Re: techwr-l digest: March 14, 2000

[BlaineBachman -at- bia -dot- gov]

Tony Asked:

I am considering temporarily relocating to take a contract position.  In
such situations, is per diem:

* A separate bucket of money above and beyond hourly pay?

* A percentage of the hourly pay?

All responses appreciated.

Tony-

You'll have to ask the agency.  I've heard it expressed several ways
depending on the usage they care to adopt:

$35 per hour + $10 per hour per diem = $45 per hour
$35 per hour + $10 per hour per diem = $45 per hour - over 40 hours, $45
per hour, no per diem
$35 per hour, $10 of which will be paid as per diem = $35 per hour ($25 of
which is subject to withholding)
(and there's probably more)

It's also important to know if they plan on sending you a 1099 at the end
of the year for the per diem - if they don't, then they are in effect
acknowledging that they reimbursed you for reasonable additional expenses
related to being temporarily away from your normal residence for work.

Blaine
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