SOP -Employee Local, Domestic and International Business Travel

Process:

Outdoor Duty and Travel Rules

 

If an employee is required to attend onsite engagements either within the country or abroad, the immediate Reporting Manager needs to notify HR and Accounts on an email, with a copy marked to the Reviewing Officer / VP / SVP (as the case may be) with details as per Outdoor Travel Form attached herein. In the event of local travel, the Reviewing Officer / VP / SVP will approve the mode of travel.  While such costs will be reimbursed, organization encourages its employees to travel in groups wherever possible, and to travel using their own vehicles as and when possible.

 

For travel abroad, this intimation has to be sufficiently in advance in order to be able to arrange tickets / lodging. HR will recode attendance on the basis of approved Outdoor Travel Form.

 

Travel Expenses: People traveling for business purpose would be reimbursed their expenses at actual within the limit shown below. Please note that there could be changes to the table below, as the Organization structure and designations are finalized.

Category	Eligibility
Local Travel Claim	Owned Vehicle: Two Wheelers: Re. 1.50 / Km	Owned Vehicle: Four Wheelers: Rs. 3.50 / Km	Auto Rickshaw / Taxi – On Actual
Domestic travel	Economy Class
International Travel	Economy Class
Hotel Expenses	Single Occupancy
Per Diem	Per Diem is applicable only for overseas engagements that require onsite presence for more than 1 month at a stretch. The Per diem amount will be decided based on project costing and will be approved by the Reviewing Officer / VP / SVP
Food & Other expenses include Tips, Snacks,  Newspapers, etc.	To be decided based on project costing and will be approved by the Reviewing Officer / VP / SVP

 

Tour Advance or Per Diem:

 

We recommend that while travelling, employees pay / settle bills using their personal credit card. However, if some amount of cash advance is absolutely necessary, the employee can avail a minimum advance. This amount will be decided by the Reporting Manager. Travel Advance form attached.

 

Local Travel:

 

1. Travel to customer site for pre sales effort, demos, presentations, walk throughs and onsite deliveries will be reimbursed as per eligibility outlined under Category “Local Travel Claim” above. Travel reimbursement form attached. Travel Reimbursement form, should be printed, filled in and duly authorized by Reporting Manager, and approved by Reviewing Officer / VP / SVP, before submitting to Accounts.
2. Any other reimbursement – such as towards lunch / dinner – will require special approval from Reviewing Officer / VP / SVP.

 

Domestic Travel

 

1. Travel Requisition form, should be duly filled in and the same should be sent by email by the Reporting Manager to Admin before the tickets are booked. Travel Requisition form attached.
2. Travel Requisition should be submitted to Admin a minimum of 2 Days before the travel.
3. Ticket cancellation charges should be avoided and in unavoidable circumstances the ticket should be cancelled before 24 hours.
4. The fare difference cost in the event of a cancellation / reschedule should be approved via email by the Reporting Manager.
5. In case of claims to be made for the travel, Travel reimbursement form attached is to be submitted to Accounts.
6. All transactions should be settled upon completion of the journey or within 30 days
7. Travel Reimbursement payments, would be cleared along with the end of the month claim processing.

 

All employees can avail local travel assistance on actual if they stay back at work after 21.00 hrs on any day or are working on a weekly off or a holiday.

 

International Travel

 

1         Travel Requisition form, should be duly filled in and the same should be sent by email by the Reporting Manager to Admin before the tickets are booked. Travel Requisition form is attached.

2         Travel Requisition should be submitted to Admin a minimum of 5 Days before the travel if the requisite visa is in place or 15 days before the travel dates.

3         Ticket cancellation charges should be avoided and in unavoidable circumstances the ticket should be cancelled before 48 hours.

4         The fare difference cost in the event of a cancellation / reschedule should be approved via email by the Reporting Manager.

