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HTML
667 lines
33 KiB
HTML
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{% extends "base_projects.html" %}
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{% block subtitle %}Travel and Reimbursable Expense Policy - {% endblock %}
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{% block submenuselection %}Policies{% endblock %}
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{% block content %}
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<h1 id="software-freedom-conservancy-travel-and-reimbursable-expense-policy">Software Freedom Conservancy Travel and Reimbursable Expense Policy</h1>
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<h2 id="overview">Overview</h2>
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<p>This Travel and Reimbursable Expense Policy (“Policy”) applies to all
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Conservancy Member Projects (“Projects”) of Software Freedom Conservancy
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(“Conservancy”) and has been created to memorialize Conservancy’s
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reimbursement policies relating to travel and other business expenses
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incurred by Conservancy staff, Project Leadership Committee (“PLC”)
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members, and project volunteers while engaged in business on behalf of, or
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at the behest of Conservancy and/or a Project (“Travelers”).</p>
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<p>This Policy includes an Easy Reference Guide that can be used as a
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template for most of the travel covered under this Policy. When in doubt,
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refer to the more detailed sections below.</p>
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<h2 id="purpose">Purpose</h2>
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<p>Conservancy must maintain effective control of business-related expenses
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in order to maintain its financial viability and tax exempt status.
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Conservancy and each Project is also accountable to our donors to ensure
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that we manage their contributions wisely and maximize our ability to
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pursue our charitable mission. As such, Conservancy expects Travelers to
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use good judgment and to claim reimbursement for only those expenses that
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are necessary and reasonable. Excessive expenses, including but not
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limited to luxury accommodations and services unnecessary for, or unrelated
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to the furtherance of Conservancy’s charitable mission are not eligible for
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reimbursement.</p>
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<p>Any travel expense that adheres to this Policy is considered In-Policy
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and does not require special approval, so long as the trip itself
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has been approved in writing by Conservancy’s Executive Director or
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by a Project’s Leadership Committee (“PLC”) in a regular and documented
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PLC vote. Conservancy and/or a PLC can limit allowable travel expenses
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to an amount less than what would otherwise be considered acceptable
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according to this Policy. If so, the smaller budget is the maximum
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allowed expense.</p>
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<p>PLC’s may, in fact, have their own travel policy that is more restrictive
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than this one. Please consult the PLC for your Conservancy project before
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incurring an expenses to ensure you understand what expenses can be
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reimbursed.</p>
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<h2 id="easy-reference-guide">Easy Reference Guide</h2>
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<p>Travelers should adhere to the following guidelines to stay In-Policy.</p>
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<h3 id="flights">Flights</h3>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>Before you buy tickets, save a screenshot of a flight search that
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shows the least expensive fare available from multiple airlines for
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the dates you need to travel.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Book at least 14 days in advance.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Fares within $100 of that lowest fare you found are In-Policy, even if
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you book on a different site or for different dates.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Fares over $750 domestically or $1,650 internationally require
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Conservancy’s pre-approval.</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<h3 id="hotels">Hotels</h3>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>Hotels are In-Policy as long as the average nightly rate you pay
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(excluding taxes and fees) is under the maximum rate for lodging for your
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destination. See the “Rates” section below for details.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Be sure the receipt from your hotel includes the dates of your
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stay, not just a total.</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<h3 id="receipts">Receipts</h3>
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<p>Keep and submit PDFs of the following, as applicable:</p>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>Your fare search (i.e., a screen shot)</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Your plane and rail tickets (e-confirmation of purchase is sufficient)</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Your hotel/lodging invoice</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<h3 id="per-diem">Per Diem</h3>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>Use your per diem to cover meals and incidental expenses.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Your total per diem allowance follows the rates published for your
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destination. See the “Rates” section below for details.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Try to be frugal: per diem rates are rather generous.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>When attending a conference where food is included, Do The Right
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Thing and claim a lower per diem.</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<h3 id="reimbursement">Reimbursement</h3>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>To receive reimbursement, send transportation and hotel receipts,
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along with a list of per diem days and totals, to
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<a href="mailto:accounts-payable@tix.sfconservancy.org">accounts-payable@tix.sfconservancy.org</a>. Refer to the Expense Report
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section below for details.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Your complete reimbursement request must be submitted to
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<a href="mailto:accounts-payable@tix.sfconservancy.org">accounts-payable@tix.sfconservancy.org</a> within 90 days of the last date of
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travel. Untimely requests <strong>will not be reimbursed</strong>.</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<h2 id="rates">Rates</h2>
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<p>Throughout this document, we refer to rates reported by other parties.</p>
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<p>For travel in the United States, we follow the maximum rates for lodging and
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M&IE per diem set by the
