) for company points.

Wiithout professing to be anywhere near expert on this topic, my understanding is that broadly:

FF points are not meant to (do not) have any actual value (they are “worthless”) otherwise there would also be FBT issues and ATO issues.

Companies usually dont care as it’s an employee benefit and the points can be difficult to use (historically) on flights - some may be changing their tune now they can redeem for poor value physical rewards.

That's also my broad understanding, but I'm trying to ascertain the legal basis for companies not being able to do this

 

[Matt_01]

Larger organisation had include details like this in travel policies. IME most companies not care that much about the points staff earn be it frequent flyer or hotel points.

 

[Lynda2475]

Well T&Cs for FF programs state that the points accrued can only be redeemed by the individual or on behalf of certain relatives. So if you are being asked to transfer your points to your boss or a colleague that would be a breach of the program rules and could lead to both accounts being cancelled.

If company is asking you to use personal points to fund work travel for yourself they would be on very shaky ground, as it is likely you are also earning points from non work travel.

To even try it on they would have had to have a travel policy in place stating this and communicated to you before you undertook any work travel and also given you option to not include your personal FF # on said flights.

An employer can not compel you to use a personal account for work travel, so if they indeed have such a policy you shoudl be able to opt out of sharing your personal FF details.

If you leave or quit, there is no mechanism for you to transfer points to employer, IMO (not legal) the points are yours and employer has no right to them, and the onus to prove otherwise is on them not you.

 

[kookaburra75]

Larger organisation had include details like this in travel policies. IME most companies not care that much about the points staff earn be it frequent flyer or hotel points.

That's been my experience, working for some of the bigger US IT, and UK Consulting houses. It was noted that points earned on work travel weren't an issue. In one of my recent jobs, I had a written agreement that for my trips to the UK (which the policy was only Prem Econ) I would travel on a flexible econ ticket and put in for an upgrade to Bus on points. If it came through, I could access our QBR points bucket for 50% of the points to upgrade, and chip in the other 50%.

 

[Rebekkap]

Well T&Cs for FF programs state that the points accrued can only be redeemed by the individual or on behalf of certain relatives. So if you are being asked to transfer your points to your boss or a colleague that would be a breach of the program rules and could lead to both accounts being cancelled.

If company is asking you to use personal points to fund work travel for yourself they would be on very shaky ground, as it is likely you are also earning points from non work travel.

To even try it on they would have had to have a travel policy in place stating this and communicated to you before you undertook any work travel and also given you option to not include your personal FF # on said flights.

An employer can not compel you to use a personal account for work travel, so if they indeed have such a policy you shoudl be able to opt out of sharing your personal FF details.

If you leave or quit, there is no mechanism for you to transfer points to employer, IMO (not legal) the points are yours and employer has no right to them, and the onus to prove otherwise is on them not you.

Thank you, very helpful points