OpenSSL Travel Policy

Purpose

When travelling for OpenSSL business related purposes, it is OpenSSL’s intention to cover reasonable travel expenses.

The purpose of this Travel Policy (The Policy) is to clarify the travel related expenses OpenSSL will reimburse, the level of reimbursement, the process for authorising travel and how to claim a reimbursement for approved travel expenses.

Scope

The Policy is applicable to all Committee Members, all persons under contract at OpenSSL, as well as other persons as designated by the OMC from time to time (subsequently known collectively as Traveller).

The Policy covers travel for the purposes of OpenSSL business only – whether to events, meetings or training and excludes all non-business or leisure travel.

Definitions

• Travel is where; you leave your usual state and/or country or you have to travel 1 or more hours away from the location you usually work from.
• Travel Approver: is a person (contractor’s manager) authorised by the OMC or the OMC itself to approve travel expenses up to the limits as stated in the Travel Approver Table.
• Reimbursable expenses: are expenses that OpenSSL will reimburse (subject to the relevant limits &/or restrictions outlined in The Policy) some examples of these are:
  • Flights & Taxis.
  • Conference fees.
  • Accommodations while attending meetings, conferences, etc.
  • Meals.
• Non-reimbursable expenses: are expenses that OpenSSL will not reimburse and are at the Traveller’s own cost. Some examples of these are (this is not an exhaustive list):
  • Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities and any costs directly associated with such costs (such as tickets to shows or sports events, meals, lodging, rentals, transportation, and gratuities)
  • Personal expenses including laundry charges, dry cleaning and lost personal property;
  • Fines or excesses incurred while operating a rental vehicle;
  • Unauthorized flight or accommodation upgrades etc;
  • minibar charges
• Full Day: is any 12+ to 24 hour period that a Traveller is away from their usual place of residence.
• Partial Day: is 1 to 12 hour period that a Traveller is away from their usual place of residence, this is considered a day trip.

Principles

Travel Authorisation

• All travel arrangements must be authorized by a designated Travel Approver.
• Manager’s travel to be approved by the OMC.
• Travel should be approved prior to the expected date of travel (ideally a minimum of 2 weeks prior), depending on the circumstances and the required travel arrangement time period.
• Travellers are not allowed to authorize their own travel arrangements.
• Any ad-hoc variations to The Policy must be authorised by the OMC.

Only the OMC can appoint Travel Approvers and amend the Travel Approver Table.

Travel Approver’s can only authorise travel up to the limits specified in the Travel Approver Table.

Travel Arrangements

Except where OpenSSL has arranged and paid for a group booking, the Traveller is responsible for making and paying for all travel arrangements including but not limited to; booking and payment of all transportation, accommodation, conference fees, meals and travel-related expenses.

International Travel

• International business trips should be authorized at least 2 months before the expected travel date, where practical.
• Visas or other fees related to border requirements are eligible for reimbursement.
• Travel Insurance is needed for all international travel and is reimbursable. Where the travel insurance covers a period of travel unrelated to business (e.g. where you add on extra days) the cost of the insurance should be on a pro-rata basis as only the business portion is reimbursable.
• Any medical expenses not covered under the Travel Insurance, are at the Traveller’s own cost.

Transportation

The Traveller can claim reimbursement for any means of transportation that is needed to fulfil their duties to OpenSSL. Including a return plane, boat, train, coach ticket, private vehicle and/or rental car subject to the limits and restrictions listed in The Policy.

The Traveller should travel using the most effective and economical means, taking into account the distance and time taken to travel.

Taxis

While traveling, Travellers will be reimbursed when using a taxi service to and from; their home, the airport, hotel, and business location, all other taxi fares are at the Traveller’s expense.

Flights

Flights should be booked as per the Flight Class Table below and are inclusive of 1 checked piece of luggage per person.

• If the Traveller chooses to upgrade their flight the difference between the cost of the approved flight class and the upgraded flight class is at the Traveller’s own expense.
• Additional baggage and/or overweight baggage fees are at the Traveller’s own cost.
• Airport parking is also reimbursable.

Flight Class Table

Total Flying Time is the time from the scheduled departure of the first flight to the scheduled arrival of the last flight

Rental Cars

Rental Cars can be rented when, there is either no other means of transportation available or where it is either more costly or impractical to use other transportation.

• Any additional insurance or add on items e.g. any fines or excesses incurred whilst using a rental car will be at the cost of the Traveller.
• Tolls &/or Parking fees will be eligible for reimbursement.
• Excess reduction fees are reimbursable.
• A GPS navigation is also reimbursable.

