{"id":12800,"date":"2025-01-20T23:11:40","date_gmt":"2025-01-20T23:11:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.losangelesemploymentattorney.org\/?page_id=12800"},"modified":"2025-12-12T20:42:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T20:42:50","slug":"which-expenses-must-be-reimbursed-by-your-employer","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.losangelesemploymentattorney.org\/es\/which-expenses-must-be-reimbursed-by-your-employer\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Expenses Must be Reimbursed by Your Employer?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Which<\/a><\/p>\n

Getting paid is the whole point of going to work, but there\u2019s no denying that most workers incur some form of work-related expenses during the course of their job duties. Sometimes, the line between expenditures that are personal versus professional are not clearly defined. From traveling for business purposes to taking work calls on your cell phone, there are many situations where you may find yourself asking, \u201cWhat expenses have to be reimbursed by my employer?\u201d<\/p>\n

Policies on reimbursements for work-related expenses are explained in California Labor Code \u00a72802<\/a><\/u><\/span>. Essentially, employees must be reimbursed for all necessary expenditures they incur as a direct result of their work duties. However, the term \u201cnecessary\u201d means different things for different people, and this is why there is on-going confusion on this issue. This can have a negative impact on the workplace culture and leave employees feeling like they are not valued by their employer.<\/p>\n

If your employer is failing to reimburse you for necessary expenses, it\u2019s time to seek help from a California employment law attorney. Contact our law firm today and speak with a member of our legal team during a free, private consultation.<\/p>\n

Work Expenses that Must be Reimbursed by Employers in California<\/h3>\n

According to California\u2019s Labor Code 2802, employers are mandated to reimburse expenses that were incurred during the performance of work-related activities. However, the expenses must be within reason and necessary for the completion of duties that are in direct relation to your job duties.<\/p>\n

Keep in mind that this is a legal requirement that the employer cannot try to get around. So, an employer cannot avoid their responsibility to reimburse work-related costs with contractual clauses and expect that the courts will side with them. Thus, firing an employee for asserting their right to work expense reimbursements constitutes wrongful termination in the state of California.<\/p>\n

Expenses that must be reimbursed to you by your employer include:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Cost of work uniforms<\/li>\n
  • Travel costs<\/li>\n
  • Fees for conferences<\/li>\n
  • Business entertainment expenses<\/li>\n
  • Usage of personal phones for work-related issues<\/li>\n
  • Postage and shipping fees<\/li>\n
  • Parking fees, gas mileage, tolls, and other driving expenses<\/li>\n
  • Training and educational costs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    If an expense is partially work-related (using your cell phone for work, for example), only a portion of the expense will be reimbursed. The amount that\u2019s paid back to the employee should be a fair representation of the usage related to their job.<\/p>\n

    Reimbursable Work Expenses for Remote Workers<\/h3>\n

    Another important consideration for reimbursements has to do with remote workers, which have grown in astounding numbers since the COVD-19 pandemic. This has resulted in many workers having to purchase tools and equipment in order to set up home offices. If it can be shown that the purchases are essential to an employee\u2019s tasks, the employer is generally required to provide reimbursement.<\/p>\n

    Expenses that fall under the category of remote work reimbursements include:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Chairs, desks, and other home office furnishings<\/li>\n
    • Printers, ink cartridges, paper, and other printing supplies<\/li>\n
    • Online service fees, like upgraded Zoom account<\/li>\n
    • Cost of utilities such as heating and air conditioning<\/li>\n
    • Home internet service bills<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Since these are expenses incurred as a direct result of your job, they generally merit full or partial reimbursement from your employer. However, we want to stress that subscriptions and equipment that\u2019s paid for by your employer are considered company property. So, if you resign from your position or get fired from your job, you may be required to turn these things over to your employer.<\/p>\n

      Contact California Labor Law Employment Attorney\u2019s Group<\/h3>\n

      Work expenses that are eligible for reimbursement is a complex area of labor law that can cause misunderstandings between employers and the people that work for them. With that in mind, having a clear understanding of what is a necessary and reasonable work expense is crucial for both the employer and employee.<\/p>\n

      If your right to coverage for work-related expenses has been violated, guidance from an experienced employment rights lawyer is crucial. Our attorneys provide free consultations, which you can take advantage of by contacting us today. If you are interested in filing a breach of contract lawsuit for failure to reimburse business expenses, you can count on us to provide you with skilled and aggressive representation.<\/p>\n

      We also provide all clients with the Zero Fee Guarantee, so there is no out of pocket cost to you whatsoever. We get paid only upon the recovery of your settlement, and if we don\u2019t win your case, you won\u2019t be asked to cover a single penny in legal fees.<\/p>\n

      For a free case assessment with one of our legal experts, don\u2019t hesitate to give us a call.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Getting paid is the whole point of going to work, but there\u2019s no denying that most workers incur some form of work-related expenses during the course of their job duties. Sometimes, the line between expenditures that are personal versus professional are not clearly defined. From traveling for business purposes to taking work calls on your…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-12800","page","type-page","status-publish"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t