Finance and Travel Session

[Audio] This session will give you a quick overview of CLOC's Finance and Travel policies. The OPS intranet will provide more detailed and in-depth information. By the end of the session, you will have the knowledge to understand the Finance and Travel policies in place and how you can use them to your advantage. Let's get started!.

[Audio] I am going to discuss the Finance and Travel policies at CLOC. We will look at the OPS' Travel, Meal & Hospitality Expense Directive, what expenses are covered and not covered within the directive, OPS travel cards, how to book travel, how to claim expenses and submit receipts, and the support available to you. Understanding these policies will help you make the right decisions when managing expenses, so let's begin..

[Audio] Reimbursement is when you get paid for costs you have incurred while on company business. OPS's Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses Directive outlines when you can be reimbursed for these costs, and it is important to remember that reimbursement is only available for necessary out-of-pocket expenses. Therefore, only submit claims for the costs you can't avoid..

[Audio] The Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses Directive (TMHD) outlines the rules and principles for the reimbursement and payment of travel, meal and hospitality expenses for all OPS employees and appointees. It provides clear guidance on how to claim and report these expenses and is a key source of information. It is essential for all OPS employees and appointees to be familiar with the rules for claiming travel, meal and hospitality expenses, and the TMHD offers comprehensive details..

[Audio] The Ontario Government has a critical responsibility to manage its finances. To ensure all funds are allocated and spent responsibly for the benefit of taxpayers, we must be accountable for all financial decisions and transactions. We must provide an explanation for all disbursements and be open to public scrutiny and audits. All funds received for reimbursement must originate from public sources. The Rules provide an equitable framework for evaluating expense claims and protect us from any misconduct or false claims. All divisions and staff would be treated the same when it comes to a food allowance, for example. Strict adherence to the Rules shields us from public inquiries or investigations..

[Audio] Reimbursement for business expenses related to travel, meals, and hospitality is allowed under the Directive. Such expenses may include car rentals, airfare, meals, and hotel accommodations. However, the Directive does not cover personal expenses, like personal items, traffic or parking violations, hotel mini-bar usage, video rental, in-room movies, alcohol, or other entertainment-related expenses..

[Audio] As part of our finance and travel session, I'd like to take a few minutes to discuss some of the types of expenses that you may incur when representing CLOC. Firstly, and most importantly, you will need to always keep your receipts for all work-related expenses. The only exception is for meals, which we will talk about later. When it comes to travel, the province has mandated the use of one company as the preferred supplier for all OPS business travelers. This company is called GetThere®, and is an optional tool available to all OPS employees. It offers various benefits, such as lower transaction fees and an online interface. If you'd like to find out more information about travel bookings, you can visit the Travel Information and Guides page on InsideOPS..

[Audio] CLOC's policy on business travel is clear: whenever practical and economical, book economy. Business class, or higher tiers, are discouraged unless manager approval is granted. For rail travel, manager approval is only required in special circumstances such as traveling with a team, reducing costs on meals and accommodation, or due to accommodation requirements. CLOC does not accept any ticket upgrades or substitutions in order to stay committed to responsible budgeting and effective decision making..

[Audio] Today let’s talk about the finance and travel session. We will learn about CLOC’s policies and procedures regarding finance and travel. This will include rental procedures, as well as the use of the Travel Card. We’ll also take a look at what’s available via the OPS intranet. When renting a vehicle, you must name the renter as His Majesty the King in Right of Ontario, add the name of your ministry, and list yourself and any other drivers on the rental contract. Be sure to use the Travel Card to pay for the rental. It is also important to remember to refuel the rental car before returning it to avoid higher gasoline charges. Finally, let’s look at the table provided to us. This guide will help you decide when to use a rental, a personal vehicle, or when it is more economical to do one or the other. Be sure to have all documentation required for rental, fuel, and personal vehicle, to avoid any issues during a reimbursement..

[Audio] Without greetings, without beginning with Today, and without thanks: Reviewing the travel policies associated with CLOC, it is important to note the following: mileage must be calculated in kilometres for all expense claims. Parking costs incurred in the area surrounding the office are not reimbursable, nor are any traffic or parking violations. When possible, approval should be obtained prior to travel that is more than 24 km from your work location to use a taxi, as group travel by cab may be more economical than the total cost of individuals travelling separately by public transit, or when a cab is needed to meet an unusually tight schedule. Taxi chits should only be used for regular business travel. Lastly, when travelling by vehicle, all policies in the Vehicle Travel policy must be adhered to..

[Audio] Attendees of the Finance and Travel Session will be provided with an outline for selecting appropriate accommodations when booking business travel. CLOC has taken Federal guidelines into consideration and you should refer to the Federal online accommodation directory for a list of approved hotels that meet the criteria. It is important to be aware that sometimes there may not be any rooms available which meet the standard due to high demand or other factors. In this case, make sure to contact your manager before booking. CLOC's policy states that the government rate should be obtained and that pre-approvals should not be made for accommodations. Furthermore, it is not permitted to book upgrades of any kind which carry extra costs, including suites, executive rooms, concierge services, or club levels..

[Audio] When non-hotel accommodation is necessary and a staff member must travel to a community where no regular hotel accommodation is available, they must provide proper receipts and the cost must be less than that of a hotel. It is not possible to claim any expenses associated with a residence owned or operated by friends or family. To claim these expenses, a detailed explanation is necessary. For instance, if lodging with a friend or family member, only thirty dollars for hospitality is claimable without a receipt, however a note must be provided to explain this..

[Audio] In the Finance and Travel session, we will discuss the criteria for reimbursement of meal expenses. Meeting the requirements is necessary to gain eligibility. This includes being in business travel, such that your business time spans a standard mealtime, and you cannot reasonably consume a meal at home. Additionally, you must have actually consumed the meal, and either the headquarters to business site must be 24 kilometers or less, or the combined travel time to and from the business site must be more than three hours. For more information, please refer to the OPS intranet..

[Audio] Employees of CLOC must utilize a Travel Card for any business travel. The cardholder is accountable for the related costs of travel, like meals, accommodation and activities and airfare and rail costs are disbursed centrally. In the event that any additional costs are needed and a Travel Card cannot be used, the employee can be reimbursed by submitting an iExpense report with all the essential documentation. Moreover, Personal Credit Cards are never accepted for business travel expenses..

[Audio] To help streamline our financial processes, CLOC has set up iExpense, a self-service, Web-based expense reporting application. All eligible users are required to use it. To guide users through the tool, extensive training is available on our eLearning portal LearnON, and a step-by-step manual can be found on the CLOC Resources Teams folder or SharePoint site. When entering claims in iExpense, users must include a file name and number, as well as the cost centre which can be found on CLOC Resources. In order to receive reimbursements electronically, users must submit a blank check to the Action Request Management System (ARMS). Let's get started with claiming expenses and submitting receipts through iExpense..

[Audio] We understand at CLOC that managing finances and navigating the travel process can be challenging. That's why we have resources employees can access for assistance and support. The OPS Service Centre is available 24/7, with a toll-free number and email. The SBMB Finance team is also available to answer specific questions. We thank you for participating in our presentation and hope you found the information useful. Should you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact the OPS Service Centre or the SBMB Finance team..