diff --git a/Travel/conservancy-travel-policy.md b/Travel/conservancy-travel-policy.md index 2fcfc57bfde8c7818fe742d0c4c222e513a9c625..adee03946a86cb52e912bd76dc5db80a3842b826 100644 --- a/Travel/conservancy-travel-policy.md +++ b/Travel/conservancy-travel-policy.md @@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ Travelers should adhere to the following guidelines to stay In-Policy. ### Hotels -* Hotel fares < GSA rates are In-Policy. Visit - to determine the rate for your - destination. +* Hotels are In-Policy as long as the average nightly rate you pay + (excluding taxes and fees) is under the maximum rate for lodging for your + destination. See the "Rates" section below for details. * Be sure the receipt from your hotel includes the dates of your stay, not just a total. @@ -82,9 +82,8 @@ Keep and submit PDFs of the following, as applicable: * Use your per-diem to cover meals and incidental expenses. -* Your per-diem is based on GSA guidelines. Visit - to the determine the per-diem for your - destination. +* Your total per diem allowance follows the rates published for your + destination. See the "Rates" section below for details. * Try to be frugal - GSM per-diem rates are rather generous. @@ -102,6 +101,35 @@ Keep and submit PDFs of the following, as applicable: within 90 days of the last date of travel. Untimely requests **will not be reimbursed**. +## Rates + +Throughout this document, we refer to rates reported by other parties. + +For travel in the United States, we follow the maximum rates for lodging and +M&IE per diem set by the +[US General Services Administration](https://www.gsa.gov/perdiem). + +For travel outside the United States, we follow the maximum rates for lodging and +M&IE per diem set by the +[US Department of State](https://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp). + +We calculate the total per diem allowance for a trip using the same method +as the GSA. Travelers may request up to 100% of the listed rate for each +full day of travel, plus 75% of the listed rate for each partial day of +travel. For example, if you fly to a conference on Monday, spend Tuesday +through Thursday at the conference, and return home on Friday, and the per +diem rate for the conference city is $80, you may request up to $360: $80 +for each day Tuesday through Thursday, plus $60 for each day you flew. + +When we convert currencies (e.g., to determine whether a hotel paid in Euros +was within the maximum lodging rate), we use the final rate published by +[Open Exchange Rates](https://openexchangerates.org/) on the date we received +the reimbursement request. Please do not do your own currency conversions +in your reimbursement requests. Simply report expenses in their original +currency/ies, and we will convert appropriately. If you have questions or +concerns about our rates, just ask, and we'll be happy to provide details +before we send you final payment. + ## Reimbursement Procedure Note that reimbursements are only processed once per week. While we usually @@ -389,20 +417,15 @@ their destination. ## Lodging -Travelers are expected to be cost-conscious and prudent when booking -lodging for approved trips, and to verify that rates are within the -established per-diem rates for the geographic area of travel. - -If the cost per-diem of lodging chosen by the Traveler and/or the PLC -exceeds the -[United States General Services Administration's Per Diem calculator](http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem)'s -"Max lodging" column and/or -[United States Department of State's "Foreign Per Diem Rates by Location" calculator](http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp)'s -"Maximum Lodging Rate column" for the given location (per Traveler), the -Traveler and/or the PLC **must** obtain written pre-approval from -Conservancy and the PLC before booking the hotel. If written pre-approval -is not sought or is not granted, Conservancy will only reimburse up to the -amount in the rate table above. +Travelers are expected to be cost-conscious and prudent when booking lodging +for approved trips, and to verify that rates are within the maximum lodging +rates for the hotel's location. See the "Rates" section above for details. + +If the lodging chosen by the Traveler and/or the PLC exceeds the maximum +lodging rate for the given location (per Traveler), the Traveler and/or the +PLC **must** obtain written pre-approval from Conservancy and the PLC before +booking the hotel. If written pre-approval is not sought or is not granted, +Conservancy will only reimburse up to the maximum lodging rate. Lodging documentation submitted as part of a reimbursement request must include a copy of the hotel invoice detailing all charges (credit card @@ -431,23 +454,8 @@ listed in this document qualify. Travelers can submit for a per diem for meals and incidental expenses for every day of a trip devoted to Project- and/or Conservancy-related mission -work, including the day(s) of travel itself. Maximum per diem rates for -travel within the United States shall be based on the -[United States General Services Administration's Per Diem calculator](http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem), -using the ZIP code of the travel destination. For example, a Traveler based -in Palo Alto, CA heading to a conference in Atlanta, GA (with a layover in -Dallas, TX each way) will use the ZIP code of the destination in Atlanta to -calculate the maximum per diem for the entire trip, including days of -travel. - -Maximum per diem rates for locations outside of the United States shall be -based on the -[United States Department of State's "Foreign Per Diem Rates by Location" calculator](http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp)'s -"Meals & Incidental Expenses" (M&IE) column, using the name of a listed city -closest to the travel destination. For example, a Traveler based in Palo -Alto heading to a conference in London, England (with a layover in New York -City) has a maximum per diem of the M&IE per diem listed London for the -entire trip, including days of travel. +work, including the day(s) of travel itself, up to the maximum rate for the +destination of the trip. See the "Rates" section above for details. These per diem rates are the maximum daily rate Travelers can claim. If a conference has provided food, or food is provided in some other form, or @@ -570,13 +578,6 @@ Conservancy-related purposes, not personal in nature, and therefore not includable as taxable income to the Traveler. Receipts are required for all expenses, no matter the amount. -## Currency Exchange Rates - -Expenses incurred in foreign currencies will be converted to US dollars -based on the exchange rate on the date of incursion. The currency exchange -rate of record shall be done using -[The Bank of Canada 10-year currency converter](http://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/exchange/10-year-converter/). - ## Approvals Travelers traveling on behalf of a Project must seek approvals and