BoPP POLICY F17 Travel and Reimbursement of Expenses

Transcription

1 BoPP POLICY F17 Travel and Reimbursement of Expenses Travel and Reimbursement of Expenses.docx Key evaluation question 6. How effective are governance and management in ensuring educational achievement QMS Standard 3 Financial, Administrative and Physical resources Key Stakeholders involved in consultation: Management Forum 1. PURPOSE Where employees are required to travel within New Zealand or overseas on approved Bay of Plenty Polytechnic (BoPP) business the BoPP will reimburse approved actual and reasonable expenses, accommodation and the relevant allowances included in collective and individual employment agreements. BoPP is committed to value for money, transparent and reasonable expenditure on staff expenses. This policy covers the travel and accommodation category of sensitive expenditure as defined in the Sensitive Expenditure Policy F SCOPE 2.1 Reimbursement of Expenses including Expenses, Daily allowances, Use of Private Vehicles, Accommodation, Food/Meals, Alcohol 2.2 Domestic Air Travel 2.3 Rental Cars 2.4 Taxi Vouchers 2.5 Conferences, Workshops or Training and Development 2.6 International Travel 2.7 Leave whilst away on business 2.8 Insurance 2.9 Koha 1

2 Coverage includes all employees employed under both the Academic (Meca - TEU) and Allied (Tiasa) collective agreements, these conditions also being extended to cover employees on individual contracts and BoPP Council Members. 3. PRINCIPLES 3.1. No member of staff is out of pocket, nor in profit, when engaged on approved duties for BoPP 3.2. All purchases should ensure value for money 3.3 Staff should also take into consideration public perception of the nature (type) and amount of expenditure on travel, meals, and accommodation 3.3. BoPP s financial regulations and expenses policy (including allowances) apply equally to expenditure ultimately being reimbursed to BoPP by a third party or from any other funding source Travel for business purposes should be made using the most cost effective and efficient form of transport wherever possible Whilst the lowest cost will be a key factor, consideration also needs to be given to efficiency, effectiveness & sustainability including travelling time and location Where more than one member of staff is travelling to the same event then all attempts should be made to travel together where possible Managers, when approving the cost to be incurred and when authorising claims, must confirm that staff have claimed only the most cost effective and efficient form of transport BoPP will not pay for any speeding or parking fines. Any such fines incurred using BoPP or hire vehicles must be paid for (or reimburse the BoPP) by the member of staff. If the member of staff wishes to dispute the fine then this must be done directly with the relevant authority 3.9. Staff should not normally procure goods or services on behalf of the BoPP using their own funds. Such expenditure should be procured using BoPP s normal procurement systems and processes. However, in exceptional circumstances where, in emergencies, goods or services have to be obtained and that there are no other practical alternatives (such as parking, food purchases etc.), staff must have prior authorisation from their line manager and budget holder. 4. PROCEDURES 4.1. All expenditure must be agreed by the employee s line manager before the expenditure is incurred or committed 2

3 4.2. The line manager/budget holder must ensure that there are sufficient uncommitted funds available in their budget before authorising and committing the expenditure 4.3. All bookings, invoices, expense claims must stipulate the business reason for the expense 4.4. All requisitions, invoices and expense claim forms must be approved by the appropriate budget holder 4.5. All expense claim forms must be approved by the appropriate budget holder/line manager 4.6. Approval of invoices & expense claim forms shall be taken to mean that:- the travel/expenses were approved before committed the travel / expenses were actually incurred/services received the travel / expenses were incurred on Polytechnic business the expenditure is within the approved limits the expenditure is within budget 4.7. All expense claims need to be supported by receipts - other than mileage and daily allowances. BoPP will not normally reimburse the claimant without receipts Staff are required to submit their expenses claims, using the appropriate expenses Claim Form and authorised in accordance with this policy, to the Finance Team where reimbursement will be made by direct credit to the staff member s bank account 4.9. Reimbursement of Expenses as per Employment Agreements as listed in the Academic and Allied Collective agreements and those on Individual Employment Agreements includes: Expenses, actual and reasonable Daily allowances Use of Private Vehicles - Mileage where there is pre-approved use of staff member s vehicle Accommodation, approved actual and reasonable Alcohol there may be occasional need for reimbursement of alcohol expenses in relation to hosting or events (please refer to Gifts, Hospitality & Entertainment Policy). BoPP does not reimburse personal expenditure on alcohol Domestic Air Travel Employees are to submit all approved domestic air travel requests to the Facilities Helpdesk who will arrange the booking; an Electronic Ticket (ET) will be forwarded to the staff member. Best price air travel will be the standard for all domestic flights after taking into account the cost of flight changes caused by events out of the staff member s control. Travel for the Directorate and Council members will be arranged by the PA to the CEO or Executive Support. 3

