TEACHERS TRAVELLING AND SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCES SCHEME

Transcription

1 NORTHERN IRELAND EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARDS TEACHERS TRAVELLING AND SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCES SCHEME This scheme applies to all the following categories of staff: Teachers; Supply Teachers; and Peripatetic Teachers Lecturers Note: Throughout this Scheme the term teachers will be assumed to incorporate all of the above categories and the tern base will be assumbed to denote School/ College/ Institute/ Administrative Centre/ Working Establishment. 1. TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES Travelling expenses necessarily incurred by teachers in the performance of their official duties will be reimbursed after authorisation. IT IS A BASIC PRINCIPLE THAT MILEAGE CLAIMED SHOULD NEVER BE GREATER THAN MILEAGE ACTUALLY INCURRED. The current Standard Civil Service mileage rates (which are amended from time to time) are listen in Appendix A. The payment of mileage allowances is made on the understanding that: (a) (b) (c) (d) the teacher is in possession of a current driving licence. the motor car is maintained in a roadworthy condition at all times. The car is covered by a current policy of insurance, permitting the use of the vehicle for business journeys and indemnifying the Board against all third party claims (if a claimant is in any doubt he/ she should consult the insurance company or broker concerned). The car exhibits in accordance with the Vehicle Excise Act (1972) a valid Road Fund Licence (tax disc) Certificates of Insurance and Registration Books may be required for verification purposes. Requests for such documents must be met within a reasonable period.

2 (v) (vi) (vii) Teachers must advise their certifying officer if they are found guilty of any motoring offence which may affect their capacity to fulfil their responsibilities or which is in breach of the conditions set out in paragraph 1 above. Teachers must not use their car if they are in breach of any of the conditions set out in paragraph 1 above. Teacher claims for travelling expenses incurred whilst in breach of any of these rules will be disallowed. (viii) Teachers may be subject to disciplinary action for failure to comply with any of the foregoing conditions. (ix) Teachers unable to execute their duties as a result of being in breach of these rules will be considered in breach of their contract of employment. 2. DAY SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCES Subsistence allowances will be payable to teachers who are prevented by their official duties from taking a meal at their base where they normally take their meals, and thereby incur additional expenditure. The maximum subsistence allowances claimable are as set out in Appendix B and are revised in accordance with Civil Service agreements. The aim of subsistence allowance is to reimburse teachers who incur additional expenditure as a result of their absence from their base(s) on official school/ board business. Details of expenditure must be stated on the claim form. Certifying officers must satisfy themselves that the journey and length of absence over 5/ 10 hours is necessary (See Appendix B) The Board may require receipts to be provided to substantiate claims. 3. OVERNIGHT PROVISION Night subsistence allowances at Civil Service rates will be paid up to the stated maximum in respect of overnight absences covering 24 hours. Where night subsistence is claimed, receipts must be provided in all cases. Please note discounted hotel rates and special allowance payable when staying with friends. Day subsistence allowances will be paid in respect of any excess hours in accordance with

3 Civil Service rates and regulations. (Please contact Accounts Payable for more information on these rates). IT IS A BASIC PRINCIPLE THAT CLAIMS FOR SUBSISTENCE SHOULD ONLY BE MADE FOR THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURE INCURRED UP TO THE MAXIMUM AGREED ALLOWANCE. 4. GENERAL CONDITIONS (v) (vi) (vii) For the purpose of the payment of travelling and subsistence allowances each teacher has a designated base(s). Claims should be made out personally by the teacher. It is the duty of the teacher making the claim to secure approval in advance from the certifying officer for all journeys to be undertaken. The certifying officer must satisfy himself/herself that the journeys are necessary and that they are planned so as to make the most economical and effective use of the teacher's time. It should be deemed that each journey is necessary and the business could not be dealt with by telephone, correspondence or undertaken within a reasonable time as part of another journey. Teachers must maintain an official record of their journeys, showing full particulars of and the reason for each, including the names of official passengers carried. To ensure value for money, teachers are required to share cars where appropriate. Before travelling they should take all reasonable steps to ensure journeys are synchronised. Normally mileage will be measured from the base(s) by the shortest route. Certain exceptions are dealt with in paragraph 5 (viii) Mileage incurred travelling to or from a catering establishment for the purposes of having a meal cannot be claimed. 5. OFFICIAL JOURNEYS WHICH ORIGINATE FROM AND/OR TERMINATE AT HOME If at the beginning of the day a teacher travels directly from home to a site before proceeding to his/her base(s), the mileage claimed should be the distance from home to site to base(s), or base(s) to site to base(s), whichever is

4 shorter. In addition, if a teacher travels to another site or sites before proceeding to his/her base(s), all mileage from the first site can be claimed. If at the end of the day a teacher travels directly from a site to his/her home, the teacher can claim the mileage from site to home provided that this does not exceed the mileage which would have been incurred had the officer returned to his/her base(s). If a teacher travels from home to site to home, the mileage claimed should be home to site to home or base(s) to site to base(s), whichever is the shorter. If a teacher travels from home outside normal office hours, he/she may claim the actual mileage travelled by the shortest route. 6. CLAIM FORMS Claims for travelling and subsistence should be made monthly. 7. CERTIFICATION OF CLAIMS Certifying officers must: (v) be aware of their responsibility for the effective and efficient use of resources check that each claim has been made in accordance with this Scheme satisfy themselves that each journey was necessary and that the mileage claimed is reasonable satisfy themselves that the journey and length of absence over lunchtime is necessary where subsistence is claimed. ensure that sharing arrangements were made where possible. 8. CONCLUSION Claimants should practice integrity in all their dealings involving their use of time and claims against the public purse. Claimants who are found to have wittingly made claims which are not in accordance with the above principles and conditions will be considered to have committed an act of serious misconduct and will be subject to disciplinary action which could lead to dismissal.

5 APPENDIX A MOTOR VEHICLE ALLOWANCES WITH EFFECT FROM 1 APRIL 2011 CARS WITH ENGINE CAPACITY UP TO 1500CC CC OVER 2000CC P PER MILE P PER MILE P PER MILE UP TO 10,000 MILES 45P 45P 45P OVER 10,000 MILES 25P 25P 25P APPENDIX B DAY SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCES FROM 6 APRIL 2009 Away from base(s) for more than 5 hours Away from base(s) for more than 10 hours

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