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Travel: Reformat the policy as Markdown.

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Travel/conservancy-travel-policy.txt → Travel/conservancy-travel-policy.md
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@ -1,21 +1,20 @@
Software Freedom Conservancy Travel and Reimbursable Expense Policy
===================================================================
# Software Freedom Conservancy Travel and Reimbursable Expense Policy
== Overview
## Overview
This Travel and Reimbursable Expense Policy (``Policy'') applies to all
Conservancy Member Projects (``Projects'') of Software Freedom Conservancy
(``Conservancy'') and has been created to memorialize Conservancy's
This Travel and Reimbursable Expense Policy ("Policy") applies to all
Conservancy Member Projects ("Projects") of Software Freedom Conservancy
("Conservancy") and has been created to memorialize Conservancy's
reimbursement policies relating to travel and other business expenses
incurred by Conservancy staff, Project Leadership Committee (``PLC'')
incurred by Conservancy staff, Project Leadership Committee ("PLC")
members, and project volunteers while engaged in business on behalf of, or
at the behest of Conservancy and/or a Project (``Travelers'').
at the behest of Conservancy and/or a Project ("Travelers").
This Policy includes an Easy Reference Guide that can be used as a
template for most of the travel covered under this Policy. When in doubt,
refer to the more detailed sections below.
== Purpose
## Purpose
Conservancy must maintain effective control of business-related expenses
in order to maintain its financial viability and tax exempt status.
@ -31,7 +30,7 @@ reimbursement.
Any travel expense that adheres to this Policy is considered In-Policy
and does not require special approval, so long as the trip itself
has been approved in writing by Conservancy's Executive Director or
by a Project's Leadership Committee (``PLC'') in a regular and documented
by a Project's Leadership Committee ("PLC") in a regular and documented
PLC vote. Conservancy and/or a PLC can limit allowable travel expenses
to an amount less than what would otherwise be considered acceptable
according to this Policy. If so, the smaller budget is the maximum
@ -42,51 +41,68 @@ than this one. Please consult the PLC for your Conservancy project before
incurring an expenses to ensure you understand what expenses can be
reimbursed.
== Easy Reference Guide
## Easy Reference Guide
Travelers should adhere to the following guidelines to stay In-Policy.
* Flights.
### Flights
* Before you buy tickets, save a screenshot of a flight search that
shows the least expensive fare available from multiple airlines for
the dates you need to travel.
* Book at least 14 days in advance.
* Fares within $100 of that lowest fare you found are In-Policy, even if
you book on a different site or for different dates.
* Fares over $750 domestically or $1,500 internationally require
Conservancy's pre-approval.
* Hotels.
### Hotels
* Hotel fares < GSA rates are In-Policy. Visit
http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem to determine the rate for your
<http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem> to determine the rate for your
destination.
* Be sure the receipt from your hotel includes the dates of your
stay, not just a total.
* Receipts. Keep and submit PDFs of the following, as applicable:
### Receipts
Keep and submit PDFs of the following, as applicable:
* Your fare search (i.e., a screen shot)
* Your plane/rail ticket (e-confirmation of purchase is sufficient)
* Your hotel/lodging invoice
* Per Diem.
### Per Diem
* Use your per-diem to cover meals and incidental expenses.
* Your per-diem is based on GSA guidelines. Visit
http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem to the determine the per-diem for your
<http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem> to the determine the per-diem for your
destination.
* Try to be frugal - GSM per-diem rates are rather generous.
* When attending a conference where food is included, Do The Right
Thing and claim a lower per-diem.
* Reimbursement.
### Reimbursement
* To receive reimbursement, send hotel and flight/rail receipt,
along with a list of Per Diem days and totals to
accounting@sfconservancy.org. Refer to the Expense Report
<accounting@sfconservancy.org>. Refer to the Expense Report
section below for details.
* Your complete reimbursement request must be submitted to
accounting@sfconservancy.org within 90 days of the last date of
travel. Untimely requests *will not be reimbursed*.
