POLICY NAME Responsible Owner Effective date Expense Reimbursement for Board Members College Board September 22, 2016 Board Policy Number Approval Body Review date B.G001.13 College Board College Board: 2016-09-22 Category Replaces Prior Revision College Board n/a November 20, 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. PURPOSE 2. SCOPE 3. DEFINITIONS 4. POLICY STATEMENTS 5. PROCEDURES 6. LINKS TO INTERNAL FORMS, DOCUMENTS, WEBSITES, BY-LAWS AND POLICIES 7. RELATED ACTS, MANDATES, REGULATIONS AND RESOURCES 1. PURPOSE This by-law provides guidelines on fiscally responsible expenses reasonably incurred by Board members, and processes for reimbursement of such expenses. 2. SCOPE This by-law applies to all Board members other than College employees, who are subject to the Douglas College Expense Claim Guidelines. 3. DEFINITIONS AFC: Member(s): Audit and Finance Committee, a committee of the Board a member of the College Board; members may also be referred to as Directors or Governors 4. POLICY STATEMENTS BOARD MEMBERS EXPENSES General i. Members are entitled to reimbursement of all reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the College. ii. Claims for all expenditures over $5.00 should be supported by original receipts. iii. All expenses other than travel associated with Board, Board committee meetings and College events must be pre-approved by the Board Chair or the Chair s designate. iv. Should a member anticipate incurring an expense not articulated within this by-law that nonetheless impacts the member s ability to discharge his/her governance duties, the member shall approach the Board Chair for guidance and direction. In such instances, the Board Chair shall consult with the Board Executive and Governance Committee (BEGC) and provide direction to the member. v. While the College shall reimburse members for approved expenses charged to the member s personal credit card, it shall not reimburse members for any fees, interest or other service charges associated with such cards; such expenses are the member s responsibility. Travel Associated With Board, Board Committee and College-Related Meetings and Events Page 1
i. The College shall reimburse members for travel to and from Board, Board committee and Collegerelated meetings and events. a) This may take the form of public transit or a mileage (kilometer) claim by personal vehicle. b) Members will be reimbursed for any necessary parking or toll charges incurred for attendance at any Board or College related events. ii. Expense claims documenting travel by personal vehicle shall document where the travel originated and concluded, and the distance travelled. Such claims shall be reimbursed at the rate identified in Appendix A (Travel Allowances). iii. Such mileage (kilometer) claims shall reflect the most direct route(s) permitted by traffic and road conditions. Other Reimbursable Travel Expenses i. Travel shall be conducted in the most cost-effective manner that is feasible for the circumstances. ii. Examples of reimbursable expenses for members travelling on behalf of the College include: a) Airfare and related luggage fees. All travel within Canada and the United States should be booked in economy class. Should a member wish to upgrade arrangements, the College shall reimburse the member on the basis of the economy fares available for travel on the dates booked. b) International travel represents an exception in which the College shall provide or reimburse for Business Class travel c) Medical/accident/health/illness/life/rental vehicle/travel/other insurance members are responsible for ensuring they have adequate insurance prior to departure, and should seek pre-approval from the Board Chair or the Chair s designate of any College-related expenses d) Travel papers and visa expenses e) Inoculations f) Reasonable expenditures for transportation to and from airports, train or transit stations and hotels/meeting spaces g) Members are encouraged to share transportation costs whenever possible; in situations where rental cars provide the more economical option, the College shall reimburse members for rental fees and related expenditures h) Reasonable costs associated with travel between a member s residence and the airport, including parking at airport economy lots Accommodation Members travelling on behalf of the College have access to Government of BC provincial rates. Where possible, accommodation should be obtained at hotels offering government or conference rates. The College shall advise members of preferred sites for specific travel circumstances. Communications Members may claim a reasonable amount to cover voice and data communication expenses while travelling on behalf of the College. Members shall secure roaming packages in advance of travel. Where applicable, the original receipt and/or bill identifying such charges is to be submitted with the expense claim. Incidentals Members may claim an allowance to cover incidental personal expenses incurred while travelling on behalf of the College. The maximum daily rate is outlined in Appendix A (Travel Allowances). Page 2
