Is it normal for employers to knock back internet charges for reimbursement!

Is it normal for employers to knock back internet charges for reimbursement!? I work for a large Australian company and when I put in my receipt for reimbursement of internet charges I was told that since the company had provided me with a smartphone and SIM card in the country I travelled to, they would not be reimbursing hotel internet charges as well. Seems like a no-brainer to me, but interested in what other people's experiences are.

Kate, did the smartphone+SIM allow you to 'tether' it to your laptop for use within the destination country? If so, your management probably has a point -- though you could always say that the speed of the 3G network there was inadequate (as we know it often is in places like the US, where AT&T is fairly renowned for poor network speed). 

However, if not, it's a bit ridiculous for them to expect you to get all your business done on your phone. Were you expected to do any work on your laptop while you were there? If so, then I think you'd have a solid case to appeal their decision. 

I guess your experience is a cautionary tale for other people travelling for business to make sure what is/isn't going to be reimbursed by the company.

I think it depends on your role and how much you need the internet while away, I think it is reasonable to get reimbursed but very often I am not and a lot of people I know have to pay for their own internet. Some companies will by you a prepaid USB that gets charged back to their phone accounts though I think this is the pricier option.

If you can verify/argue that the charges were business related then you have a point to bring up with your manger/s as they should have authority to overide a standard accounts decision. However if the internet use was personal, say communicating with your family via webcam, email  etc then the company probably expects you to use the phone supplied.