== Reimbursement Procedure
* Your complete reimbursement request must be submitted to
<accounting@sfconservancy.org> within 90 days of the last date of
travel. Untimely requests **will not be reimbursed**.
## Reimbursement Procedure
Note that reimbursements are only processed once per week. While we usually
can turn around reimbursements in about two weeks' time, please be advised
@ -125,15 +141,14 @@ for Project approval:
Conservancy's preference, are:
* PayPal. For this, we need (a) the email address that is registered to
the PayPal account that will receive reimbursement and (b) the
preferred currency. (Please verify that PayPal supports transactions in
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/sell/mc/mc_intro-outside[your
preferred currency before choosing one].)
Note that sometimes PayPal charges fees. Usually we're taking
funds from our PayPal balance, which means no fees appear on our side,
but they may appear on yours. In our experience, USA PayPal account
holders physically in the USA are not typically charged fees; but we do
advise you to check PayPal's fee schedule before choosing this method.
the PayPal account that will receive reimbursement and (b) the preferred
currency. (Please verify that PayPal supports transactions in
[your preferred currency before choosing one](https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/sell/mc/mc_intro-outside).)
Note that sometimes PayPal charges fees. Usually we're taking funds
from our PayPal balance, which means no fees appear on our side, but
they may appear on yours. In our experience, USA PayPal account holders
physically in the USA are not typically charged fees; but we do advise
you to check PayPal's fee schedule before choosing this method.
NOTE: Typically, when choosing PayPal as a payment option, amounts owed
in USD will be paid in USD, regardless of your preferred currency
@ -146,20 +161,24 @@ for Project approval:
country. For this option, I need as much of the following information
as it's possible for you to collect.
Required information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**Required information**
* Full Name of the Account Holder
* Full Address of the Account Holder
* Account Number
* Preferred Currency
* Bank Name
* Bank Address
* Bank ACH or ABA routing number (for banks in the US);
or SWIFT and/or BIC code (for banks outside the US)
Additional required information by country
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**Additional required information by country**
* All countries inside the EU: IBAN
@ -187,8 +206,7 @@ for Project approval:
* United States: Phone Number of the Account Holder
Additional information we can use
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**Additional information we can use**
Banks outside the US will often designate a Correspondent Bank when
receiving funds from the US. If you can give us the Correspondent
@ -206,8 +224,7 @@ Project Leadership Committees: when you see emails of this nature, please
be sure to have your designated Representative review the materials and
send an approval message to Conservancy.
== Project Leadership Committee Review
## Project Leadership Committee Review
Conservancy foresees the need for periodic reasonable exceptions to
this Policy. Persons working on behalf of a specific Project seeking
@ -237,9 +254,9 @@ expense. If a PLC has any questions regarding whether their Project has
sufficient funds to cover a Traveler's expense request, the PLC should
contact Conservancy.
== Transportation
## Transportation
=== Overall transportation Cost
### Overall transportation Cost
Domestic transportation costs greater than US$750 requires Conservancy
approval prior to booking, even if all other Policy conditions have been
@ -247,7 +264,7 @@ met. International transportation costs greater than US$1,650 requires
Conservancy approval prior to booking, even if all other Policy conditions
have been met.
=== Advance Purchase
### Advance Purchase
Tickets for travel by air or rail (excluding commuter train and subway)
should be booked at least 14 days in advance; any travel booked less than
@ -255,9 +272,9 @@ should be booked at least 14 days in advance; any travel booked less than
Tickets for travel by air or rail beyond 365 days in advance also require
written pre-authorization by Conservancy.
=== Air Travel
### Air Travel
==== Class of Service
#### Class of Service
Coach and/or Economy Airfare is the only acceptable class for all flights
(domestic and international) unless a PLC provides a special exception and
@ -268,14 +285,14 @@ and rewards), provided that the resulting air fare otherwise meets the
requirements of this Policy. Travelers should not book out-of-Policy trips
(and thus pay a higher fare) in order to qualify for a mileage upgrade.
