Question

After numerous campus interviews, Sara Garcia, a student at BC, received two office interview invitations from the Orlando offices of two large firms. Both firms offered to cover her "out-of-pocket expenses" (travel, hotel, and meals). She scheduled the interviews for both firms on the same day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. At the conclusion of each interview, she submitted to both firms her total out-of-pocket expenses of $296 for mileage, hotel, meals, parking and tolls. She believes this approach is appropriate. If she had made two trips, her cost would have been two times $296. She is also certain that neither firm knew she had visited the other on that same trip. Within ten days Sara received two checks in the mail, each in the amount of $296.

• Did Sara handle the situation properly?
• If not, what should she have done?
• Make it clear and detail

Thank you

Answer 1

No, Sara did not handle the situation properly and her action of claiming $296 from both the firms separately is unethical. Total expenses of Sara is $296 and she claimed an amount of $296*2 = $592. Thus Sara has claimed more than her actual expenses and this is totally unethical. In this instance Sara is making her expense claim dishonest and her action is akin to padding of expense claims. This approach of Sara is nothing but a self-serving approach and hence is not proper and not ethical.

Here Sara should have divided the total amount equally between the two firms and hence should have claimed $296/2 = $148 each from each firm. This would have meant that Sara is claiming her total out of pocket expenses with regards to the interview. This action of Sara would be considered both ethical and proper.

Please give me a Thumbs up ?.Thanks!!