Should you pay interview expenses?
Should you pay interview expenses?
Where you hold job interviews in person, this will usually involve a candidate incurring travel and related expenses unless they live or work close to your workplace. Should you reimburse them for those interview expenses?
Legal position
You are under no legal obligation to reimburse candidates for any costs they incur in attending job interviews, whether that be for travel, overnight accommodation or meals. However, if you do offer to do so, whether verbally or in writing, and your offer is accepted by the candidate, you are bound by your contractual agreement.
It's also possible to agree to pay travel expenses for some vacant roles and not for others, as long as you are not being discriminatory. For example, you might decide to pay interview expenses for low- paid roles, where candidates may not otherwise be able to easily afford their train fare, but not for higher-paid professional or senior roles.
Trap. When you shouldn't really do is offer to pay some candidates for travel expenses and not others when they have applied for the same role, even if some candidates explicitly ask you to cover their train fares but others don't.
Tip. If you do cover expenses, have a clear rationale for when and why they will be covered and then be consistent.
The pros and cons
Reimbursing expenses can remove a barrier for low-income candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds who otherwise couldn't afford to attend an in-person interview, which is particularly relevant for roles with a national reach where candidates may apply from far afield. Not only does this support social mobility, but it can give you access to a wider talent pool. It also demonstrates that you value candidates' time and investment in the recruitment process and will leave them with a good impression of your business.
Trap. However, the costs of interview expenses can quickly mount. Plus, processing expenses claims requires time and resources, which makes this an administrative burden too. Best practice tips If you do decide to reimburse interview expenses, we recommend that you:
* Clearly state in your invitation to interview that reasonable expenses will be reimbursed,
including what's covered and how the candidate should claim.
* Consider setting a cap on the maximum amount that can be claimed. This could be a figure, e.g.
£25, or a percentage of the expenses incurred, e.g. 50%, or a combination of both.
* Limit reimbursement to travel costs only, i.e. excluding other expenses, and to standard class
public transport or mileage for drivers.
* Require the candidate to produce original receipts to support their claim.
Where you aren't going to reimburse interview expenses, options include:
* Holding first interviews virtually and only requiring in-person attendance at second interviews. This saves a candidate having to pay to travel twice
* Offering to hold the interview at a different time to avoid peak travel fare times, if a candidate
raises concerns about their expenses.
You aren't obliged to reimburse interview expenses and doing so will be a cost and administrative burden, but it does support social mobility and give you access to a wider talent pool. However, you don't need a one-size-fits-all approach. You could reimburse only for final-stage interviews or only for low-paid roles, and you could set a cap.