==== Advance Purchase
#### Advance Purchase
Air travel should be booked at least 14 days in advance; any travel booked
less than 14 days in advance requires written pre-authorization by
Conservancy. Flights beyond 365 days in advance also require written
pre-authorization by Conservancy.
==== Low Fare
#### Low Fare
Conservancy aims to balance cost savings with convenience and considers
flights that are within US$100 of the lowest logical fare to be within
@ -283,10 +300,12 @@ Policy. The lowest logical fare is the least expensive fare available from a
fare search that meets all of these criteria:
* The search must include fares from multiple airlines.
* The search must cover only the dates of relevant travel. For example, if
you're attending a conference that runs Monday through Friday, the search
must have you arriving no earlier than Sunday, and leaving no later than
Saturday.
* Except as allowed by Policy, the search must not use filters that might
exclude the least expensive fare. For example, you may filter out
flights with two or more connections, since Conservancy does not
@ -294,8 +313,8 @@ fare search that meets all of these criteria:
airlines, or flights without WiFi.
Any widely-recognized airfare search site that lists results from multiple
airlines is acceptable, including sites such as http://orbitz.com[Orbitz],
http://kayak.com[Kayak] or http://hipmunk.com/[Hipmunk]. The PLCs and/or
airlines is acceptable, including sites such as [Orbitz](http://orbitz.com),
[Kayak](http://kayak.com) or [Hipmunk](http://hipmunk.com/). The PLCs and/or
the traveler must submit the output (such as a screenshot or printout from
the browser) of a online fare search as part of documentation in airfare
pricing. Make sure the output shows the least expensive fare available.
@ -306,7 +325,7 @@ booked flights are within Policy.
Any flights greater than US$100 over the lowest logical fare require
written pre-authorization by Conservancy.
==== Reasonable Flights
#### Reasonable Flights
Conservancy asks that Travelers allow for flexibility with respect
to departure times during a desired day of travel, as well as longer
@ -314,7 +333,7 @@ trips in order to reduce cost. However, Conservancy does consider
flights with two or more connections as unreasonable and does not
expect Travelers to consider those flight options to be reasonable.
==== Excess Baggage
#### Excess Baggage
Should a team member travel on an airline that charges for a single piece
of checked baggage, such a baggage expense is eligible for reimbursement.
@ -323,12 +342,12 @@ piece, unless that additional baggage is materials specifically related to
the Project's and Conservancy's mission (i.e., bringing t-shirts and other
promotional materials to an event).
==== Out-of-Policy Bookings
#### Out-of-Policy Bookings
All air travel not adhering to the above Policies are considered Out-of-Policy
and require written pre-authorization by Conservancy's Executive Director.
==== Cancellation Fees
#### Cancellation Fees
Cancellation fees and other penalties incurred result of a change
of plans are reimbursable at Conservancy's discretion. In general,
@ -339,9 +358,9 @@ in flight connections. In instances where these fees are incurred
without adequate explanation, Conservancy reserves the right to refuse
to reimburse the cost of the fees.
=== Other Transportation
### Other Transportation
==== Ground Transportation
#### Ground Transportation
Ground transportation necessary as part of authorized Project trips
is considered to be a reasonable expense. Public ground transportation,
@ -354,13 +373,13 @@ mid-size vehicles are authorized when necessary (e.g., when compact-sized
vehicles are not available or the number of passengers or volume of
baggage makes a compact vehicle impractical).
==== Rail Transportation
#### Rail Transportation
Rail transportation as a means of travel for an authorized Project
trip is considered to be a reasonable expense. All rail transportation
must be in economy and/or coach class.