Use of Private Vehicles

Private Vehicles can be used where it is more economical or convenient. The owner of the vehicle is responsible for ensuring the vehicle meets all regulatory and legal requirements along with all costs related to the vehicle, including but not limited to maintenance, petrol, insurance, registration fees, fines etc.
OpenSSL is not responsible for the condition of the vehicle nor the way in which it is used or any costs associated with the vehicle outside of the agreed milage benefit as listed in the Milage Rate Table.

Usage will be paid on a milage basis for work related travel only ie if you travel to/from a venue for work, you can claim that milage. If during the trip you take a side trip to visit friends this would not be claimable and that milage would need to be deducted from the milage being claimed.

Record the odometer reading at the start and end of each section of your work related travel. The difference between these two readings (less any non-work travel) is what can be claimed as milage.
Milage should be recorded in the distance measure applicable to the country you are travelling in, so either miles or kilometers.

Milage Rate Table

based on each country’s vehicle usage rates as at 2022-10-07

Accommodation

OpenSSL will reimburse costs incurred for:

• Hotel accommodation while traveling for company purposes, in hotels up to a maximum of 4 stars. Where the hotel has a higher star rating but is part of a conference package this will also be reimbursed.
• Room type should be a Standard Hotel Room. The Traveller may upgrade the room at their own expense.
• OpenSSL will fund 1 day’s accommodation prior to the required travel and 1 day post the required travel time.
• Use of the minibar, laundry services or other hotel facilities (excluding those required for Business purposes e.g. meeting rooms) are at the Traveller’s own expense.

Meals

The amount listed in the Meal Reimbursement Table will be the maximum amount that can be claimed for all meals in a single day.

Only the OMC can amend the Meal Reimbursement Table.

OpenSSL will only pay for meals related to the Traveller and will not pay for meals related to other parties e.g. guests, partners, friends except where the other party is also travelling on behalf of OpenSSL. In these circumstances OpenSSL will reimburse meals applicable to each Traveller for that day as per the Meal Reimbursement Table.

• Where the costs were incurred by only one of the parties, the name of the other party must be listed against the receipt in the reimbursement claim, only the party that incurred the expense can claim for the meal.

Meal reimbursement covers breakfast, lunch, dinner and all non-alcoholic drinks, it excludes alcoholic beverages which are at the Travellers expense. The Traveller must submit receipts for all meals that they wish to claim. Room Service meals are reimbursable but subject to the standard meal reimbursement limits.

Reasonable tips in keeping with the expectation for the country being visited can be claimed, or any service charges included in the bill.

Meal Reimbursement

Meals will be reimbursed as per the Meal Reimbursement Table below:

Meal Reimbursement Table

Meal reimbursements are not accumulative, ie where only US $100 is spent in a full day the remaining US $50 does not carry over to the next day.

Entertainment

Where a Traveller is hosting a customer/(s) on behalf of OpenSSL:

• The entire cost of the meal will be reimbursed and the value does not count towards the Traveller’s daily Meal reimbursement limit;
• The Traveller must list the names & companies of the other parties when submitting their reimbursement claim;
• A meal can only be claimed once per day, either under Entertainment or Meal reimbursement (i.e. if you entertain at dinner it is covered under entertainment, you can not then claim a dinner under your meal reimbursement).
• Alcoholic beverages are covered up to a maximum total cost of US $20 per person per meal.

Other Expenses

In addition, OpenSSL will reimburse the cost of:

• meeting, boardroom, or conference room &/or other facilities needed while traveling for OpenSSL business purposes.
• Conference &/or attendance fees

Personal Travel

OpenSSL will not be financially responsible for any personal expenses and travel arrangements.

• If a Traveller chooses to travel with a partner; their partner's accommodation, meals, leisure, and/or travel expenses will not be reimbursed.
• If a Traveller chooses to have additional days either prior or post the required travel, costs associated with the additional days will not be reimbursed, (excluding any pre/post days included in The Policy)

Reimbursements

Except where noted below, the traveller must keep all receipts, tickets etc related to the reimbursement and submit these with the Expenses Reimbursement Form. Photos or scanned versions of the receipts or credit card statements are acceptable. In the event a receipt is not available or lost the Traveller must submit a signed statement detailing the item/s purchased and the cost.

