How to Ask Your Boss for Gas Compensation

Commuting expenses can add up quickly.

When companies experience a slowdown in business or are attempting to cut costs, employee salaries or annual reviews can be affected and pay raises may be reduced or even frozen. However, there are other ways to increase your compensation, such as getting reimbursed for gas and commuting expenses. This can be especially beneficial if you drive a long distance and your gas expenses cause a financial hit every week. Talk to your boss about being compensated for your commuting expenses.

Things You'll Need

• List of accomplishments
• Gas expenses
• Possible reimbursement options

Instructions

1. Prepare in advance; whether it is time for your annual review or you just plan to ask your boss for gas compensation, have your facts, figures and arguments laid out prior to the meeting. The more organized you are, the better you will be able to state your case.

2. Document a list of your accomplishments. A record of having done your job well or beyond the required expectations can help you to state your case and win your boss over. This is especially true if there is a freeze on salary raises; your boss will want to retain his best employees, so he may be more willing to give in on benefits, such as gas compensation.

3. Approach the meeting in a cordial manner. Being angry or disgruntled will not help you to win anyone over, and it may even worry your boss that you will continue to display negative behavior around the office. Show that you understand the situation of the company and that you are a team player rather than someone who will quit at the first sign of a problem.

4. Calculate your weekly or monthly gas expenses and present them to your boss in a clear, concise manner. Many companies have a certain monetary rate that is given for each mile, so calculate this rate along with what you actually pay at the gas station, as it pertains to your commute. Giving your boss several options can increase your chances that he’ll actually choose one.

5. Think realistically and do not expect that your gas expenses will be reimbursed in their entirety; most often a percentage is compensated, leaving you responsible for the remainder of the tab.

References

• Investopedia; 6 Employment Perks and How to Get Them; Glenn Curtis; August 2011