Purpose

To ensure all business travelers have a clear and consistent understanding of policies and procedures for business travel and related cost management.To provide business travelers with an appropriate level of service and amenity at a competitive cost.

To ensure consistency in travel practices across all business travelers across TEG.

Scope

All business-related travel paid for by TEG.Only the TEG Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Chief Financial Officer (CFO) can approve any deviation from this policy. Any other deviations are unauthorised and the traveler may be personally liable for any unauthorised commitments.

The conditions of this policy apply to all employees and contracted staff unless there is a specified exception (e.g. for class of travel) in an employment agreement or contract.

Policy Statement

The following summarises TEG’s travel policy:

• All travel, including overnight accommodation, is restricted to essential business purposes and must have prior approval by the traveler’s immediate Manager.
• Trip durations must be kept to a minimum and in particular overseas travel. Any business meetings must be submitted as part of the travel authorisation prior to booking.
• All travel must be made via the TEG’s Travel Manager for compliance and reporting purposes.
• All domestic air travel is to be in economy class and booked via ShowGroup for Australia and New Zealand.
• All international air travel is to be approved by the TEG CEO or CFO.
• Accommodation is limited to standard rooms within the ‘Preferred Hotel Program’.
• It is the responsibility of each employee and his or her Manager to control costs. Employees are expected to minimise the cost of travel to TEG through the use of video & tele-conferences (instead of travelling), utilising early booking discounts, group discounts, the prompt cancellation of any travel, and the monitoring of any unused tickets.

Compliance with the guidelines in this policy will be reported on each month by the Travel Manager to the Chief Financial Officer or Group Financial Controller.

Policy Owner and Effective Date

Chief Financial Officer

Effective Date 1 Feb 2018

Policy Updated 1 Feb 2018

TEG Travel Policy

Approval of Travel

All domestic and international business travel arrangements must be authorised prior to any commitment being entered into.

All domestic travel arrangements (and in particular airfares) are to be booked where possible at a minimum of 7 days in advance; all international travel is to be booked at a minimum of 2 weeks prior to travelling to take advantage of cheaper flights.

For International Travel:

A ‘Travel Request or Authorisation Form’ (See Appendix A) detailing flights, accommodation and hire cars required, reason for travel, and approximate costs associated with the proposed itinerary must be completed and authorised by the Department Head and TEG CEO or CFO, prior to ticketing of itinerary by the Travel Manager.

For Corporate Domestic Travel:

A ‘Travel Request or Authorisation Form’ (see Appendix A) detailing flights, accommodation and hire cars required, reason for travel, and approximate costs associated with the proposed itinerary must be completed and authorised by the department head (or equivalent) prior to making a booking with the Travel Manager.

Where available and for applicable bookings, online request and approval tools are to be used in place of the manual booking form.

Employees are not permitted to make bookings directly with airlines or other agents using credit cards, direct invoicing or cash/reimbursements.

Urgent Travel

Travel undertaken within 12 hours of booking with the Travel Manager is defined as Urgent Travel. TEG departments requiring permission for Urgent Travel should discuss their requirements for urgent travel bookings with their Department Head in advance. Department Head/SLT, or a Manager delegated with authority, will be assigned to approve Urgent Travel for that department.

Travel Manager

TEG has a preferred Travel Manager. Refer Appendix E for details.

All travel arrangements (including airfares, hotels, and car rentals) must be made through the TEG Travel Manager for compliance and reporting purposes.

The Travel Manager is authorised to enforce compliance to this Travel Policy.

Domestic bookings and Trans-Tasman flights must be made through the Travel Manager’s Online Booking Tool (OBT) where it is available or applicable for use.

• Group bookings (comprising of 10 or more travelers) should be made via phone or e-mail request to the Travel Manager.
• Once air tickets are issued, changes to bookings cannot be made via OBT and should be made via phone or e-mail request to the Travel Manager.

No bookings are to be arranged without prior approval.  The Travel Manager will only authorise bookings submitted using the Travel Authorisation Form (TAF).

If changes to the itinerary results in a substantial increase in the travel cost (e.g. changes in class of air travel), the Travel Manager will request a separate approval from the concerned Approver.

Approval will be required for any changes:

• above $200 for domestic bookings
• above $500 for international bookings.

Preferred Suppliers

TEG has selected airlines, hotels, and other service providers as preferred suppliers under contract. These suppliers have been selected as providing an acceptable level of traveler comfort, convenience and cost.  The Travel Manager is responsible for booking with the preferred suppliers.

In instances where the preferred suppliers cannot accept a booking, the Travel Manager will make alternative arrangements in accordance with the class of travel policy and at similar rates to those of the preferred suppliers.

Personal/Private Travel

Any personal travel booked through the Travel Manager or personal travel taken in conjunction with business travel is the individual employee’s (financial and other) responsibility.

