Policy on Travel, Accommodation and Subsistence

Index

6.1.1 Standard rates
6.1.2 Adjustments
6.1.3 Expenditure in excess of standard rates

6.5.1 Tips
65.2 Dependent-care expenses arising from University travel
6.5.3 Car Hire
6.5.4 Airport Lounges

This policy has been established to ensure that the University is accountable for its use of public funds for travel, that staff are properly supported, and that efficient and cost effective administrative arrangements are enabled.

It applies to staff and to other persons travelling on official University business paid for by the University.

The formal travel procedures arising from this policy are listed separately.

2.1 The University will only fund travel if it is for official University business (“University travel”).

Funds of the University include recurrent funds and non-recurrent funds (including research grants, funds in consulting accounts).

2.2 Staff must seek approval from an Authorised Person to undertake University travel.

2.3 The University will only require staff to travel when it is safe to do so, having reasonable regard to available information.

2.4 Staff who undertake University travel are accountable for compliance with this policy.

2.5 Staff who authorise travel are accountable for compliance with this policy.

2.6 The University will provide financial support for University travel consistent with the purpose of the travel, the public nature of the University and community standards.

2.7 No staff member may approve his/her own travel or benefits.

2.8 University travel should be arranged using the suppliers preferred by the University wherever possible.

3.1 Authorised Persons

Persons authorised to approve travel (Authorised Persons) are: members of the Senior Executive; Executive Deans; University Librarian; Executive Director of Administration; and AOU heads. Where an Authorised Person's authority is to be delegated, the delegation must be approved in writing by the relevant Cost Centre Head and must specify the scope and any limits.

Staff intending to undertake University travel are required to apply for approval from the Authorised Person, normally the supervisor, in advance of the travel. Approvals must be recorded in writing.

3.2 University restrictions on travel

The University reserves the right to withdraw approval, restrict, or cancel University travel, having regard to health warnings, security warnings or other factors.

3.3 Key considerations

The following matters are of particular relevance to overseas travel.

3.3.1 The University may not require staff members to travel in areas they feel may be unsafe, given their particular circumstances.

3.3.2 The travel health and security advice provided by official sources must be consulted and appropriate steps taken where relevant.

3.3.3 Travel to high-risk areas should be discouraged.

3.3.4 If the proposed travel to a high-risk area is considered to be essential and not able to be deferred, then a thorough risk analysis must be undertaken by both the traveller and the Authorised Person, which includes a description of steps to be taken to mitigate the risks.

The Cost Centre Head must be made aware of travel that is in this category and, if it is to be approved, must note the rationale for proceeding with the travel. If the Cost Centre Head is not convinced about the relative safety of the travel proposed, it should not be approved.

4.1 The University will maintain a list of preferred/approved suppliers which will include travel agents and airlines. These suppliers have been appointed because:

they provide air fare discounts and incentives that produce savings for the University;

they offer a range of services for travel;

by using them, the University can economise on travel administration.

University travel should be booked through one of the preferred travel agents wherever possible.

4.2 Changes to the list of preferred/approved suppliers must be approved by the Executive Director of Administration.

4.3 Grounds on which the Authorised Person may approve the use of another supplier are:

a package deal connected with a conference offering substantial cost savings;

route availability;

convenience of flight departure and/or arrival times; and

a cheaper airfare is available (a quote having been obtained from the Preferred airline).

In all other cases the use of other suppliers will not be approved unless exceptional circumstances have arisen. Approval must be sought from the Executive Director of Administration.

5.1 The standard for all air travel is economy or discount fares.

5.2 Except where Frequent Flyer Points are used to up-grade (see clause 7), staff members must make a special case for flying at any other class than economy or discounted fare.

5.2.1 A case must be made to the Authorised Person.

5.2.2 Approvals given must be recorded in writing for monitoring purposes.

5.2.3 An Authorised Person may require a staff member to travel a day earlier and pay additional accommodation rather than approve a higher class of travel.

6.1 Accommodation and subsistence

Where travel is approved by the University, the University will normally meet the costs associated with accommodation, meals, incidentals and other approved items, up to the standard rates adopted by the University, subject to the availability of funding.

6.1.1 Standard rates
Rates for meals and incidentals are included within the University's Travel Procedures . The standard for accommodation is moderate business class hotels convenient to the place of business.