Meals Members travelling on behalf of the College are entitled to claim per diem meal allowances in accordance with the rates outlined in Appendix A (Travel Allowances). Such per diems shall not be claimed or reimbursed in instances where meals are hosted as part of travel or meetings. Board Education and Development It is in the College s best interest to ensure that members remain current with best practices in governance, and apprised of emerging trends. The College pays for relevant conference, event and course registrations and associated expenses, upon pre-approval by the Board Chair. The College shall not reimburse members for professional dues or membership fees. Disclosure The College Finance department publishes an annual report, Financial Information Pursuant to the Financial Information Act, which includes compensation and expense reimbursement provided Board members. The report is published to the Finance department website. 5. PROCEDURES a) Expense Claim Submission and Approval i. Members are to submit signed expense claims to the Senior Administration Assistant. ii. All expense claims are to be accompanied by original receipts. Receipts are not required for per diems/allowances claimed in accordance with the rates outlined in Appendix A (Travel Allowances). iii. As the College s fiscal year-end is March 31, all expense claims relating to a given year must be submitted by the year-end cut-off date, ideally not later than the end of the first week of April. iv. Expense claims shall be processed in a timely manner, subject to approvals as follows: b) Lost/Missing Receipts A. In the case of the Board Chair, approval by both the College Secretary and the Chair of the Board s Audit and Finance Committee (AFC) B. In the case of all other members, approval by both the College Secretary and the Board Chair In instances when a formal receipt may not be obtained from the service provider, members may include a Missing Original Receipt form, found online. This form is typically used for minor expenses that are difficult or impossible to receipt; examples may include subway fares. c) Records The College shall keep records of all expense reimbursements provided Board members. Page 3
6. LINKS TO INTERNAL FORMS, DOCUMENTS, WEBSITES, BY-LAWS AND POLICIES a) Expense-Related Forms i. Missing Original Receipt form http://www.douglascollege.ca/~/media/13b2bc4e99c340779961ab847b69f965.ashx ii. Declaration of Loss form http://www.douglascollege.ca/~/media/837df6831281499f8fc8b1dce3048419.ashx b) Disclosure: Members Expenses i. Financial Information Reports published to the Douglas College Finance website http://www.douglascollege.ca/employees/finance 7. RELATED ACTS, MANDATES, REGULATIONS AND RESOURCES a) Treasury Board Directive 3/11 (TBD 3/11): Remuneration Guidelines for Appointees to Crown Agency Boards i. TBD 3/11; Remuneration Guidelines for Appointees to Crown Agency Boards http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/psec/disclosuredocs/tb-directive_3_11_remun_guide_crown_agency.pdf iii. ii. TBD 3/11 Classification List: http://www.fin.gov.bc.ca/psec/disclosuredocs/tb-crown_agency_boards_remuneration_classification_list.pdf Province of British Columbia Travel Allowances http://www2.gov.bc.ca/local/myhr/documents/travel/travel_allowances_app1.pdf Page 4
APPENDIX A TRAVEL ALLOWANCES Full Day Half Day Breakfast Only Lunch Only Dinner Only B&L Only L&D Only B&D Only Incidental Only $49.00 N/A $22.00 $22.00 $28.50 $30.00 $36.50 $36.50 $14.00 These rates are consistent with allowances approved by the Province of British Columbia and identified in government s Appendix 1 Travel Allowances. This policy shall automatically be updated to reflect current rates, without a requirement for further Board approval. For travel outside Canada, per diems are applicable in US dollars, converted to Canadian funds at the prevailing exchange rates. The reimbursement rate for travel by personal vehicle for Board, Board Committee and College-related meetings and events is $0.53 per kilometer. Page 5