Labor & Employment Law

IRS Lowers Mileage Rate For 2009

The IRS announced that it will be lowering the IRS mileage rate in 2009.  Beginning on Jan. 1, 2009, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be 55 cents per mile for business miles driven. This is a change from 50.5 cents in the first half of 2008 and 58.5 cents in the second half.

California employers need to reimburse employees for miles driven for business purposes under Labor Code section 2802.  The California Supreme Court clearified some of the rules pertaining to expense reimbursement last year in Gattuso v. Harte-Hanks (click here for more analysis of the case).  The Court also held that the mileage reimbursement rate can be negotiated by parties as long as it fully reimburses the employee, and the amount does not necessarily have to be the IRS mileage rate, which is contrary to the DLSE’s opinion on the issue. 

Full post as published by California Labor & Employment Defense Blog on December 01, 2008 (boomark / email).