5         Forex will be made available in select instances to employees. The Reporting Manager will seek an email approval for Forex requirements from VP / SVP, and the VP / SVP will intimate the approval to Admin, with a copy marked to Accounts, 48 hrs before the flying hours.

6         In case of claims to be made for the travel, Travel reimbursement form attached is to be submitted to Accounts.

7         All transactions should be settled upon completion of the journey or within 30 days

8         Travel Reimbursement payments, would be cleared along with the end of the month claim processing.

 

For Visa

 

1. The Reporting Manager needs to inform Admin for Visa requirements at least 15 calendar days before the date the employee needs to fly out.
   1. In some instances visa processing could take longer.
   2. Where Urgent Visa needs to be applied for, the VP / SVP needs to approve the same.
2. Wherever possible, the Project team needs to arrange for the necessary Invite letters.
3. The employee should submit the following for Visa application:
   1. a.       Passports, bank statements, and others as required with the specific & Invite Letter to be given, in Admin with the Visa processing form and the copy of credentials required.

 

Reimbursable Expenses & Non reimbursable:

 

Miscellaneous reimbursable expenses: 1         Cost of visa and other travel required for business 2         Immunisation and/or medication required for overseas travel 3         Parking and toll expenses incurred while on company business 4         Official calls shall be reimbursed at actuals on submission of bills / statements. Official STD calls should be clearly marked, with the identification of the customer/person called. As long as possible avoid usage of Hotel telephones.

Conditional Reimbursements (with prior approvals): 1         Business meals and meeting with a customer or a potential customer 2         A team lunch in case of 2 or more days of travel

Non reimbursable expenses: 1         Inroom movies at hotel rooms 2         Membership fee for hotels, airlines and frequent flyer clubs 3         Personal guest meals 4         Excess baggage unless due to business requirements (needs approval on return) 5         Parking violation charges 6         Loss of personal funds or property

 

 

Points to be remembered

 

1. In case where tickets are bought by individuals, the counterfoil/ticket/receipt must be attached to the Travel Reimbursement form in support of the claim for reimbursement. You are directed to support your expenses made by you with the tickets, original bills, vouchers, receipts and other supporting. In genuine cases, where the authorized personnel are satisfied that a ticket receipt could not be obtained, they would have the discretion to pass the Travel Expense without the supporting money receipt.
2. There are occasions when employees of various levels travel together. In other instances, whether employee’s travel together or expenses are incurred jointly, it must be settled individually between them.
3. During the period of stay in a hotel, incidental expenses for porter age, laundry, tips etc. will be reimbursed at actual.  Every individual should endeavor to keep his/her hotel expenses to the minimum. If an individual has to leave a city in the afternoon/evening, He/she should try as far as possible to check out of the hotel before noon so that he/she is not charged for another day.
4. Expenses of personal nature such as smoking, magazines, Liquor, Non official telephone calls are not reimbursed.
5. If an employee is required to entertain a guest on company’s behalf while on tour he shall be reimbursed at actual provided proper supporting bills are attached and approved by the sanctioning authority.  The name and designation of the guest must always be stated in the expenses statement and also on reverse of such bills.
6. Sundry Purchase such as floppies, CDs etc should also not to be included in Tour expense reports. These may be claimed separately, if permissible. Any purchase should have prior approval.
7. Frequent flier program offers its clients, free mileage points or hotel stays. Employees may keep such give-a-ways for their personal use. Subscription to such programs will be the personal expense of the employee. However, all business travel arrangements should be made through the official travel desk.
8. Combined business and personal trip even at no additional cost, requires an approval of the Reporting Manager. It is responsibility of the Reporting Manager to get that approval from  the VP / SVP. Combined business travel is acceptable when the incremental costs of personal travel are paid by the employee and when the following conditions are met:

• Business trip must be pre-approved
• Intimation of personal travel is given to the Reporting Manager and Admin
• Incremental costs clearly separated and paid by employee
• Personal trip / vacation is incidental to the business trip