- Policy Statement
- Application
- Definitions
- Responsibilities
- General Rules
- Air Travel
- Sea Travel
- Travel in Employee Owned Vehicles
- Travel in Government Vehicles
- Travel in Rental Vehicles
- Use of Taxis and Public Transportation
- Completing Travel Claim Expense Forms
Policy Statement
Employees on travel status will be reimbursed for incurred transportation costs.
Application
This policy applies to all employees of Government departments.
Bargaining unit employees should also consult their respective collective agreements and the provisions of the collective agreement shall prevail.
Definitions
| Designated Travel Agency | all employees of Government departments and central agencies must make business travel arrangements (i.e., flights, accommodations and vehicle rentals) through a designated travel agency
the designated travel agency will source all air fares from a designated airline |
| Headquarters | the actual building or other place of employment where an employee is normally stationed or required to use as a base of operations on a permanent basis |
| Headquarters Area | an area within a radius of 20 kilometers from an employee’s headquarters |
| Residence | the place where the employee lives |
Responsibilities
Department
It is the responsibility of individual departments to:
- pre-authorize all employee travel;
- ensure that the most economical mode of transportation is used when traveling on government business; and
- ensure all government business travel is booked through the designated travel agency.
Employees
It is the responsibility of employees to:
- travel by the most economical route possible, keeping the purpose and urgency of the trip in mind;
- ensure all government business travel is booked through the designated travel agency; and
- avail of special discounts offered to government employees by the designated travel agency, where available and practical.
General Rules
Employees on travel status must complete an Official Journey Authorization/Payment Voucher prior to commencement of travel.
All in province travel must be approved by the Assistant Deputy Minister or designate. All out-of-province travel, including international travel, must be approved by the Deputy Minister and the Minister, other than Cabinet approved exceptions. Ministers must approve travel arrangements for Deputy Ministers.
Where travel within the province is of a continuous nature, the Deputy Minister may provide employees with annual authorization.
The starting point and final destination of employees on travel status will normally be the employees’ headquarters.
Employees may be authorized to proceed on government business directly from their home to a point of call other than headquarters, or return from a point of call directly to their home. Where the distance traveled is greater than the distance employees would have traveled had they proceeded to the point of call directly from headquarters, employees may claim mileage reimbursement for the difference between home and headquarters and home and point of call.
Where employees are authorized to travel by private vehicle from home or the workplace to a point of departure (e.g., airport) and return, they may claim:
- actual mileage; and/or
- airport parking fees (with receipts).
Air Travel
All air travel on scheduled flights will be economy class except where, with the approval of the Minister, business class is the only seat available and a delay in travel is not acceptable.
Where possible, employees should avail of special discounts and advanced booking discounts offered by the designated travel agency.
Any unused portions of airline tickets must be returned to the travel agent or the airline for reimbursement:
- by the employee, where the ticket was purchased on the employee’s corporate charge card; or
- by the Department, where the ticket was purchased by the Department.
All employees on travel status are automatically covered by air travel insurance.
Sea Travel
Employees traveling by sea may claim, with receipts:
- the cost of cabin accommodations, where a cabin is required; and
- the cost of transportation of the employee’s vehicle, where required.
Under exceptional circumstances, the Deputy Minister may authorize employees to charter a boat or a ship.
Travel in Employee Owned Vehicle
The reimbursement rate for employees who are required by the employer to use their private vehicles for Government business and employees who request permission from the Deputy Minister to use their private vehicle for government business will be adjusted monthly on the first day of each month. The monthly rate will be set using the following formula:
31.5¢ / kilometer + [(fuel price on monthly adjustment date – 79.4¢) x 0.1]
Click for current rate
The fuel price on the monthly adjustment date will be the price of regular unleaded self serve gas in the Avalon Region as determined by the Petroleum Pricing Office.
The monthly reimbursement rate will be posted at Automobile Reimbursement Rates for Using a Private Vehicle at Work.
The monthly rate will apply to all travel done during that month. The rate claimed will be the rate applicable on the actual date of travel.
