Travel Policy

1. Purpose

This policy provides guidance on official travel and applies to all CIT staff who travel and/or are engaged in travel related administrative processes.

2. Scope

This policy covers:

• Domestic travel;
• International travel;
• Travel for staff development activities (including Study Assistance and Professional Development Fund activities);
• Attendance at conferences, presentations or other similar external forums; and
• Travel Vouchers.

This policy applies to all CIT staff including full time, part time, casual and contract employees and other people travelling at CIT’s expense for official purposes.

CIT is committed to the principles and practices outlined in the Public Sector Management Standard 2006 Part 7.1 – Travel - domestic and international. This is in accordance with Section 113 of the Public Sector Management Standards 2016.

3. Principles

3.1 All CIT travel must be undertaken in accordance with the principles set out below and in accordance with the CIT Travel Procedures.

Travel Planning

3.2 Approved travel must be for official purposes only.

3.3 Travel should be undertaken only where it is the most effective and efficient means of achieving a particular business objective.

3.4 All travel must be suitably planned to ensure that the best fares and rates are obtained in accordance with the Public Sector Management Standard 2006 Part 7.1 - Travel - domestic and international. This is in accordance with Section 113 of the Public Section Management Standards 2016.

Approval

3.5 All CIT travel must be approved and booked by a CIT staff member other than the traveller.

3.6 All travel is to be approved under the relevant delegations prior to booking the travel. No person is permitted to approve their own travel or approve reimbursement of their own travel expenses.

3.7 Prior written approval must be obtained from the Executive Director Corporate Services for all official travel undertaken by non-CIT employee travellers.

3.8 All international travel must be approved prior to booking by the Minister through the Office of the Chief Executive. Refer to the CIT Travel Procedures for the required process.

3.9 An Overseas Commercial Allowance (OsCA) payment must be approved prior to a staff member travelling overseas.

Booking

3.10 All travel must be booked by Finance through the contracted providers except in special circumstances. The current contracted providers are Qantas Business Travel (QBT) for flights, accommodation and car hire bookings.

Traveling and Record Keeping

3.11 Whilst travelling, care must be taken to ensure that all meal and incidental expenses are necessary and reasonable.

3.12 Original invoices or receipts are to be retained and as applicable, attached to reimbursement claims.

3.13 All travellers are to acquit their travel within ten working days of the travel being completed.

Travel Vouchers

3.14 To be approved by the relevant financial delegate prior to issue and use, Travel Vouchers such as Cabcharge cards and eTickets, coupons and travel-specific debit cards (e.g., Transport Canberra MyWay cards) must be used for official undertakings only, including for the following purposes though not limited to:

• performing official duty outside of normal office hours where other forms of transport to or from the staff members normal place of residence or other bona-fide location are not practical options;
• where required for an official CIT visitor;
• where staff are required to attend other premises including other CIT campuses for meetings where no practical/suitable, time efficient or alternative means of transport are available; or
• travelling between conference or meeting venues and accommodation when in a place or places, other than the ACT, where there is no other viable means of transport.

3.15 Travel Vouchers for persons other than CIT staff may be issued in exceptional circumstances and are to approved by the appropriate financial delegate.

3.16 Travel Vouchers may be issued in cases where a CIT staff member is deemed to be in an unsafe or crisis situation and is unfit to travel independently and safely. The appropriate delegate may approve the issue of Travel Vouchers once the available options have been considered including assessing the ability for work colleagues, family or other persons to transport the staff member.

3.17 The Human Resources area is to be informed immediately of the circumstances of any CIT staff member who is in an unsafe or crisis situation irrespective of travel circumstances.

3.18 Travel Vouchers may be issued in bulk to Divisions or Colleges and a Travel Voucher Register is to be maintained in the receiving area and a master Travel Voucher Register is to be maintained in CIT Finance.

3.19 Bulk Travel Vouchers will only be issued with the approval of the Chief Executive Officer, the Executive Director Corporate Services or the Senior Director Finance.

3.20 All Travel Voucher Registers are to be reconciled and acquitted on a monthly basis

3.21 Travel Vouchers are accountable documents and are to be acquitted in accordance with the CIT Travel Voucher Procedures.

3.22 Travel Voucher transactions must be documented, verified and approved in accordance with CIT Financial Delegations and the CIT Travel Voucher procedure.

3.23 Where instances of actual or possible misuse of Travel Vouchers are identified, the traveller may be held personally liable for the associated expenditure and investigative and/or disciplinary action may be initiated.

International Travel

3.24 CIT international travellers have a responsibility to ensure that they are fully informed of possible risks to safety on the journey and in the destination city and country.

3.25 The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) website travel advice at http://smartraveller.gov.au/guide/all-travellers/Pages/default.aspx, is recognised as the most reliable, easily accessed, constantly updated, official source of information concerning the safety of Australian travellers. All travelling staff are to consult this reference point prior to travelling and are to address any concerns prior to travelling.

3.26 CIT international travellers are to take reasonable steps to obtain further updates while offshore.

3.27 Travellers should note that in some circumstances, failure to observe DFAT travel advice could result in the negation of insurance coverage.

4. Documentation

Legislation

ACT Government Public Sector Management Standards 2006, Chapter 7– Administration and Training – Part 7.1 – Travel - Domestic and International

ACT Government Public Sector Management Standards 2006, Chapter 4 – Conditions of Employment and Attendance – Part 4.7 – Additional requirements for managing overtime duty

ACT Government Public Sector Management Standards 2016, Section 113

Work Health and Safety Act 2011

Related ACT Government/CIT Policies and Procedures

CIT Travel Approval Form (CIT Staff only)

CIT Travel Acquittal Form (CIT Staff only)

CIT Travel Procedure

Approval for Use of Cabcharge Form (CIT Staff only)

International Travel Request for Chief Executive Approval form (CIT Staff only)

Financial Delegations (CIT Staff only)

5. Definitions

All terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the CIT Policy Glossary.

6. Policy Contact Officer

Manager Finance Services or email CITFinance@cit.edu.au

Contact CIT Student Services on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au for further information.

7. Procedures

This policy is implemented through the associated procedures. Authority to make changes to the procedures rests with the policy owner.