6.1.2 Adjustments
When meals are provided as part of conference registration packages the amounts allowed must be adjusted. As appropriate meals are served during flights, eligibility for meal allowances should commence on arrival at the destination and cease upon departure.

6.1.3 Expenditure in excess of standard rates
Where persons incur expenses in excess of the University's standard rates, they will be required to demonstrate to the Authorised Person that the excess expenses were justified in the circumstances. They will also be required, for ATO purposes, to substantiate all expenses.

If the Authorised Person does not find the excess expenditure to be justified, the expenditure will not be approved. Depending on the circumstances, staff will be required to refund the excess expenditure to the University (in which case: the amount owing must be paid within fourteen (14) days of the determination by the Authorised Person; or additional funding from the University will not be forthcoming).

6.2 Domestic travel - payment and acquittal

Only actual expenditure incurred on accommodation, meals, incidentals and other items will be met by the University, up to the standard rates.

Staff may pay for travel expenses as follows:

through the use of a University purchasing card, either for direct payment or, where necessary (and approved), for withdrawal of cash advances;

or where this is not possible

by cash advance paid to a staff member before commencement of travel, which is based on a costed itinerary; or

by reimbursement at the end of travel..
All expenses must be acquitted in the appropriate way, and by the due date, as specified in the Procedures for Travel.

6.3 International travel - payment and acquittal

Reflecting the greater complexity of international travel, there are two methods of payment and acquittal.

The University will:

meet the actual costs incurred by the staff member up to the standard rates (in which case all expenditure must be acquitted as for domestic, above); or

pay the staff member a travel allowance up to the standard rates (in which case different arrangements for acquittal would apply and detailed acquittal of all expenditure would not be required); as determined by the Cost Centre Head, having regard to the nature of the activity.

The Cost Centre Head's decision about the method of compensation will be final.

The procedures to be followed are set out in the Procedures for Travel.

6.4 Offshore teaching

If the travel is for the purpose of conducting off shore teaching, this policy should be read in conjunction with the University's Off Shore Teaching - Conditions for Academic Staff Policy.

6.5 Other items

6.5.1 Tips
Where tipping is expected and customary, and where approved as an anticipated travel expense by the Authorised Person, the University will cover the cost of tips for service. Tips should be identified in the receipt or invoice, where possible.

6.5.2 Dependent-care expenses arising from University travel
Staff members may be reimbursed for reasonable costs of dependent care necessarily incurred as a result of their travelling on University business if approved in advance by the Authorised Person and following submission of proof of the expenditure.

6.5.3 Car Hire
The University will maintain a list of preferred suppliers of car hire. In Australia, staff must obtain appropriate discounted government rates from any car hire company and arrange for direct payment by the University to the rental agency or by credit card. Anticipated expenditure on car hire when overseas must be foreshadowed in the travel itinerary and be approved by the Authorised Person.

6.5.4 Airport Lounges

Cost Centre Heads may authorise the payment of airport lounge memberships where they believe that this represents value for money for the University. Lifetime membership will not be funded by the University.

7.1 FFPs gained by staff in the course of University travel should be used to purchase future University travel wherever possible.

7.2 Staff travelling on University business may use FFPs to upgrade from economy (no approval required).

8.1 Flinders University has a corporate travel policy that provides cover for persons travelling on University business in certain circumstances.

8.2 Current information about the University's corporate travel policy, the cover available for intrastate, interstate and international travel, and the procedures required to arrange cover, is available from the Procedures for Travel and the University Insurance Officer.

9.1 Fringe Benefits Tax ensures that tax is paid on those fringe benefits provided in place of, or in addition to, salary or wages of employees. FBT on travel can arise where private and business travel is combined, or where substantiation requirements, such as travel diaries, are not met. While FBT is payable by the employer, the University will calculate the amount of FBT and require staff to pay it within the time specified in the Travel Procedures. If the staff member does not do this, the University will take appropriate action.

Staff should refer to the University's financial policies and procedures to ensure that they attend to any specific acquittal/record keeping requirements with regard to FBT.

9.2 Staff who travel within Australia will pay GST on most travel and incidental travel purchases. Under the GST legislation, the University is entitled to claim back any GST paid on goods and services it purchases on condition that it can support the claim with correct documentation.

Staff should refer to the University's financial policies and procedures to ensure that they attend to any specific acquittal/record keeping requirements with regard to GST.