Employees, who request permission to use their private vehicles for government business, will not unreasonably be refused.
Employees who are approved by the Deputy Minister to use motorcycles on government business will be reimbursed one-half of the rates applicable to automobiles.
Employees approved by the Deputy Minister to use their private snowmobiles or ATVs for government business will be reimbursed:
- one-half of the rates applicable to automobiles, where employees provide the fuel; or
- $2.50 per day, where government provides the fuel.
Travel in Government Vehicles
Where individual departments have government vehicles, and where it is feasible to do so, Deputy Ministers should ensure that employees on travel status use a government vehicle.
Employees authorized to use government vehicles must:
- be duly licensed drivers;
- adhere to the rules and procedures established by the owner department;
- ensure that unauthorized personnel are not carried in the vehicle;
- pay all tickets and fines incurred while operating the vehicle; and
- report, in writing, all accidents and ensure that the required action is taken.
Employees using government vehicles within the headquarters area may not use the vehicles for travel between home and headquarters without the prior approval of the Deputy Minister.
Except for weekend travel home, government vehicles will not be used for personal purposes including travel on weekends, holidays and off-duty hours.
Government vehicles must be stored:
- in or on government provided storage facilities; or
- at a place approved by the Deputy Minister.
Employees may claim necessary expenses incurred in the operation of a government vehicle provided that appropriate receipts are submitted and the owner department does not already pay such expenses.
Travel in Rental Vehicles
Wherever possible, employees should take advantage of specials or discounts offered by the designated travel agency. Employees may be approved by the Deputy Minister for rental of all-purpose vehicles. Rental rates for all-purpose vehicles must be approved by Treasury Board.
Deputy Ministers may authorize the rental of vehicles where it is the most economical means of transportation.
When renting a vehicle for travel on government business within Newfoundland and Labrador and the rest of Canada, employees should not purchase and will not be reimbursed for the cost of collision damage waivers as Government retains responsibility for payment of physical damage claims on leased or rented vehicles. However, when traveling internationally, including to the United States, employees should purchase collision damage waivers. Employees will be reimbursed the cost of purchasing collision insurance for international travel only.
Employees will not be reimbursed for personal life insurance purchased when renting vehicles.
Employees will normally be required to rent compact or sub-compact vehicles except where, with the approval of the Deputy Minister, a larger vehicle is required.
Claims for reimbursement for rental vehicles must include all receipts. Deputy Ministers may authorize rental vehicles to be charged directly to departments.
Use of Taxis and Public Transportation
Deputy Ministers may approve employees’ use of taxis when such use is justifiable and the most economical means of transportation.
Employees using taxis must note the starting point and destination of the taxi trip on their travel claim or on the taxi chit, where the trip is billed directly to the department.
Employees may use either taxis, limousines or airport buses for transportation to and from airports.
Deputy Ministers may deny or reduce taxi claims where the taxi hire has been contrary to this policy, or where a receipt cannot be produced.
Receipts are required for reimbursement of all taxi charges.
Completing Travel Claim Expense Forms
Travel claims, with the exception of the use of private vehicle claims (see Automobile Allowances Policy) must be submitted on a Travel Expense Claim Voucher. Where employees travel on a frequent and regular basis, travel claims must be submitted at least quarterly.
Claims for the use of employees’ private vehicles must be documented on the Private Vehicle Usage Report. Where private vehicle usage is claimed as part of an overall trip, the actual amount should be included on the Travel Expense Claim Voucher. Claims for reimbursement for travel within the headquarters area must be submitted at least quarterly.
Claims should be completed in chronological order and must be legible.
Details must be provided for all entries. Where explanations for certain expenditures are required and insufficient space is available on the claim form, employees should use a separate sheet with dates quoted as a cross reference and attached to the claim.
Receipts, ticket stubs, etc. should be numbered in the sequence in which the expenses are listed on the claim.
Travel Expense Claim Vouchers must be signed by the employee, the employee’s supervisor and the Deputy Minister.
Last Policy Update: July 1, 2022