Asalamualaykum I work in a large corporation and sometimes use the office printers to take personal print outs, scans and photocopies. I also occasionally use office stationary (pens, paper clips, envelopes etc.) for personal use. On various occasions I have asked a number of responsible and senior individuals in the company (HR head, IT head etc.) regarding this but have gotten different answers at different times. There is no written policy in the company governing this matter and everyone answers me from their own perspective and outlook. As is typical in large corporates there is no individual owner/decision maker whom I can ask and act accordingly. What I have been doing is estimating an amount that I feel my personal use is costing the company and setting that off against amounts due from the company to me (i.e. I don’t claim certain expenses/allowances that I am entitled to, equal to the amount I estimate).
To put it simply, I travel very often for office work and am entitled to claim some travel expenses and a daily allowance while travelling. I don’t claim some of that equal to the amount I estimate. I am confident that the amount I estimate and don’t claim is more than the cost to the company. Please advise [a] if my practice is correct, [b] if I have any further responsibility regarding my past usage of company resources which I paid off in the manner explained above, and [c] whether I can continue this practice in the future in a similar or different manner. Barak Allah feekum.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
We commend your practice of paying for your personal usage of the office stationary. The method you have described is correct and you may continue your practice.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Saad Haque
Student Darul Iftaa
New Jersey, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.