Definition

A daily allowance paid to employees for travel expenses, supposed to cover meals and incidentals. It's the company's way of saying 'eat cheap so we save money.'

Example Usage

The company's per diem allowance of $35/day barely covered a sandwich in the city we were visiting.

Origin

From Latin 'per diem' (for each day)

Fun Fact

Per diem rates vary by location and company; some companies use IRS guidelines, others make up lower amounts

Source: Standard Business Practice

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