With $18 billion in work-related expenses (WREs) being claimed each year, the ATO says that it will focus on occupations with a pattern of large or rising claims, as well as claims which do not fit the pattern for a particular occupation.

What's new this year?

This year the ATO is writing to around 218,000 people employed in the following occupations:

• building construction project managers and supervisors;

• building construction labourers; and

• sales and marketing managers.

Travel to work claims

Many building construction labourers drive a vehicle to work each day.

If they can prove they have had to carry bulky equipment then this travel becomes a deductible expense, as long as:

• they can verify that their employer requires them to carry such equipment as part of their job; and

• there is no alternative storage solution at the workplace.  If the employer does provide secure storage, then no deduction.