==== Use of Personal Vehicles
#### Use of Personal Vehicles
When circumstances require Travelers to utilize their personal vehicles
for Project purposes, they can be reimbursed at the current USA IRS
@ -368,7 +387,7 @@ rate per mile, plus any related parking expenses and toll fees. Drivers
are encouraged to find the lowest cost parking area reasonably near
their destination.
== Lodging
## Lodging
Travelers are expected to be cost-conscious and prudent when booking
lodging for approved trips, and to verify that rates are within the
@ -376,17 +395,18 @@ 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
http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem[United States General Services Administration's Per Diem calculator]'s ``Max lodging'' column and/or
http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp[United States Department of State's ``Foreign Per Diem Rates by Location'' calculator]'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.
[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.
Lodging documentation submitted as part of a reimbursement request must
include a copy of the hotel invoice detailing all charges (credit card
receipts *alone* are unacceptable). In particular, since Conservancy only
receipts **alone** are unacceptable). In particular, since Conservancy only
reimburses for room charges (plus relevant taxes and fees) for the necessary
travel dates, the receipt from the hotel must clearly show the dates of stay,
and separately list room charges and any food or service charges.
@ -397,7 +417,7 @@ In some cases, Conservancy, upon consultation with the PLC, may decide to
book lodging on behalf of Travelers. In this case, Conservancy-booked
lodging is always considered In-Policy.
== Other Reimbursable Expenses
## Other Reimbursable Expenses
Conservancy will reimburse persons for Project-related expenses that
are incurred while traveling on approved Project business and/or approved
@ -405,29 +425,29 @@ Conservancy business. Only necessary, ordinary and reasonable expenses
are eligible for reimbursement, and only those categories of expenses
listed in this document qualify.
=== Meals and Incidental Expenses
### Meals and Incidental Expenses
==== Overview
#### Overview
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
http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem[United States General Services Administration's Per Diem calculator],
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.
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
http://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp[United States Department of State's ``Foreign Per Diem Rates by Location'' calculator]'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.
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.
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
@ -441,7 +461,7 @@ PLCs and/or Conservancy have the authority to set lower per diems
than those generated by the calculators above. In those instances,
Travelers will only be able to submit for the lower per diems.
==== Group Meals
#### Group Meals
For groups of Travelers on an In-Policy trip, each Traveler should
pay for his/her own meals, seeing as all participants will have an
@ -461,7 +481,7 @@ For any such group meal, Conservancy will require a written paragraph
summary of the meeting, indicating what was accomplished for the Project's
and Conservancy's mission.
==== Meals For Organizational Development
#### Meals For Organizational Development
Travelers may occasionally have the need to invite third parties,
e.g., prospective donors, contributors, community members, etc., to
@ -473,18 +493,18 @@ For any such organizational development meal, Conservancy will require a
written paragraph summary of the meeting, indicating what was accomplished
for the Project's and Conservancy's mission.
==== Phone Call Charges Part of Per Diem
#### Phone Call Charges Part of Per Diem
Charges for personal phone calls (e.g., made from a hotel, or via
a mobile phone in international travel) are not reimbursable as an
expense separate from the allocated per diem.
==== Currency Conversion Charges Part of Per Diem
#### Currency Conversion Charges Part of Per Diem
Any fees associated with currency conversion are not reimbursable as an
expense separate from the allocated per diem.
=== Conference Registration Fees
### Conference Registration Fees
Conservancy will reimburse conference registration fees up to $100 per day
for Travelers on approved Project business and/or approved Conservancy
@ -494,7 +514,7 @@ In-Policy; however, a $225 registration fee for a 2-day conference is not.
Travelers seeking reimbursement for registration fees that exceed $100 per
day must obtain prior approval from Conservancy's Executive Director.
=== Internet Access
### Internet Access
Internet access/wi-fi fees charged by a hotel are reimbursable, provided
that they are listed on the hotel/lodging invoice submitted for
@ -502,20 +522,20 @@ reimbursement. Other internet access fees (e.g., airport internet
services, personal wi-fi hotspots, internet cafes) are not reimbursable
except as incidental expenses to be covered by a Traveler's per-diem.
