Refund on cancelled trips and tickets

[Outintotheworld]

Hi there,

I am moving to Hong Kong for a work secondment and I will have to cancel flights and other tickets which I purchased prior to applying for the secondment. Has anybody had good/bad experience in getting a refund on such expenses from their employer? Or has anybody got any thoughts on good arguments to use when asking for a refund?

Thanks a lot for your advice.

[emx]

Deleted. 123

[Raccon]

I don't think your employer is responsible to refund you for private expenses unless it was agreed as part of the secondment.
You could of course ask and see what they say but I think it might be a bit too late now. Good luck though.

[jimbo]

No travel insurance to claim off?

[Gruntfuttock]

I've never seen travel insurance that covers choices entirely under the control of the insured...

[merrickdb]

A previous employer had a policy where if work forced you to miss vacations or any other personal trips, the company would pay for them. My currently employer doesn't have many policies codified, but I'd similarly expense anything I was forced to miss because of a work trip.

[bibbju]

Since you applied for the secondment (rather than your employer asking you to be seconded),l I wouldn't hold out much hope of being refunded by your employer. You can try asking politely but your chances aren't good.

[usehername]

If you volunteered for the position then your employer isn't responsible. If you got sent on secondment by your employer, then it's only fair that they refund you - assuming that you made this clear at the time you were asked to go.

[jimbo]

I've never seen travel insurance that covers choices entirely under the control of the insured...

Says the man that never buys insurance because he doesn't believe in it

[MovingIn07]

The costs are sunk now so economically not relevant. Just view your trip to Hong Kong as an alternative holiday and you're fine.