One currency should be used consistently within each Expense Reimbursement Request. ie if claiming Euro’s the entire request should be in Euro’s. Where an expense is incurred in a currency other than the main currency of the Expense Reimbursement request, it will need to be converted to the main currency before being entered into the form.

Currency Conversion:

• Where the expense is incurred on a credit card, debit card or via a bank transfer or bank payment use the amount actually charged to you by the relevant financial institution.
• Otherwise use the the rate you were charged (if available) or the exchange rate on the day the expense was incurred and note the exchange rate in the description field on the Expenses Reimbursement Form.

The Traveller is expected to submit an Expenses Reimbursement Form within 30 days from the end of the trip.

• On the Travel Expense Reimbursement Request, the Traveller must include details and photos or scanned receipts for all expenses with an individual value greater than US $30.
• For expenses under US $30 receipts do not have to be provided however details of the cost should be included on the Expenses Reimbursement Form.
• The Traveller should cross out items unrelated to their reimbursement claim on the receipts; ensure any entertainment clearly lists the attendees and relevant company details; and exclude any personal expenses.

The Travel Approver or their designated representative is responsible for reviewing the Travel Expense Reimbursement Request to ensure it is in line with The Policy and the Travel that was approved.

Travel Time

Travel Time is the time spent travelling for OpenSSL business purposes that is outside of normal to/from work travel.

Travel Time payments only apply to those persons paid by OpenSSL (i.e. contractors).

This should be done via the contractor’s normal monthly invoice and should not be claimed on the Expenses Reimbursement Form.

Travel Time should be listed separately from the contractor’s normal working hours on their monthly invoice, so that it does not count in their maximum working hours for the month/year.

Normal working hours and rates apply for time spent away from home where contractor is not travelling e.g. attending a conference or work meeting.

OpenSSL will pay Travel Time in line with the contractor’s normal hourly rate up to a maximum of 7.5 hours per 24 hour period of travel.

Example 1:

Contractor travels overseas and is in transit a total of 26 hours, they would claim 7.5 hours for the first 24 hours and then an additional 2 hours in the second 24 hour period, total Travel Time claim would be 9.5 hours.

Example 2:

Contractor travels overseas and is in transit a total of 10 hours, they would claim 7.5 hours for the first 24 hour period.

The contractor then attends the conference the next day and works from 9 am to 12 pm (with applicable breaks) they would bill 3 hours for this period.

Contractor returns home and is in transit a total of 10.5 hours, they would claim 7.5 hours for the second 24 hour period.

The Total that the contractor can charge is 15 hours Travel Time + 3 hours normal work x (contractor’s hourly rate).

Example 3:

Contractor travels interstate and is in transit a total of 4 hours, they would claim 4 hours in the first 24 hour period.

The contractor then attends the conference and works from 10 am to 3pm (with applicable breaks) they would bill 5 hours for this period.

Contractor then returns home and is in transit a total of 4.5 hours, they would claim another 3.5 hours Travel Time as they are still within the original 24 hour period.

The Total that the contractor can charge is 7.5 hours Travel Time + 5 hours normal work x (contractor’s hourly rate).

Travel Expense Reimbursement Claim

To submit a reimbursement claim for business related travel expenses:

1. Download & Complete the Expenses Reimbursement Form
   • Please separate a total for Food vs Non-Food. This is sometimes easy, but can be complex if for example you charge food/breakfast to a hotel bill. For tax purposes we need food vs non-food.
2. Ensure receipts/documentation is clearly labelled with relevant details (e.g. where sharing meals, crossing out personal expenses etc).
3. Ensure you have entered the correct bank details for your reimbursement to be paid into.
4. Scan or photograph all applicable receipts etc and attach them to the Expenses Reimbursement Form email.
5. Submit the form & scanned/photographed receipts within 30 days to finance@openssl.org attention to manager for review.
   • Please name your Expenses Reimbursement with the following filename format [YYYYMMDD]-[Name]-[Surname]-[event_name]-travelreimbursement.ods i.e. 20220923-Martin-Koci-ICMC22-travelreimbursement.ods

Processing Travel Expense Reimbursement Claim

• Manager ensures invoices, bills, Expenses Reimbursement Form, and all related documents are correct.
• Correct documents be committed to the oss/financial/[financial year]/[date]-[name-surname]-reason directory, i.e. oss/financial/2022/20220922-martin-koci-travel
• Manager prepares the payments CSV file and commits to the repo.
• Manager requests (TO’ing) the treasurer to make the payment along with the notice to finance@openssl.org (CC’ing).