4 4.11. Accommodation Accommodation can be arranged through the Facilities Helpdesk at a pre-approved accommodation provider. If this is not practical, the accommodation can be reimbursed Motor Vehicle Travel BoPP & own cars Where motor vehicle travel is deemed the most cost effective and efficient form of travel then the member of staff should first try to book a BoPP vehicle for the journey. Where a BoPP vehicle is not available, or not cost effective for BoPP (e.g. tie up a vehicle for short journeys), then a member of staff may take their own car and be reimbursed at the approved rate. BoPP s insurance does not cover individuals travelling in their own cars Staff members opting to use their own vehicles for employer s business purposes must arrange their own insurance cover for this liability Rental Cars All approved vehicle requests are to be forwarded to the Facilities Helpdesk, rental vehicles will only be booked when there are no BoPP vehicles available. Where rental cars are required: 1600cc vehicles are the standard for local trips and 2000cc vehicles are the standard for trips between cities and towns. Vehicles required for International destinations can be booked through BoPP s approved travel agent. If a cheaper alternative is identified, this may be booked with approval from the relevant senior manager who is a member of the Management Forum Taxi Vouchers/ Taxi Charge Cards Taxi vouchers and Taxi Charge Cards are to be treated as cash and kept secure and their use managed by the relevant cost centre. Taxi vouchers are issued by the Facilities Helpdesk. Taxi Charge Cards are issued by and the use monitored by Facilities Conferences, Workshops or Training and Development Domestic - All staff must have manager s pre-approval to attend International All staff must have CE pre-approval to attend overseas work related conferences and other events International Travel Staff are to submit requests for International Travel to their manager for approval. Managers are to forward approved requests to the CE for final approval prior to any booking request being actioned. All trips are to be for business purposes, transparent and defendable. All International bookings must be made through the travel agent approved by BoPP or other travel agent if the approved travel agent cannot provide the cheapest travel 4

5 option in a timely manner. Such other travel agent will be approved by the relevant senior manager who is a member of the Management Forum Leave whilst away on business The approval of leave while traveling on business internationally must be arranged with the manager and approved by the CE, before or simultaneously with, the approval of the business trip. Expenses incurred during any period of leave taken in conjunction with a business trip are the personal responsibility of the staff member as is expenditure incurred by, or on behalf of, a spouse/partner or other family members Insurance BoPP provides a travel insurance facility through the organisation s insurance policy. All staff traveling overseas on BoPP business must arrange travel insurance via the Facilities Helpdesk prior to traveling. Insurance for business travel is paid for by their relevant cost centre. Staff can also arrange insurance for private travel via the Facilities Helpdesk Koha Koha is given on a scale depending on a set of circumstances that should have the prior approval of the Director Education and Maori Development or CEO. 5. EVALUATION Expense forms are completed and approved in accordance with policy Finance to report any deviations. Travel, accommodation, subsistence and related expenditure is maintained within budget Finance to report any deviations. 6. RELEVANT DELEGATIONS 6.1 Academic Statute extracts Nil applicable 6.2 Delegations Register extracts Legislative Authority From To Delegation Authority Edn. Act 1989 s196 Chief Executive General Management of the academic, administrative and legislative requirements of the Polytechnic in accordance with the policies, directives and guidelines of Council Edn Act Chief Executive Academic and To manage the academic and administrative affairs of the Polytechnic 5

6 1989 S196 Administration 7. LINKS TO LEGISLATION, GUIDELINES, RELATED POLICIES AND FORMS Relevant legislation Related policies PR02 Use of Polytechnic Vehicles F02 Purchasing Goods and Services Recording-keeping/archiving policy (under development) (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade travel site) Allied Collective Clause 27.2 i) v) Academic Collective Clause 8.2 a) e) F12 Sensitive Expenditure Policy Related guidelines Code of Conduct Handbook Related forms Payment Request Form Travel Request (to be redesigned) Vehicle Booking (to be redesigned) Learning and Development External Request Pre-approval for International Travel (to be designed) Application for Leave Annual Leave in Advance 8. DEFINITIONS BoPP Business Collective employment agreements Conferences Daily Allowance Domestic Travel Domestic travel Pre-approval Employment Agreement For the purpose of this policy this is all domestic and international travel that is business, conference and professional development related. the Academic (TEU) and Allied (Tiasa) collective employment agreements. those events that are related to BoPP s business or research projects. A daily allowance covering meals and incidentals (such as telephone calls, morning and afternoon tea) that is set at $80 per day or as described in the collective employment agreement. any travel within New Zealand. the signed approval a staff member must have from the relevant budget holder for the expenditure. the agreement and conditions under which a staff member is employed, either under the collective agreements or an individual 6

7 employment agreement. High or extreme risk destinations Destinations identified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade where travel should either not be undertaken or should be deferred. International Travel any approved travel required outside of New Zealand on BoPP business. International Travel Preapproval the signed approval staff member must have from the CE. Koha Koha is not a for services rendered expense. Koha is multidimensional encompassing and or all of the physical, emotional and spiritual attributes of the occasion. It is a personal or collective symbol of social and ritual reciprocity. Professional Development any activities which enhance an employee s performance, ability of effectiveness in their role and relates to career progression including additional training, study or research projects undertaken by a staff member using their allocated leave and financial allowance. Training and Development relevant courses for the advancement of BoPP staff in their role with BoPP. Travel Insurance the travel insurance arrangement BoPP has through the institutions insurers for International Travel. Staff must have their own household insurance to cover them within New Zealand. Workshops Learning activities that have a clear link to either BoPP s business or research projects and or staff development. 9. DOCUMENT CONTROL Approving body: Responsibility: First point of contact: Management Forum First approved: March 2009 This version approved: April 2014 Applies from: April 2014 Review due: March 2016 Director Corporate Services Director Corporate Services 7