PMI Travel and Expense Policy Effective March 15, 2012

Transcription

1 PMI Travel and Expense Policy Effective March 15, 2012 I. PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to define policies and procedures concerning employee business travel and associated expense reporting. These policies and procedures apply to all employees of Pacific Market International (PMI), with some logical exceptions provided for local offices in Manila, Shanghai and Amsterdam. Business travel can be challenging, and this policy is intended to simplify and assist with your travel. Employees traveling on PMI business should do so in reasonable comfort, safety, and at a fair cost. PMI will reimburse employees for all reasonable expenses incurred while conducting Company business, provided they are fully explained on the Employee Expense Report and approved. Excessive or unreasonable expenses will be discussed between the employee and Manager and may be deemed personal expenses. The following guidelines have been established to implement the Travel and Expense Policy. It is the responsibility of each employee to adhere to these guidelines when involved with expenditures or funds on behalf of PMI when traveling on Company business. It is the responsibility of those authorizing expenditures to ensure that appropriate documentation is obtained, and that these guidelines are adhered to prior to approving the expenditure on behalf of PMI. Travelers are expected to adhere to the following general principles: Spend the Company s money carefully and judiciously. Plan travel well in advance to maximize savings. Report expenses, with required documentation, as they were spent. Situations not covered by the following guidelines should be discussed in advance with the employee s supervisor. II. BEFORE TRAVELING: Planning your Trip Trip Objectives and Approval All travel must be pre-approved by your department manager via , including a Trip Objective. All travel expenses reimbursed by PMI must be directly for the purpose of conducting Company business or otherwise supporting specific Company goals. Travel & Expense Policy V.01 Effective 03/15/2012 Page 1

2 Expense reimbursement questions should be directed to the accounting department prior to traveling. Approved expenses will be reimbursed within two weeks after approval. Questions or concerns with the PMI Travel Policy shall be directed to the Vice President, Human Resources. Booking Airline Travel An approved Trip Objective must be submitted with all requests for travel bookings. Please make sure that your employee travel profile is on file and updated/current with the PMI travel Coordinator. Whenever possible, airline tickets must be ticketed 14 days in advance. Exceptions must be approved by a Senior Manager. When traveling to a meeting or trade show, it is expected that you will travel with the other PMI employees who are attending the event. Travel time can then be used for business discussions. There are three ways to book travel: 1. Call the PMI Travel Coordinator, Dann Pamorada at (206) the PMI Travel Coordinator at: Danilo.Pamorada@pmi-worldwide.com 3. Online at The Travel Coordinator will book your airfare utilizing the PMI American Express card. All airfare is to be booked on the PMI American Express card, which allows for reporting and tracking. Be aware of all of the rules and fees on changes and cancellations before completing the purchase of your air travel. Travel Class All domestic flights will be booked in coach class. All international flights will be booked in economy class. When traveling internationally, on flights longer than five hours, employees may upgrade to economy extra class. PMI will cover the cost of this type of upgrade, up to a maximum of 180USD. Booking Lodging In general, lodging is authorized for overnight or extended business trips. Accommodations should be of good quality and in line with the business needs of the employee and Company. Expenses for upgraded rooms or Club Floor rooms are the responsibility of the employee. Travel & Expense Policy V.01 Effective 03/15/2012 Page 2

3 If a hotel reservation is guaranteed for late arrival or otherwise, it is extremely important that any such guaranteed hotel reservations be canceled in the event of a change in travel plans. No-show or other cancellation charges that could have reasonably been avoided are the responsibility of the traveler. The daily cost of lodging includes the single occupancy room rate and applicable taxes. In Seattle and Shanghai, PMI has negotiated favorable rates with local hotels (The Edgewater in Seattle and Novotel in Shanghai). The PMI Travel Coordinator will refer all PMI hotel stays to these hotels. It is required that PMI employees on business travel stay at the hotel where PMI has negotiated a special rate. This allows for PMI to continue a strong local rate and relationship. In the case of longer term stays of more than 10 business days, alternative arrangements beyond the designated hotels can be considered. This option must be approved by the appropriate Senior Leader. Charges for employee use of hotel health clubs are reimbursable (up to $25.00/day USD). Ground Transportation Planning Travelers are responsible for making their own arrangements for travel to and from the airport by driving a personal automobile, using a shuttle service, taxi, or other local transportation service. Employees are encouraged to use their own vehicle, especially for short trips, when the cost of parking and mileage would be less than the cost of a taxi or shuttle, and when the security of the traveler is not an issue (departure and return during daylight hours). Travelers are reimbursed for parking fees and for mileage to and from the airport at the present standard rate allowed. PMI will reimburse travelers for long term airport parking up to $15.00 per day. Auto Rentals, Taxis, and Shuttles Whenever possible, employees should use free airport or hotel shuttles when traveling to and from their hotels. Auto rentals, when necessary, are an allowable expense while traveling on Company business. When determining whether a rental car is needed, the employee should consider the location to be visited, the amount of driving that will be required, and the availability and cost of other transportation options (e.g., taxis, and complimentary hotel shuttles) before renting a car. To maximize savings, every effort should be made to refill the gas tank before returning a rental car to the rental car company, and to submit a receipt for reimbursement. Please be aware of the gas charge rules for your rental company in advance. Travel & Expense Policy V.01 Effective 03/15/2012 Page 3