Travel expenses for a spouse/partner are not reimbursable as a business expense. Any extra expense incurred as a result of the inclusion of private travel must be paid to the Travel Manager at the time of booking.

The traveler must obtain written approval from either the Department Head or TEG Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for spouse/partner and private travel.

Corporate Domestic Travel

Corporate domestic travel will be in economy class only.

All individual domestic bookings are to be made through the Travel Manager’s Online Booking Tool (OBT) where it is available.

For airline bookings the following applies:

• ‘Best Fare of the Day’ economy class tickets are to be purchased with restricted fares for departures (outbound) and arrivals (inbound) in order to get the lowest cost fares.
• Flexible fares should only be purchased where flight times are highly likely to change owing to the business circumstances and for Senior Leadership Team members.
• Tickets should be purchased at least 14 days in advance or earlier if possible.
• Consider alternative flight times – varying departure times by even 15 – 30 minutes can provide significant savings on fares.
• Should changed business circumstances necessitate the traveler having to change a return flight, the traveler should make the change to the itinerary and pay the additional fare; all such changes must be justified by the traveler and will be reported on monthly by the Travel Manager.
• If a ticket needs to be cancelled (depending on the class of travel), a refund or credit may be applicable, which needs to be monitored by the traveler. For some tickets this requires cancellation at least 24 hours prior to travelling in order to get the credit.
• No ‘Business’ or ‘First’ Class travel is permitted, unless approved by TEG CEO or CFO.

For all domestic travel within Australia, Qantas is the preferred carrier.

Alternative carriers may be used if:

• ‘Qantas’ and its partners do not have a flight to the destination;
• ‘Qantas’ and its partners schedules are incompatible with the itinerary; and/or
• There are no seats of the class required available on a ‘Qantas’ and partners scheduled flight.

Employees must seek approval to travel by other means of transport (other than airline), provided that the cost does not exceed the equivalent airfare, and travel time in excess of that for air occurs mainly outside working hours. Normally, use of private vehicles on interstate or intrastate travel is not permitted.  Exceptions to this are by approval of the Department Head only. (See section on Personal Vehicle Expenses in this policy).

International Travel

All international travel and class of travel must be pre-approved by TEG CEO or CFO.

Please note the below travel policy guidance:

• ‘Restricted/discounted’ Economy class tickets should be purchased where possible (i.e. where arrival and departure times are fixed and no changes to itinerary are required) and at least 14 days in advance.
• SLT members may travel business class for international flights > 5 hours.
• A travel class upgrade to premium economy or business for international flights greater than 9 hours may be considered by TEG CEO or CFO. Factors considered for an upgrade would be: 1) flight landing where an employee must commence a full working day on the same day as travel or 2) if the flight landed after 9pm on the prior day and employees must commence work in the morning of the next day.
• No ‘First’ class travel is permitted.
• New Zealand trips are to be economy class only. Upgrade exceptions do not apply to New Zealand.
• It is not permissible to exchange a higher class ticket for multiple tickets in a lower fare class.

Qantas is the preferred airline carrier for international travel originating from Australia.

Alternatives may be used if:

• Qantas and its partners does not have a flight to the destination;
• Qantas and its partners schedules are incompatible with the itinerary; and/or
• There are no seats of the class required available on the Qantas and partners scheduled flight.

Visas
Where travel to a foreign country requires a Visa, this should be organised via the Travel Manager.

Client Funded Travel

In instances where a client is funding an employee’s travel, standard policies apply unless the client approves in writing that they agree to an alternate travel class, specifying the class of travel. This written approval should accompany the travel request and requires approval by the TEG CEO or CFO.

Itinerary Changes

If changes to the itinerary are required, the traveler should contact the Travel Manager.

The Travel Manager supports an after-hours emergency support service.

Overnight Delays

Should an airline delay necessitate an overnight stay, the traveler must first attempt to secure complimentary accommodation from the airline.  If unsuccessful, the traveler should contact the Travel Manager who will provide appropriate accommodation options from the approved TEG ‘Preferred Hotel Program’.

Cancellations

When a trip is cancelled after the ticket has been issued, the traveler should immediately inform the Travel Manager as unused airline tickets can be used for travel by the named passenger at another time/date/flight (referred to as ‘credit’) or a refund may be applicable.

Accommodation

All accommodation must be booked with the Travel Manager and is limited to hotels nominated on the ‘Preferred Hotel Program’.

The ‘Preferred Hotel Program’ has been established with preferred suppliers to provide competitive rates across the group.  The preferred hotels have been selected based on:

• Rates
• Service and amenities
• Insurance and OHS provisions
• Reporting
• Location
• Suitability
• Security

Only standard rooms are to be booked. If these rooms are unavailable at your hotel of choice, you should seek an alternative property from the preferred listing.

