Workplace Harassment - Fuel Reimbursement

Dear Seniors ,

My Husband is working for a Bank as an AVP Admin and Facility Management . He has to go to various sites and District courts for Lease Agreement signing and site visit to various properties for finalizing the bank branches and new ATM's . He used to earlier use his own personal vehicle for the same and used to put in fuel reimbursement for the travelled kms. His boss raised an issue and said that he is reimbursing more and started deducting the same .

Now , my husband stopped using his own vehicle and uses company paid cab for this , for which he has been taking prior approval . As per HR Policy he is entitled to use Cab Facility for Company / Work purpose .

His Boss is now not happy with this also and wants him to travel by Bus / auto to see the shortlisted sites with the Property dealers and for the signing of lease agreements also he should use Bus / auto .

My husband is feeling very distressed and harassed because of this and is planning on resigning .

Please help us and let us know what measures should we take . I do not want my husband to get so stressed .

Thanks and Regards
Neha Sachdev
Sr. HR Executive
AVL ITC

Hi Neha,
Since you are saying yourself that as per your husband's company HR Policy he is entitled to use Cab Facility for Company / Work purpose; he has nothing to fear. He can just have a word with the HR, get complete knowledge of the policy in this regards, and simply communicate the same to his Boss.
If he still harrasses him, instead of resigning or getting stressed, I would recommend that he sends a complaint to the HR first and demand resolution.
Regards,
Jyoti

HI Neha,
Myself and My husband are also from Facility management compnay, It happens evry where, in facility mgmt industry u have to be polished and keep ur immediate boss in ur hand and u will win the world.
Do not quit, try to solve the matter and build healthy relationship again.
Tell your husband to talk to his boss and handle him diplomatically.
As we are in service industry and that to in FM, we have to be very diplomatic, have u heard the phrase ' Jee Huzuri", need to apply it.
Do not surrender but be diplomatic, this evrywhere in FM or Service Industry.

Dear Neha,
Jyoti and Yasmin have expressed their views. There are two things. One is that in India "boss is always right" policy goes on wherever you work. Second is that to earn 'x' amount you have to forego 'y' amount. Consider this 'y' amount has grown. But then this should not be the cause of stress per se.
Your husband can look for another job but it should be normal action of career advancement and not a knee-jerk reaction to this instance.
You say that your husband works in facility management company. No client of facility management company pays its due in time. However, owners of facility management never loose their sleep because of the loss of whopping interest or the funds that get blocked.
To get something you have to lose something that is what the life is!
Ok...
Dinesh V Divekar

If there is a company policy inplace, the Boss cannot raise objections. Get the HR department and the Finance department to speak to the Boss. Get the policy in writing.....

Dear Neha,
This is Venky, a Management lecturer & Psychologist. Listen, No place is filled with stress free situation. Likewise, FM. Its because of healthy & aggressive competition. To overcome that better you go for smooth dealing through intellectual communication with your boss & HR according to the situation. Otherwise, imagine, If you quit your job without having anything in other hand. It will annoys your current & future commitments & even your whole life. Also why we cant say that next company's boss is more ruder than current?
See.. dustruction is easy than construction.
In between hundreds of fools dont say you as brilliant, even you are. They never accept it. Then you are the real fool. So one who says himself also as fool even he is real brilliant is the real brilliant.
Make do it . . Let me know the consequences in your case....

Dear Neha,
This is Venky, a Management lecturer & Psychologist. Listen, No place is filled with stress free situation. Likewise, FM. Its because of healthy & aggressive competition. To overcome that better you go for smooth dealing through intellectual communication with your boss & HR according to the situation. Otherwise, imagine, If you quit your job without having anything in other hand. It will annoys your current & future commitments & even your whole life. Also why we cant say that next company's boss is more ruder than current?
See.. dustruction is easy than construction.
In between hundreds of fools dont say you as brilliant, even you are. They never accept it. Then you are the real fool. So one who says himself also as fool even he is real brilliant is the real brilliant.
Make do it . . Let me know the consequences in your case....

If there is a policy, the attitude of Boss is surely harassment. For record, the matter can be sent to HR and higher ups.
In case Boss is unwilling, let him take auto and bus. He will not be able to complete the targetted work due to
1. non-availability of bus, auto
2. Spending time waiting for bus, auto.
3. safety of the documents he will be carrying etc. (stolen, damaged due to rain, crowd etc.)
4. Client / broker not willing to travel by bus/ auto.
Your husband can have any number of such excuses.
The boss will feel more pressure of not completing his target and will give his vehicle and driver to him.
It is unfortunate bosses want such things to learn a lesson.

Mrs. Neha,
Good Morning,
Pl. keep this in mind "Boss is always right" even though he is wrong. Two options left, either accept the boss or resign.
No other legal remidy left, else file a case in police stn.
M.M. Kulkarni

dear child
i have read ur problem and the recommendded solutions.
live by the motto
"A WINNER NEVER QUITS AND A QUITTER NEVER WINS"
I suggest tell your husband to take his boss for some of the meetings . couple of trips in public transport will convince the boss to change his mind.
pl also make him explain to the boss that TIME IS MONEY.
wish u all the best and lots of peace of mind.
blessings
dr ram