Policy: Travel (this policy is currently under review)

Purpose

This policy is designed to ensure that the University:

• fulfils its duty of care obligations to University travellers;
• makes the most efficient use of its resources in the travel booking and expense management process;
• maintains accurate records for all travel approval and travel related expenditure

Overview

The University recognises that travel is often an integral part of the work of the staff and students of the University.

This policy applies to all domestic and international travel arrangements of travellers on approved University business regardless of the source of funds, the duration of travel, or the purpose of travel. This policy does not cover travel within the city of your home ANU campus.

All travel must be pre-approved by a delegated officer prior to ticketing in accordance with the relevant Finance Procedures and Human Resource Procedures. Travellers must not under any circumstances authorise their own travel.

Scope

This Policy applies across the University.

Policy statement

1. The University recognises that travel is often an integral part of the work of the staff and students of the University.
2. This policy is designed to ensure that the University:

1. fulfils its duty of care obligations to University travellers;
2. makes the most efficient use of its resources in the travel booking and expense management process;
3. maintains accurate records for all travel approval and travel related expenditure.

3. This policy applies to all domestic and international travel arrangements of travellers on approved University business regardless of the source of funds, the duration of travel, or the purpose of travel. This policy does not cover travel within the city of your home ANU campus.
4. All university staff, students (excluding students requiring travel on a student exchange programs), and persons of interest travelling to undertake business on behalf of the University, must complete travel requests through the University Travel Approval process. This policy refers to the University Travel Approval process (Travel Approval process) which is an online electronic workflow process that combines travel and budget approval, travel insurance coverage, detailed field work and risk assessment, per diem and cash advance approval, FBT calculations and post travel diary.
5. All travel must be endorsed by a supervisor and pre-approved by a delegated officer prior to ticketing in accordance with the relevant Finance Procedures and Human Resource Procedures stated in 4 above. Travellers must not under any circumstances authorise their own travel.
6. Prior to committing to the expenditure of money, an appropriately delegated officer must ensure that the expense:

• is an appropriate and reasonable use of University funds
• is subject to available funding
• complies with all applicable legislation
• is able to withstand public scrutiny
• is the most economical and effective outlay for its purpose
• is appropriate for the effective operation of the University
• is to be incurred in line with approved University policies and procedures

Please refer to Travel Procedures for further guidance on the above.

7. Travel funded through external grant arrangements must comply with the terms and conditions of the grant.
8. University travellers will use the most economical safe means of ground transport including public transport, University vehicles or hire cars. For limitation of liability and insurance purposes, the use of private vehicles is discouraged for University business travel.
9. It is the Expenditure Delegate's responsibility to ensure that Class of Travel and all related travel expenses paid for by the University are in accordance with this policy and all other related policies and procedures.
10. The University pays for or reimburses travellers on the basis of actual expenditure incurred. The University encourages the use of a corporate travel credit card to pay for travel and related expenses. Where possible, payment and acquittal for all travel expenses are to be made via the corporate travel card.
11. In certain circumstances, for example for travel to international destinations which operate largely under a "cash economy", travellers may claim a per-diem to cover meals and incidentals. The amount of the per diem must be pre-approved and should be a less than or equal to 50% of daily amounts determined as a ‘reasonable daily food & drink and incidentals allowance' by the Australian Taxation Office.

Note:

• the amount of the allowance or per diem for meals and incidentals cannot exceed 50% of the ATO approved reasonable amounts for these allowances; and
• the University does not pay an allowance or per-diem for accommodation in lieu of an actual payment to the accommodation provider; and
• Per-diems will not be paid for domestic travel.

12. In certain circumstances the University will offer staff travelling overseas, an acquittable cash advance prior to travel. Cash Advances will only be provided in the following circumstances:

• Where the staff member travelling has obtained pre-approval to travel overseas ; and
• the University Corporate Card cannot be used for some travel expenses; or
• the total of those expenses is such that using the University's online reimbursement processes would cause financial hardship.

Advances not acquitted in a timely manner in accordance with the Travel Procedures, will be recovered in full from the traveller's salary.

13. Travel diaries must be maintained for all international journeys and domestic journeys of more than 5 nights duration, irrespective of whether this timeframe includes some private travel. Staff and Delegates should note that Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) will be payable on travel expenditure for trips greater than five nights unless the staff member provides a travel diary to the University confirming that:

• the primary purpose of the trip was to conduct business activities; and
• any private travel undertaken was merely incidental to the business activities.

14. The University's primary responsibility is to protect the safety and wellbeing of all persons travelling on University business. All University travellers and travel approvers are required to check the DFAT website, smartraveller.gov.au at the time of booking and - in the case of travellers - prior to travel, to establish whether there are any travel advisories or warnings that apply to intended travel destinations. Staff are under no obligation to undertake any international travel that conflicts with DFAT advice. Staff must comply with the Human Resources Procedures on Travel by University Staff and Students to High Risk Destinations.
15. Staff wherever possible must redeem frequent flyer points earned from University funded travel or any other business related expenditure for approved official travel. The University has a 'best fare of the day' policy and staff should not select more expensive fares in order to maximise personal benefits gained from a global travel program.
16. All staff/students and person or persons of interest, including outgoing exchange students, travelling on University business (regardless of the sources of funding) are covered by the University’s corporate travel insurance policy. This policy covers domestic travel up to 180 days per trip and overseas travel up to 365 days per trip.

Delegations relevant to this policy

• 000198: HR Delegation: Approve overseas travel in accordance with current travel advice and University policy (travel advice refers to DFAT's five levels of risk category assigned to overseas countries)
• 000199: HR Delegation: Approve domestic travel in accordance with University Policy
• 000220: Finance Delegation: Authority to purchase goods and services (including the signing of related purchasing contracts) within budget limit.
• 000221: Finance Delegation: Authority to purchase goods and services (excluding the signing of related contracts) within budget limit.
• 000222: Finance Delegation: Monthly expenditure via purchase cards, within budget limit.
• 000223: Finance Delegation: Expenditure via online requisitioning (using University-approved provider), within budget limit.