4 Automobile damage or loss while traveling on PMI business PMI will pay for the deductible for collision damage on rental autos used by employees on Company business, other than in the case of severe negligence such as use of alcohol or drugs while driving. Company Business using a personal car includes: Driving to and from the airport for a business trip Customer/Vendor meeting travel Company errands, regardless of distance It does not include commuting to and from work All employees using a personal car for Company Business are required to provide the following information to Human Resources. This information is considered highly confidential and will be subject to the requirements of The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA): Date of Birth Driver s License State Driver s License Number Expiration Date of License Amount of Liability Coverage on your personal auto insurance policy In the event an employee s personal automobile suffers damage or loss while being used on Company business, the employee will be reimbursed for the amount of the deductible on his or her personal auto insurance policy, up to $500. When using your personal car for company business, you are responsible to keep track of your business mileage. You will be reimbursed for your mileage at the current IRS approved reimbursement rate. USA employees: As required by PMI s insurance provider, any employee who operates his or her own personal automobile while conducting company business must have an amount of personal automobile insurance at least equal to the greater of a) the minimum amount required under the State law in which the vehicle is registered; or b) $100,000. An employee driving a personal car on Company business is not covered by insurance provided by the Company, but rather is covered by his or her own personal insurance. Rental car insurance coverage and damage/loss policy USA and Canada rentals: The optional insurance coverage for all USA and Canada rental agreements is to be declined. In the event of an accident, the insurance company will look to the employee s automobile insurance for coverage. In such case, the employee will be reimbursed by PMI for the amount of the deductible on his or her Travel & Expense Policy V.01 Effective 03/15/2012 Page 4

5 personal auto insurance policy, up to $500. If an employee does not own a personal vehicle or have personal automobile insurance, the rental car insurance should be purchased. All other countries: Always accept the rental insurance coverage. Financial Planning and Paying for Your Trip Company Credit Cards The Company may provide a corporate credit card to employees who are required to travel frequently. The issuance of these cards must be requested and authorized by the employee s manager. The Company credit card may only be used for business charges and is not to be used for personal expenses. The employee is personally responsible for prompt payment of the monthly statement from the reimbursement received for authorized expenses. If the monthly account is not kept current, the card may be canceled and any outstanding balance withheld from the employee s salary for forwarding to the credit card company. The Company will pay for any annual fees charged by the credit card company. Accordingly, all cardholders should reconcile their monthly credit card statement to the related Expense Report to ensure the expenses are properly included in the Expense Reports. Any discrepancies with hotels, car rental agencies or other charges are to be resolved with the credit card company and the vendor prior to submitting the related charge on the Employee Expense Report. Individual cardholder discrepancies must be resolved by the individual cardholder. III. DURING TRAVEL Company business travel expenses are reimbursable within the travel policy guidelines, with proper documentation of those expenses. Receipts are required not just by the company but by law (for company income tax documentation), and employees should collect and organize all receipts when the expenses occur. Entertainment-related meals and expenses need to be documented with the business purpose and specific attendees. Meals and Entertainment Meals Meals purchased by an employee while traveling on Company business are reimbursable expenses. The cost of a meal includes the total cost, including taxes and tips or service charges as applicable. Travel & Expense Policy V.01 Effective 03/15/2012 Page 5

