Remote Jobs - Who pays for travel to homesite?

[therethere]

DH has been looking for jobs this year. Ideally he wants a remote position which is pretty difficult to find in his industry. He had an interview with one that has potential but it is a remote position out of an office across the country. They flat out said they posted it as remote because no one local was applying. My guess is due to a salary range on the lower end with an office based outside NYC. He still would have several interviews so it's not really appropriate to ask now. But they mentioned they would want the person onsite for 2-3 weeks at first, and then to visit the office once a quarter.

What is typical for who pays for this travel? I understand conventional business travel is reimbursed. But who pays when you take a remote job with a known "home" location 2000+ miles away? Every trip out would cost around $1,500 so 4 trips a year is decent chunk, nearly 10% accounting for the taxes on that salary too.

Can anyone out there share their experience with taking a remote job (not a WFH turned permanently remote) discussing these types of situations with potential employers? What has been thrown out there at you? I guess I want to be prepared for what might be proposed (or what DH should request). It sounds like almost all of their workforce is working hybrid currently (no full-time remote) so I don't anticipate the company has thought through policies on remote work and travel to the jobsite.

[314159]

At my current employer, remote employees are expected to come in 4-6 times a year for 3-5 days at a time. Economy airfare, hotel, and a per diem for meals are all paid for by the employer. (I happen to be a local employee, but about half of my coworkers are remote.)

At my previous job, before COVID, there were some people who worked remotely and I am fairly confident their travel was paid for by the employer as well.

I would be surprised if your husband's potential employer did not pay for this. Once your husband has an offer and is in the negotiation stage, definitely confirm the company's policies.

[FLBiker]

I would be absolutely shocked if they didn't cover all travel expenses in these situations.  They've posted it as remote, so they know they aren't getting just local applicants.

I have a remote job, and I have to travel (in non-COVID times) maybe 6 times a year.  They cover everything from the moment I step out the front door.

[pasadenafr]

I would be surprised if your husband's potential employer did not pay for this. Once your husband has an offer and is in the negotiation stage, definitely confirm the company's policies.

I would ask the question early-ish, when talking about working conditions. I wouldn't wait until I have an offer.

Then when the offer comes, I'd make sure I get it all in writing before signing anything.

[StarBright]

I've been a remote worker for over a decade now. I transitioned my very busy in-office position to one that can sort of be done remotely so I ate the travel for a while.
 
At the beginning it was important for me to keep my job so that we could move for my husband's schooling and I ended up paying for most of my trips back to the office (mileage and hotel). I was also the first and only remote employee for a long time. I drove into the office three days a week, twice a month when I started. It was about a 5 hour drive with no traffic (but usually closer to 8 hours because I had to go through DC.)

After a couple of years we started hiring other remote employees and I started coming into the office less and boss started putting my travel on the company card when he wanted me there.

Now I go once a quarter and the company pays for it.

If they are advertising remote, I'd say they expect to pay for travel.

[RWD]

I've been remote since 2015. My employer has paid all expenses to fly me back to HQ a couple times a year (though that has been put on hold during the pandemic).

[MgoSam]

They are hiring a remote worker with the knowledge that they aren't local, they should be paying airfare, lodging, and meals for required visits. My company is trying to hire locals for WFH for this reason. We have outside sales reps that are freelance. They haven't traveled here yet but when they do I expect we will cover their flight and hotel and food.

[MayDay]

What I have seen is that if the job is local/in person, and you are asking to be remote, you pay for the travel.

But if the company is posting it as remote, the company pays.

[sailinlight]

When I first went remote 12 years ago, I was the first at my company. They were skeptical it would work, so part of the deal was that I would pay to come in one week a month. I moved back to the city that the company was in, and then later asked to got remote six years ago. By that time it was more common to do so, and the company paid airfare, hotel, and per diem if there was a business need for me to be in the office.

[lutorm]

the company paid airfare, hotel, and per diem if there was a business need for me to be in the office.

Me too. If my posted work site is at home, and they want me to go somewhere else, they sure as hell are paying for that. It's no different than if I worked in an office and they wanted me to visit another office.

[darkskys]

If it is a remote role there’s no way the person they hired should pay for the travel expenses.

[therethere]

Thanks everyone. DH has landed with a different remote role. The company has it noted very clearly in the offer letter that site visits are paid by the company. I still noticed the pay appears to be slighter lower than in-office jobs. But I think the flexibility far outweighs the lower payscale.

[314159]

Congrats on his new position!