Where multiple hotels service the same location, travelers should book the cheapest hotel room subject to availability.

Mobile phones should be used in lieu of hotel room phones since the rates are generally lower. Employees are advised to use wireless networks where possible.

Non-Preferred Hotels
Occasionally it will be necessary to stay at a hotel that is not part of the TEG ‘Preferred Hotel Program’ (in areas where a hotel listing is not provided or if preferred hotels are fully booked).  The Travel Manager will be able to assist you in making bookings and can provide advice on the various options available.

Car Rental and Petrol

TEG has a preferred car rental company: Avis.

Where possible, significant trips outside of the CBD should be completed using a Rental Car (not taxis).  If hiring a Rental Car would be cheaper than travelling by taxi in CBD locations, then a Rental Car should be utilised. The cheapest rental car available that is suitable for the journey should be hired.

Rental Cars are to be booked through the OBT (Online Booking Tool) where it is available or via the Travel Manager.

Unless three (3) or more employees are travelling together, or there is excessive baggage or equipment, a small car should be hired.

Under all circumstances, refueling prior to returning of the Rental Car is mandatory to avoid additional fuel charges.

It is imperative that you inspect your vehicle before (a) you drive away and (b) when you return and ensure that any damage or scratches are noted with the car rental company.

Under certain circumstances, employees may be allowed to use their own car instead of booking a hire car and to claim a fixed rate that would be the cost of a hire car instead of claiming mileage. For example, in instances where there is a significant distance required to get to the hire car place to pick up the hire car which is extra travel, or the employee feels safer driving their own car over greater distances. This must be requested in advance and have written authorisation to support any claim. The amount to be claimed is capped to the cost of the cheapest hire car available that is suitable for the journey and mileage cannot be claimed.

Fines

In no circumstances will road traffic infringements (parking fines & speeding tickets) be reimbursed by TEG.

Uber

Uber is to be used for business purposes only. Uber is to be used only if surge pricing does not exceed the cost of a taxi. Any business-related travel should be paid for by staff (either via corporate or personal credit card) and then claimed via the expense reimbursement process.  It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that original receipts detailing the date, origin, destination and fare are obtained for each trip.

Receipts must be attached to the expense reimbursement claim and an explanation for the trip must also be provided (including supplier/company details, etc). Each claim must be authorised by the Department Head.

Taxis

Taxis are to be used for business purposes only. Any business-related travel should be paid for by staff (either via cash or credit card) and then claimed via the expense reimbursement process.  It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that original receipts detailing the date, origin, destination and fare are obtained for each trip.

Staff with infrequent taxi travel requirements must recover taxi fares via an expense claim. Staff who are frequent taxi travelers will use their assigned corporate card. All expense claims are to be submitted via Concur (refer to Expenses Policy).

Mobile Phone / International Roaming

For TEG employees on the Telstra Corporate Plan, an International Roaming Day Pass facility can be applied by Telstra to TEG mobile accounts, where employees are travelling internationally. Divisions not on the Corporate plan need to manage costs effectively.

The approved list of company phone users reside with IT place. Please check with Matthew Coutts if unsure of your phone status. If an employee is not included in this list, please send an email request to Richard Wilson, Group Financial Controller for approval outlining business reason and including a copy of the Travel Diary. It is critical, staff member traveling advises Corporate IT of overseas travel dates.

Details of approved roaming limits and charges are provided in the Mobile usage policy. If in doubt, please clarify with Matthew Coutts in Corporate IT.

As per Corporate Phone policy, employees should do everything possible to manage minimum phone costs while traveling.

Group Bookings

Where ten (10) or more employees are travelling together, contracted discounts may not apply, however group discounts may be obtained by the Travel Manager who can provide advice on the best cost options for the booking.

Please use the TEG Group Travel Booking Form when making group bookings (available on the TEG Procurement intranet site).

Travel Insurance and Emergency Support

TEG has negotiated fully comprehensive domestic and international travel insurance as part of its overall insurance package.  This covers travelers for medical expenses and general loss or theft whilst on company business.

This insurance does not cover rental cars – collision damage, theft protection, and personal effects cover. Rental cars have their own accident insurance as part of their rental.

Emergency Support

While travelling on company business, for any emergencies the traveler should call the Travel Manager’s Emergency Service Centre in the first instance on the relevant numbers in Appendix E.

Insurance for personal travel and activities is not covered.  Personal individual travel insurance taken out by travelers will not be reimbursed.

Travel Allowance and Expenses

TEG will pay for the following business-related travel expenses:

• Accommodation and business room telephone charges (however mobile phone and wireless access should be used where possible to avoid excessive hotel room telephone charges)
• Meals
• Incidentals (i.e. telephones calls, business related internet charges, taxis, departure taxes); before travelling check whether it is cheaper to use mobile phone or wireless cards for laptops rather than hotel phones and internet.

