Postal Letter

Do jobs have to pay your delivery expenses according to the IRS mileage rate?

I deliver food for my job for the evening shift. When I started I was told that I'll be reimbursed for gas since I'm using my own vehicle (a mini van) which is $1.75 per trip regardless of mileage. Plus they imply (kind of hinted) that my tip money will be my gas money. This didn't bother me at first because they made me shadow another driver for a few days first, and I only saw him make close range deliveries (about 5 miles tops) to big corporate businesses, and he was getting tipped between $10 - $15 a delivery. This when the red flags start. I'm always the only driver for the evening shifts because it's typically dead, and it's mostly corporate customers in the day and residential customers in the evening, so tipping is not as big. I have been making runs about 30 minutes away from the restaurant at least three times a week, and I know $1.75 will not cover that. I've noticed two things that wasn't right; one was that the delivery fee on the receipt was $5, and another was that I've unlocked hidden cells on Excel by mistake when I was typing my mileage in realizing that there is a mileage rate. I've did my research at home and realize they are obviously profiting off of my gas burning. I've noticed that although they're paying me by the trip, they're reporting that the drivers are getting paid by the mile for tax deduction purposes. The mileage rate is now 55 cents per mile from their 51 cents. Even though their hidden Excel files calculate $0.505 a mile, it's still a lot I should be paid back. I know I'm getting cheated off of my gas and wear and tear for my car, but I can't find online to prove if this is legal or not yet. [Side Note #1] One time, one my way to a delivery I caught a flat a couple weeks ago. They didn't do anything for me, but they waived the delivery fee for the customer although I was literally down the street from the customer, so the customer just met me down the street while a good samaritan is helping me with the flat tire. [Side Note #2] This is in Georgia. [Side Note #3] I had to make a half an hour trip for a delivery and they called back and said that I forgot some food. (Note: I don't prepare the food nor bag them. I just pick up and deliver.) The manager refused to pay the extra $1.75 because he told me that I've should've double checked my order before I left which I explained that the person who prepared the food (nor the other manager that printed the receipt before I left for the delivery) didn't clarify that there were more prepared on the side other the bags I saw up front. Normally, the person who prepares the food (or the manager) double checks the food; and I normally get a call to turn back around if I've forgotten something.

Public Comments

1. No, your employer can pay their own mileage reimbursement rate (if any), and then you can claim the difference on your taxes -- but, you have to keep excellent records of your mileage, dates, and location of delivery. You also have to itemize on your taxes... which may or may not make sense for you.
2. They don't have to give you anything.