== Additional Days of Travel
## Additional Days of Travel
Travelers often seek to add extra days before or after an approved trip
(e.g., the weekend before a conference). A Traveler may seek approval for
the expenses associated with an extended stay prior to booking the trip,
provided that the additional days are solely to enable a Traveler to
conduct work within the PLC's objectives and Conservancy's charitable
mission, or to get a particular airfare that *reduces* the overall cost of
mission, or to get a particular airfare that **reduces** the overall cost of
the trip. Travelers may seek approval to book travel itineraries that
include extra days for personal reasons, so long as the cost of the flight
meets the other requirements of this Policy. Other expenses incurred
during extra personal days beyond transportation costs are not reimbursable.
== Non-reimbursable Expenses
## Non-reimbursable Expenses
Non-reimbursable expenses are identified throughout this policy. The
following items are typically non-reimbursable expenses:
@ -541,7 +561,7 @@ programs to upgrade Conservancy-reimbursed expenses. However, Travelers
must ensure that Conservancy does not receive nor reimburse any charges
for any such transaction.
== Satisfaction of IRS Requirements
## Satisfaction of IRS Requirements
Reimbursed travel expenses are subject to examination by the USA Internal
Revenue Service (IRS). Travelers are responsible for retaining documentary
@ -550,14 +570,14 @@ 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
## 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
http://www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/exchange/10-year-converter/[The Bank of Canada 10-year currency converter].
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
## Approvals
Travelers traveling on behalf of a Project must seek approvals and
submit expense reports to their PLC. PLCs are to review those expense
@ -570,16 +590,16 @@ staff must seek approvals and submit expense reports to Conservancy's
Treasurer or to another Conservancy Board Member designated by Conservancy's
Board.
== Expense Reporting
## Expense Reporting
Travelers seeking reimbursement must submit an expense report to the
appropriate channel with the following information:
* Name of Traveler
* Brief description of trip and trip's purpose (e.g., ``August 2011
* Brief description of trip and trip's purpose (e.g., "August 2011
trip to XYZ conference for ABC project, served as planning committee
member''; ``Feb. '12 FOO hackfest in Portland, OR; contributed code'')
member"; "Feb. '12 FOO hackfest in Portland, OR; contributed code")
* A brief paragraph explaining what was accomplished for the project
during your travel.
@ -590,11 +610,11 @@ itinerary, etc.) and associated per diem
* List of expenses not covered by per diem (e.g., transportation, lodging)
with substantiating receipts (or scans of receipts).
** In the event that it is impractical to obtain a required receipt and/or
if such receipt has been inadvertently destroyed or lost, the Traveler should
furnish a written statement to that effect, as well as an explanation
of the expenditure involved. When possible, secondary documentation (such
as a redacted credit card bill) should be provided instead of the
In the event that it is impractical to obtain a required receipt and/or if
such receipt has been inadvertently destroyed or lost, the Traveler should
furnish a written statement to that effect, as well as an explanation of
the expenditure involved. When possible, secondary documentation (such as
a redacted credit card bill) should be provided instead of the
lost/destroyed receipt.
Any expense without a substantiated receipt and/or a supporting written
@ -602,18 +622,18 @@ statement will not be reimbursed.
Conservancy requests that all expense reports be submitted within two
weeks of travel. Expense reports filed more than 90 days after expenses
are incurred *will not be reimbursed*.
are incurred **will not be reimbursed**.
Reimbursements are paid by Conservancy on a NET-30 basis, from the
date of receipt by Conservancy of the fully complete report and supporting
documentation for the travel.
== Consequences of Policy Violations
## Consequences of Policy Violations
Failure to comply with this policy may result in the denial of, or delay
in payment for, reimbursement requests.
== Policy Changes
## Policy Changes
The Conservancy reserves the right to change any terms of this Policy
from time to time. The Policy of record shall be the Policy most recently