Purpose and Objectives
The purpose of this Policy is to establish clear guidelines for business-related travel of employees. This Policy applies to:
- All local, intrastate, interstate and overseas conferences, training, meetings and/or events undertaken and/or attended by employees as part of their official organisational duties;
- Accommodation associated with such attendance; and
- All official travel and other necessary incidental / out of pocket expenses associated with such attendance.
Scope/Coverage
This Policy applies to all Company employees.
Policy Statement
This Policy is established to:
- Provide clear guidelines for travel arrangements to attend conferences, meetings, seminars, courses, study tours and promotional tours, and reimbursements for approved expenses at these events;
- Ensure the health and safety of employees while travelling;
- Ensure that appropriate records and approvals are maintained for all travel expenditure
Principle for Approving Travel Arrangements
- Company endeavours to provide the best possible service to employees who are travelling on behalf of the organisation, while ensuring that accountability of all monies is maintained. Travel arrangements must be administered in the most cost effective and efficient manner.
- Company is committed to ensuring that while travelling, employees are not financially impacted in any way. However, all expenses incurred while travelling are to be in accordance with the Travel Procedure and must be substantiated, reasonable and appropriate.
- Approval Managers have an obligation to ensure that any and all travel is necessary to the business of the organisation. When considering the appropriateness of the travel request, the Approval Managers must consider:
- Where the employee is to travel, taking into consideration whether the travel is to an area that is/is not considered a High-Risk Country;
- Whether the absence of the employee or is convenient to organisation, that is, to the department/section/unit and the organisation in general;
- Whether it is appropriate for Company to be funding the travel;
- Whether the travel is for official organisational business or is in relation to organisational business and what value it adds; and
- How to ensure that the costs of the travel are identified appropriately and managed to an acceptable level.
It is the Approval Manager’s responsibility to ensure that all travel arrangements are in accordance with this Policy and the Travel Procedure, and any other relevant policy, directive and/or procedure.
Responsibilities
The following responsibilities are essential for Company to provide a healthy and safe workplace:
- the Chief Executive Officer has responsibility for and is committed to, the effective implementation of this policy.
- the Company Senior Executive will support managers to fulfil their health and safety responsibilities and accountabilities within their area of responsibility.
- all Company employees, contractors and visitors have a responsibility to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and the health and safety of others and comply with any reasonable policy, procedure or instruction.
- Company‘s Health and Safety Committee is responsible for strategic coordination and monitoring of Company‘s health and safety performance.
- further health and safety responsibility descriptions are outlined in position descriptions and applicable work health and safety management system procedures.