ALLOWANCES AND BENEFITS Human Resource Manual Duty Travel and Accommodation Section 1507 DUTY TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION

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1 PURPOSE ALLOWANCES AND BENEFITS Human Resource Manual DUTY TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATION 1. The cost of reasonable expenses is repaid to an employee after travelling on government business. APPLICATION 2. These guidelines and procedures apply to all employees. DEFINITIONS 3. Commercial Accommodation means a private business that charges for providing overnight accommodation. 4. Duty Travel means travelling on authorized Government business. PROVISIONS TRANSPORTATION COSTS Economy Air Fare 5. Airfares are paid with Government travel warrants or Government Corporate credit cards whenever possible. If circumstances prevent the employee from getting a travel warrant or purchasing the ticket on GN Corporate credit cards, the cost of air fare is included on an expense claim. The airline tickets must accompany the claim. Privately Owned Car 6. An employee needs pre-authorization for using a privately owned vehicle for duty travel: 7. If commercial transportation is more reasonable, transportation by privately owned cars is not authorized. 8. Expense claims cannot exceed the costs the employee would have incurred if travelling by commercial means. 9. If the Employee uses a privately owned vehicle for the Employer's convenience, the allowance is: May 02,

2 $0.485 per kilometre for travel in Nunavut. For NTA bargaining unit members, the rate is $.36 per kilometre; $0.345 per kilometre for travel elsewhere, with the exception of NTA bargaining unit members who are eligible for $.27 per kilometre. 10. If the Employee uses a privately owned vehicle for their own convenience, the allowance is $.225 per kilometre, and $.12 for NTA employees.(when Federal rates change, these rates are adjusted) 11. Other paid expenses include: parking charges; ferry, bridge, road and tunnel tolls; other travel expenses where applicable. 12. The following limitations apply: Privately owned vehicles must have personal insurance to be used for Government business; The Government does not pay for additional insurance costs on privately owned vehicles; The distance allowance is paid according to the Canadian Warehousing Official Distance Guide. If the distance is not listed, the most accepted distance for the most direct route is used. Where other employees are passengers, no additional allowance is paid. 13. When using a privately owned vehicle on Government business, damage, loss, or liability is the employee s responsibility. This applies except when these losses are claimed under the Worker s Compensation Act. Chartered Aircraft 14. Employees need approval before hiring chartered aircraft for Government business. May 02,

3 First Class Rail ALLOWANCES AND BENEFITS Human Resource Manual 15. Rail transportation includes a sleeping car, duplex roomette or parlour car chair. Coach class should normally be used for short trips. Rental Cars 16. Renting a car must be the most economical or reasonable means of transportation. Other 17. The Government may pay daily transportation expenses between the employee's home and their place of work. Prior approval is needed for the following: (1) the Government may pay for a taxi between home and the work place if the employee works after normal hours and the circumstances make it unreasonable to use their normal means of transportation; (2) the Government may pay expenses if transportation is needed for bulky documents, or for time and economical reasons. ACCOMMODATION COSTS 18. Commercial accommodation is used except in the following circumstances: when staying in private accommodation; when staying in one community for 18 days or longer (NEU/ SeniorManagement/Excluded), or 15 days or longer in the case of NTA members; when an acceptable level of quality is not available; when no commercial accommodation is available within ten kilometres of the worksite. 19. When staying in commercial accommodation the following guidelines apply: hotels with Government rates are used whenever possible; and May 02,

4 accommodation warrants or GN Corporate credit cards are used whenever possible. If the employee pays for the accommodation, they submit a receipt for repayment. Where employees make private arrangements for overnight accommodation, they may claim $50.00 for each night. NEU members, excluded and management employees may claim a higher rate of $75.00 per night in accommodation inside Nunavut. Employees on duty travel for more than 15 days in the case of NTA employees, and for more than 18 days in the case of NEU/Management/Excluded employees may be provided with Government accommodation. At that point the employee cannot claim the $50.00 non-commercial accommodation allowance and is financially responsible for any damage incurred. Meals and Incidental Expenses OTHER EXPENSES 20. Meals and Incidental Expenses cover the cost of meals and other expenses like tips to miscellaneous service personnel. Unless otherwise stated, the maximum for reimbursing expenses without receipts is $8. NTA members must provide receipts for any expenses exceeding $ Full per diem rates are paid for duty travel not more than 18 calendar days. NTA members may only claim this rate for duty travel not more than 15 days. (Refer to: Financial Administration Manual, Section 820-1, Duty Travel - Expenditure Claims). 22. When expenses exceed the allowable rates, the employee can claim for the actual costs upon the submission of receipts. 23. For duty travel beyond 18 calendar days in one location, the per diem is reduced to $20 per day for meals. For NTA members on duty travel beyond 15 days, the per diem is reduced to $15 per day for meals. Exceptions are made when housekeeping units or reasonable room and board are not available. May 02,

5 24. Employees are not considered "in travel status" when appointed to a position in one area but a major part of the work is outside that area. 25. When a return trip is made in one day, the employee can claim for meals but not incidentals. 26. Other expenses employees may claim for payment include: (1) Long distance telephone calls if of an official nature. if an employee is away from home over a weekend and started duty travel at least two days before the weekend one personal, ten minute, long distance call can be claimed (5 minutes for NTA members). (2) Baggage (3) Taxis for storage and excess baggage charges, but only when the extra charges were necessitated by the performance of duties. taxi expenses must be explained except where the purpose is self-evident; taxis should not be authorized for repeated trips between places, if convenient public transportation is available. (4) Laundry expenses of $3. per day are paid after two consecutive days on duty travel. NTA members are eligible for $2 per day. Receipts are needed. (5) Local phone calls for business purposes only. May 02,

6 (6) Payment for casual wages for service personnel cannot be more than $50 and requires a satisfactory explanation. (7) Child care expenses if the employee's child care expenses are more than normal, they may be reimbursed a maximum of $40 per day per child ($25 for NTA members). Receipts are required. 27. The following expenses cannot be claimed: purchase of office supplies or equipment. rental of television or radio receiving sets. purchases of a personal nature, such as baggage, clothing, etc. personal telephone calls, telegraph, cable, or radio messages, unless specifically authorized. any expenses for stopovers due to personal reasons. any expenses during periods of leave, with or without pay. any money or personal belongings that are lost. 28. The Employer authorizes duty travel by signing the travel authorization and expense claim before the trip starts. 29. The employee submits a travel authorization and expense form to request an advance for travel expenses at least three days before travel. 30. The form is returned to the employee. The travel advance cheque and an accommodation warrant, if applicable, are attached. 31. The expense claim is submitted within ten business days of completing the trip with all receipts attached. If the travel advance was greater than the expenses, a personal cheque is attached for the difference. 32. Except in special cases, no more than one travel advance can be outstanding at any time. May 02,

7 AUTHORITIES AND REFERENCES 33. Main Collective Agreement with NEU Article 41, Duty Travel 34. Collective Agreement with NTA Article B-4, Duty Travel 35. Senior Managers' Handbook Duty Travel 36. Excluded Employees' Handbook Duty Travel 37. Financial Administration Manual Section 820-1, Duty Travel - Expenditure Claims CONTACTS 38. For further information or clarification, please contact: Director Compensation and Benefits Department of Finance Iqaluit, Nunavut or Director Employee Relations Department of Human Resources Iqaluit, Nunavut May 02,