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    Travel Policy

    Policy name Travel Policy
    Policy number HRP021
    Date approved 24 April 2024
    Approving body Cairnmillar Council
    Responsible officer Chief Executive Officer
    Implementation officer Director of Finance
    Next review date April 2029
     

    Related Policies

     
    • Critical Incident, Accident & Injury Policy
    • Risk Management Policy
    • Travel Procedure
    Related forms and documents

    1. Purpose of this policy

    This Policy supports the safety and wellbeing of all Cairnmillar travellers whilst maintaining the financial integrity, compliance, and sustainability of all travel activities.

    2. Scope

    This Policy applies to all Cairnmillar staff undertaking Cairnmillar-related travel, regardless of duration or source of funds, and includes student travel connected with Cairnmillar programs and activities.

    3. Policy

    The Institute supports travel to enhance and enable its teaching, learning, research and engagement activities.

    In facilitating travel, the Institute commits to:

    1. maintaining its duty of care
    2. meeting its legal and tax obligations
    3. achieving value for money
    4. reducing its environmental impact

    3.1 Travel Principles

    When approving, booking and undertaking Cairnmillar-related travel, the following principles apply:

    1. travel is for a Cairnmillar-related purpose
    2. the health, wellbeing and safety of travellers is paramount
    3. awareness of cultural and legal requirements
    4. arrangements can withstand rigorous independent scrutiny.
    5. value for money is achieved

    3.2 Travel approval

    All travel, regardless of funding source, must be approved in accordance with the Travel Procedure.

    Any travel funded in whole or in part by the Institute must be for Cairnmillar purposes and must be conducted in accordance with the Institute’s risk appetite and policies. The Institute will not fund personal travel.

    Travel approval must be gained prior to travel.

    3.3 Booking of travel

    All Cairnmillar-related travel must be booked in accordance with Cairnmillar’s Travel Procedure and propose best value for money expenses – see Travel Expenses Guidelines.

    3.4 Risk management

    The physical and mental health, safety and wellbeing, and any concerns of travellers, must be considered before travel is undertaken, including COVID-19 and other illnesses and/or diseases.

    Cairnmillar travellers will familiarise themselves with any cultural and legal sensitivities of the destination(s) and/or organisation(s) they are travelling to or through.

    All international and interstate travel details must be noted by the Cairnmillar traveller on the Application for Conference/CPD attendance form prior to commencement of travel.

    Travellers affected by a critical travel incident will comply with the relevant requirements of the Travel Procedure and the Critical Incident, Accident & Injury Policy.

    3.5 Insurance

    Prior to travel, all Cairnmillar travellers will check with the Director of Finance to ensure their travel is covered within Cairnmillar’s existing insurance.

    3.6 Travel expenses and payments

    All travel expenses must comply with the Travel Expenses Guidelines and payments will be made in alignment with what was approved.

    The Institute will reimburse travel expenses that are necessary for a Cairnmillar business/activity purpose, reasonable and actual, and ensure funds are acquitted within approved budget limits.

    The Institute will not incur the cost for fringe benefits (i.e. personal or non-business-related expenses) in relation to travel.

    Only expenses for which original receipts are held can be reimbursed by the Institute.

    3.7 Non-compliance

    Noncompliance with this policy may be deemed as serious and may also result in costs not being reimbursed.

    4. Definitions and Acronyms

    For the purpose of this Policy, the following definitions apply:

    Critical travel incident: a traumatic event, or the threat of such, and may include any natural disaster, outbreak of war (including civil war), invasion, insurrection, revolution, use of military power, usurpation of government or military power, terrorist activity, transport accident, damage to property, bodily injury, death, pandemic, disease or illness, imprisonment or charge with a criminal offence, theft or other emergency that causes extreme stress, fear or injury such as to affect the travel plans of the Cairnmillar traveller.

    Cairnmillar-related travel: travel undertaken for Cairnmillar business and/or activities on the Institute’s behalf, whether within Australia or internationally.

    Duty of Care: Cairnmillar’s moral or legal obligation to ensure the safety or wellbeing of its travellers.

    Travel expenses: includes but is not limited to airfares, accommodation, car hire, ground and other transport, meals and other related incidentals.

    Cairnmillar traveller (traveller): a Cairnmillar staff member who is undertaking Cairnmillar-related travel, or a partner, family member or dependent(s) who is accompanying a staff member on Cairnmillar-related travel.

    Value for money: assessing whether the financial and non-financial outlay is necessary for business-related and unavoidable travel.

    5. Procedures

    5.1 Travel Procedure

    6. Resources and References

    Application for conference attendance (staff and students) form

    Application for staff professional development attendance form

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