Ethical dilemma

My husband is going on a business trip and we are blessed it will be in the same town as our daughter and son in law. My husband wants to bless them by paying them what we would get paid for a hotel by staying ith them. He says that the company needs a business receipt, so he wants my son and law to give him a receipt from his small side business to submit to his company as an expense receipt. I expressed my discomfort with this, it seems to me that we should be upfront that he stayed with family, which of course saves the company money, and have them decide whether they should compensate for that based on the facts. It seems dishonest to handle it the other way. Well, I made him angry, and he says that we will just be staying in a hotel now, I spoiled it, and he just wanted to do something nice for the kids, who really need it. I feel very sad that I made this mess, and a bit confused. help,

As an employer I would have to say you gave your husband the right advice. In my business experience, we Christians in particular are vunerable to what is sometimes called "moral credentialism"---where we allow our charitiable and spiritual intentions to give us special exemption to bend the rules, especially if we feel we aren't aren't hurting anyone.

As a father, I tenderly sympathize with his heart to help your children financially. However, as you have suggested, in this type of scenario it would be best to inquire about company policies regarding the use of company travel funds.

Blessings,

MC

Sometimes in life, it's just better to let folks find out for themselves. In my opinion, he wasn't really Blessing them if he was using the co. money that he would be reimbursed for. What would have been better is, if he would have just stayed at your daughters home, and just gave them the money he would have spent on a hotel room.

Thanks for your kind advice, both of you!
I think, mr bill, the reason he was hoping to use reimbursement was that we would no have the money any other way.
But my concern was that if the company required a business receipt, that in itself implied that they would see personal receipts as questionable, and this would be simply misrepresenting a personal receipt as a business receipt. Though he would have not charged more than he should, and he does deserve compensation for his travel, I felt it seemed deceptive to imply the circumstances were other than what they were. Why not just submit the expense as what it was, nd then let them say yes or no?
He says I just have not had to deal with things in the world the way they are. I do work, but he handles the finances, and I am very submissive. I was sincerely worried this could hurt him on his job.