TEG will not pay for:

• Videos/Movies or Gym/Health Club fees
• Mini bar costs
• Laundry costs which involve less than 5 working days away
• Unreasonable/excessive costs (i.e. personal phone calls)

Maximum claimable amounts are detailed in Appendix D.

Receipts must be provided within 60 days with manager approval in order for expenses to be reimbursed.

Per Diem

For some business units or award staff, and where pre-approval has been received, a per diem travel allowance can be claimed.

In the event of claiming a per diem allowance, no other meals and incidental expenses (e.g. in-room phone) would be reimbursed.

Further details of the travel allowance rates, including per diems are included within Appendix D.

Contracted/temporary staff member travel

TEG will pay for the following business-related travel expenses for contracted or temporary staff:

• Accommodation
• Air Travel
• Hire Car

All contracted and temporary staff member travel arrangements must be made via TEG’s preferred travel management company. These travel arrangements must comply with the clauses outlined in this policy.

Any travel expenses paid for by TEG cannot be claimed via invoice at a later date.

All other related expenses paid for by the Contractor / Temporary Staff Member are to be made via an expense claim, supported by receipts, sent via Concur to the Department Head responsible for approving the business-related travel. The expenses will be handled as per the standard expense claims procedure.

Travel Diary

Due to fringe benefits tax law, the Australian Taxation Office and New Zealand Inland Revenue Department require a travel diary to be kept when a traveler from Australia is away for five (5) or more consecutive nights on domestic or overseas travel.

Although, the Travel Manager will provide an itinerary with the booking details, you must complete a separate travel diary.  This travel diary will be reviewed to determine whether the expenditure was necessarily incurred in relation to company business.

For domestic or overseas travel of less than five (5) nights in a row that is 100% business related, a travel diary is NOT required. For local travel of less than five (5) nights that is only partly business related an expense payment benefit declaration must be prepared.

Overseas business trips

The Travel Diary must be completed within three (3) days of return from an overseas business trip.  Details of the nature of the trip are to be:

• Date of entry (no later than 3 days following return)
• Date and time of business activity (broken down daily)
• Location of activity (City/Town and Country, if appropriate)
• Duration of activity (how long was spent at each activity)
• Nature of activity (company/location visited and purpose of visit)
• Names of people attending
• Reason for the meeting
• Travel diaries need to be signed and dated by the person travelling.

Completed diaries should be sent to the Accounts Payable Team: Expenses@t-e-g.com.au.  See Appendix C for Travel Diary template. The travel diary must be submitted with the travel expense claim otherwise no reimbursement of expenditure will be made.

Failure to keep a travel diary will require TEG to report the amount on the traveler’s group certificate as a fringe benefit.

Loyalty Programs / Schemes / Clubs / Airline Lounge Membership

Employees are welcome to join loyalty programmes, schemes, clubs, and/or airline lounge memberships at their own expense.

Participation in these programs will not influence flight selection by the Travel Manager.

All membership fees associated with joining these programmes will not be eligible for reimbursement by TEG.

Gifts and Gratuities

All inbound and outbound gifts including gifts from TEG to its employees are covered under the Gifts and Gratuities policy [insert hyperlink here].

Payment of Travel

Travelers with a Corporate Card

Refer to Expense Policy

Travelers without a Corporate Card

Travelers without a corporate card should book their travel via their department travel booker who will use the department’s card for payment of airfares, accommodation and hire cars.  Any additional expenses must be paid by the traveler, retaining a valid tax receipt and claimed via reimbursement upon their return.

Refer to Expense Policy

Cash Advances

Cash advances are generally not provided, however depending on the nature, destination and/or duration of the travel, approval may be given.

Approvals are to be issued by the Group Financial Controller who will advise Accounts Payable. Request must be made at least 48 hours prior to the funds being required so that funds can be organised.

At the conclusion of the travel, the traveler must provide A COMPLETE RECONCILIATION ALONG WITH TAX RECEIPTS to Accounts Payable for processing.

Authorised travel costs (airfare, domestic hotel & rental car expenses) will be direct-billed to TEG either directly by the travel service provider or through the Travel Manager.

Any private travel arrangements (such as upgrades, unauthorised spouse/partner travel, and holiday travel) must be paid to the Travel Manager at the time of booking.

Additional expenses (such as meals, laundry, and in-house videos) should be paid directly by the traveler and legitimate business expenses claimed on an expense report.

Reimbursement Deadline

Travelers must submit any travel expense claims as soon as practical upon returning from a trip but within a maximum of 60 days after incurring the expense.  Any claims submitted after 60 days of being incurred may not be reimbursed.

Reimbursement Payments

Once an expense claim has been submitted and authorised, it will be paid in the next payroll cycle for the employee.

Travel Forms

All forms required for Travel Approval or as part of the requirements are located on the intranet here