Re: A Per Diem story, does this sound right?

[Len Humbird <lenh -at- PCEZ -dot- COM>]

At 10:51 AM 3/9/98 -0800, you wrote:
>No, I've never heard of this arrangement.  Per diem expenses are expenses
>reimbursed directly to you based on receipts, or a daily amount, or a daily
>amount broken down into lodging, meals, and miscellaneous.

Acording to the agency's per diem rules, per diem:
* can be paid when the employee (person working through the agency) works
more than 50 miles away from home and establishes a temporary residence near
the job site
* is based on an estimate of living expenses incurred while living away from
home.
* is non-taxible additional income for up to 12 months (rate splitting is
not allowed).
* does not require detailed receipts and expense reports.

>Normally actual expenses paid would be discussed with you at the time of
>employment.  Was this amount compensation for travel, motel, what?

It's a fixed amount given to you every week, or whenever the payments are made.

>If the amount you received was only what you would have received anyway
>(with allowance made for taxes not taken from your check), you were not
>compensated in any way I can see, except perhaps for a visit from your tax
>man.  I do suspect your tax man will not see it your way.

If it were instituted properly by the agency, I see no IRS problems. As long
as I'm truthful about my real expenses away from home.

Len