Human Resources Manual - 1210 - Duty Travel and Accomodation

1. An employee who is authorized to travel on government business will be reimbursed for reasonable expenses.  The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) directives on duty travel, accommodation and duty travel expenditures can be found in sections 2001, 2002 and 2003 of the Financial Administration Manual (FAM) located on the Financial Management Board website at http://www.fin.gov.nt.ca/FAMWeb/index.html.

2. These guidelines and procedures apply to all employees, except those employed by the Northwest Territories (NWT) Power Corporation.

3. Duty travel means travelling on authorized Government business.

4. Deputy Heads are responsible for the duty travel and expenses of employees in their Department, Board or Agency.
5. Duty travel and anticipated related expenses must be authorized in advance on a travel authorization and expense claim form signed by the responsible approving officer (see FAM Directive No 2001 for details on travel forms, authorization, accounting, GST exception, Government travel credit cards, etc.).
6. All travel is to be completed by the most economical and practical means available.  Employees should check the government accommodation and car rental directory (http://rehelv-acrd.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca//) and ask for the government rate when making reservations for accommodation or rental vehicles.
7. Employees will be reimbursed for meals, incidentals and mileages as per the GNWT duty travel rates.  These rates are identical to the Federal Treasury Board duty travel rates and will be adjusted as the Federal rates are changed.
8. Where expenses cannot be kept within the entitlements, actual expenses supported by receipts and justification of the circumstances must be attached to the expense claim form.  Without receipts for actual costs, only the allowable rates are reimbursed.
9. When an employee is required to travel on behalf of the Employer, the employee is paid as though he/she were at work for all hours travelled.
10. Hours travelled include one hour check-in period at airports (two hours check-in for flights originating outside Nunavut, the Yukon and the NWT), bus depots or train stations, as well as one hour check-out period at each overnight stopover and at the final destination.  Hours travelled also include time spent waiting for connecting flights, trains or buses, but is exclusive of overnight stopovers.
11. Where employees make private arrangements for overnight accommodation that is not already paid for by the GNWT, they may claim $50.00 for each night.  Receipts are not required.
12. Amounts for meals and incidental expenses cover the cost of meals and other expenses like tips to miscellaneous service personnel.
13. Ground transportation (i.e., taxi) costing less than $10.00 per trip does not require a receipt.
14. For duty travel beyond 15 calendar days in one location, the per diem is reduced to 50% of the regular duty travel amounts per day for meals.  Incidental expenses remain the same amount per day.  Exceptions are made when housekeeping units or reasonable room and board are not available.
15. For employees in the NWTTA bargaining unit, the maximum amount claimable is reduced to 50% of the per diem rates for meals and incidental expenses for duty travel in excess of 15 calendar days in one location.  Exceptions are made when housekeeping units or reasonable room and board are not available.
16. An employee is not considered "in travel status" when appointed to a position in one area, but his/her duties are carried out at another location during the major portion of the time or continuously (i.e., highway equipment operators).
17. When a return trip is made in one day, the employee can claim for meals, but cannot claim for incidentals.
18. Employees may also claim for:
    1. Long distance telephone calls:
       1. if of an official nature;
       2. if a personal nature in the event of unavoidable delays in the employee’s arrival home; and
       3. if an employee is away from home over a weekend and started duty travel at least two days before the weekend, one personal, five minute, long distance call can be claimed.  (Does not apply to NWTTA members.)
    2. Storage and excess baggage charges if necessitated by the performance of duties.
    3. Taxis
       1. Taxi expenses must be explained except where the purpose is self-evident; and
       2. Taxis should not be authorized for repeated trips between places, if convenient public transportation is available.
    4. Laundry (Does not apply to NWTTA members)
       1. If supported by receipts, a maximum of $20.00 may be claimed after five consecutive days on duty travel, and each subsequent five days; or
       2. If not supported by receipts, a maximum amount of $20.00 may be claimed after seven consecutive days on duty travel, and each subsequent seven days;
    5. Local phone calls for business purposes only.
    6. Child care expenses to a maximum of $25.00 a day per dependant child,
       16 years of age or younger, if the employee's child care expenses exceed those which would have normally been incurred due to travel on behalf of the Employer.  Receipts are required.
19. The following expenses cannot be claimed:
    1. purchase of office supplies or equipment;
    2. purchases of a personal nature, such as baggage, clothing, etc.;
    3. any expenses for stopovers due to personal reasons;
    4. any expenses during periods of leave, with or without pay; and
    5. any money or personal belongings that is lost.
20. Employees are responsible for ensuring they are able to return to work at the end of their travel.

21. The employee completes a travel authorization and expense claim form (see FAM Directive No 2001 for details on travel forms, authorization, accounting, GST exception, etc.).
22. The designated officer authorizes duty travel by signing the travel authorization and expense claim before the trip starts.
23. If an advance for travel expenses is required, the employee submits the travel authorization and expense form at least three days before travel to the department’s finance division.
24. The form is returned to the employee.  The travel advance cheque and an accommodation warrant, if applicable, are attached if requested.
25. The employee submits the expense claim to their departmental finance division within ten business days of completing the trip with all receipts attached.  If the travel advance was greater than the expenses, a personal cheque is attached for the difference.
26. Except in special cases, no more than one travel advance can be outstanding at any time.

Main Collective Agreement with UNW

Article 45, Duty Travel

Collective Agreement with NWTTA

Article B-5, Duty Travel

Senior Managers' Handbook

Duty Travel

Excluded Employees' Handbook

Duty Travel

Financial Administration Manual

Section 2001, Duty Travel - Expenditure Claims

Section 2002, Travel Expenditures – Non-government Employees

Section 2003, Collection of Overdue Travel Advances