6 Alcoholic mini-bar expenses are not reimbursable. The daily spending guideline for meals while traveling is $50 per day per person. Entertainment Employees who entertain business associates from outside the Company will be reimbursed for reasonable expenses. All entertainment expenses must have a business purpose and justification. The entertainment expense should reflect the status of the guest and the nature of his or her relationship to the Company. Substantial entertainment expenses must have prior approval from a Senior Manager. Parking and Tolls Whether in a personal auto, rental auto, or Company auto, parking and tolls incurred during business travel will be reimbursed. TECHNOLOGY At least 2 weeks prior to your trip, please send an with these details to helpdesk@pmi-worldwide.com: 1. Destination(s) 2. Dates of travel 3. Device needs: Laptop, cell phone, mobile hot-spot, etc. A member of the MIS team will reach out to you to ensure your technology needs are met for your trip. If proper arrangements are not made, using your mobile devices while traveling can incur significant financial charges to PMI. It is possible your existing equipment will need to be altered or loaner equipment distributed, so please contact Help Desk a minimum of 1 week prior to your trip (if possible). Internet connection charges while traveling are reimbursable. Laundry On business trips covering more than four consecutive days away from home, reasonable laundry expenses consistent with the trip duration will be allowed. However, depending on the nature of the out-of-town business, reasonable valet charges (e.g., pressing of garments) will be allowed, regardless of the length of the trip. Tips Reasonable tips, such as for porters or housekeeping services, meals and baggage storage at airports and hotels, will be reimbursed. Postage/Freight Business-related postal and freight charges will be reimbursed. Please use PMI freight accounts whenever possible as our negotiated account rates are more favorable. Travel & Expense Policy V.01 Effective 03/15/2012 Page 6

7 Baggage Fees For business travel, one checked bag is the norm and PMI will pay the checked luggage fee for one checked bag. If your travel requires more than one bag due to business requirements (trade show, trip more than 5 days), please submit the receipt for the checked luggage fee along with an explanation for the additional checked luggage for reimbursement. Foreign Travel Costs of passports, visas, inoculations, currency exchanges, and any other miscellaneous expenses associated with business travel outside of the employee s home country will be reimbursed. Apply for passports or visas at least two weeks in advance to avoid the fees required to expedite your documents. Non-Reimbursable Expenses The following are not considered reimbursable expenses for business travel: Personal entertainment (e.g., theaters, night clubs, sporting events, golf fees and hotel movies, other than for customer entertainment purposes) Personal care (e.g., haircuts, personal hygiene products, medications, spa or salon charges) Social memberships Airline club memberships Trip or flight insurance Regular commuting expenses Family member(s) accompanying traveler (for personal reasons) Airline movies and headsets Traffic/parking violations Companion-Related Expenses Where companion travel does not fill a business purpose, but is solely for personal reasons, the additional expenses are considered the personal responsibility of the employee. Health/Medical coverage while traveling At times, you may become sick or injured while traveling. For domestic travel, utilize your regular PMI medical coverage. For international travel, PMI provides coverage through MEDEX. If you are planning international travel, please go to the PMI Go site, HR/Admin., Travel folder and print a copy of the International Travelers Assistance Identification card. IV. AFTER TRAVEL Employee Expense Reporting and Reimbursement Travel & Expense Policy V.01 Effective 03/15/2012 Page 7

8 Expense Documentation Proper and adequate documentation is required for each expense report. Receipts are required for all expenses for which a receipt is normally given. Receipts are not required for tips, phone calls, and other expenses where a receipt is not customary. If the person normally approving an employee s expense report will be unavailable for an extended period, a Senior Manager may approve the expenses. Expense Report Timing Expense reports should be submitted to the Accounting Department for processing as soon as possible after each business trip and no later than 30 days after return. Year-end expense reports are required to be submitted in a shorter time frame, within 10 days of December 31 st and no expenses for any prior year will be reimbursed if submitted more than 10 days after year end. Expense reports must be received in the Accounting Department prior to the end of the day on Friday in order to be paid the following week. Expense Report Instructions Expense reports should always be completed electronically. All expenses should be reported and the scanned receipts attached in Oracle. When using foreign currencies on an employee expense report, the exchange rate used is to be based upon the exchange rate at the time the service was rendered. For example, when cash is exchanged into local currency and then utilized throughout the trip for local costs, the exchange rate for the date the cash was exchanged is the rated used for expense reporting. When a credit card is used, the rate and charge that appears on the credit card receipt is the rate used. The Oracle System has exchange rates updated daily, and if the rate you need is not there please use to determine the appropriate rate. When on Company business with other employees and reimbursable expenses are incurred jointly, the most senior individual should pay for the entire charge and document on his or her expense report the names of the other employees. All bills, other than car rental charges, that include more than one expense type or multiple days (e.g., hotel bills), must be itemized by expense type. This policy will be regularly reviewed and updated. The current version of the policy will always be available on the PMI Go Site. Business travel can be challenging, and this policy is intended to simplify and assist with your travel. Have a safe journey! Travel & Expense Policy V.01 Effective 03/15/2012 Page 8