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<a href="https://www.gsa.gov/perdiem">US General Services Administration</a>.</p>
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<p>For travel outside the United States, we follow the maximum rates for lodging and
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M&IE per diem set by the
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<a href="https://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp">US Department of State</a>.</p>
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<p>We calculate the total per diem allowance for a trip using the same method
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as the GSA. Travelers may request up to 100% of the listed rate for each
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full day of travel, plus 75% of the listed rate for each partial day of
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travel. For example, if you fly to a conference on Monday, spend Tuesday
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through Thursday at the conference, and return home on Friday, and the per
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diem rate for the conference city is $80, you may request up to $360: $80
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for each day Tuesday through Thursday, plus $60 for each day you flew.</p>
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<p>When we convert currencies (e.g., to determine whether a hotel paid in Euros
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was within the maximum lodging rate), we use the final rate published by
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<a href="https://openexchangerates.org/">Open Exchange Rates</a> on the date we received
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the reimbursement request. Please do not do your own currency conversions
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in your reimbursement requests. Simply report expenses in their original
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currency/ies, and we will convert appropriately. If you have questions or
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concerns about our rates, just ask, and we’ll be happy to provide details
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before we send you final payment.</p>
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<h2 id="reimbursement-procedure">Reimbursement Procedure</h2>
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<p>Conservancy handles reimbursements on a NET-30 basis, starting from the date
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that complete materials are received. If this is an issue, Conservancy is
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available to prepurchase expensive items like airline tickets on your
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behalf, so that you don’t need to be reimbursed.</p>
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<p>If you seek to be reimbursed for Conservancy Project expenses, please send
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the following, in a self contained email (with attachments as necessary),
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cc’ing your Project Leadership Committee address (PROJECT@sfconservancy.org)
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for Project approval:</p>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>A brief paragraph explaining what was accomplished for the project
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during your travel and/or with the funds being reimbursed. This can
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be informal; it’s just for our records to confirm the travel advanced
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the not-for-profit mission of both Conservancy and the project.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>A brief report listing the items to be reimbursed.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Full receipt(s) for everything, unless the travel policy does not
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require receipts (e.g., for per diem expenses).</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<p>Please verify that the receipts that you submit are within the attached
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travel policy requirements. Note, however, that your Project Leadership
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Committee may have set a stricter budget than what the general
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Conservancy policy allows.</p>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>How you’d liked to be reimbursed. The four payment options, in order of
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Conservancy’s preference, are:</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>PayPal. For this, we need (a) the email address that is registered to
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the PayPal account that will receive reimbursement and (b) the preferred
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currency. (Please verify that PayPal
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<a href="https://www.paypal.com/us/selfhelp/article/how-do-i-send-a-payment-in-another-currency-faq1555/3">lists your preferred currency as available before choosing one</a>.)
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Note that sometimes PayPal charges fees. Usually we’re taking funds
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from our PayPal balance, which means no fees appear on our side, but
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they may appear on yours. In our experience, USA PayPal account holders
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physically in the USA are not typically charged fees; but we do advise
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you to check PayPal’s fee schedule before choosing this method.</p>
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<p>NOTE: Typically, when choosing PayPal as a payment option, amounts owed
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in USD will be paid in USD, regardless of your preferred currency
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selection.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Issue you a check in USD from a USA bank, sent to you via post.
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For this option, I just need your postal address.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Wire the amount in your local currency to your bank account in your
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country. For this option, I need as much of the following information
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as it’s possible for you to collect.</p>
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<p><strong>Required information</strong></p>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>Full Name of the Account Holder</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Full Address of the Account Holder</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Account Number</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Preferred Currency</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Bank Name</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Bank Address</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Bank ACH or ABA routing number (for banks in the US);
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or SWIFT and/or BIC code (for banks outside the US)</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<p><strong>Additional required information by country</strong></p>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>All countries inside the EU, and all wires in EUR & XAF: IBAN</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Australia: BSB or “Bank Code”</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Brazil: IBAN; Tax ID of the Account Holder (your 14-digit CNPJ
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or 11-digit CPF); Phone Number of the Account Holder;
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and Bank Agency Code</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>LKR Currency: Bank Branch details</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>KES Currency: Bank Branch details</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Cameroon: IBAN</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Colombia: Tax ID of the Account Holder; and Phone Number
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of the Account Holder</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>India: IFSC Code</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Kenya: The name, address, and branch code of the local branch of your
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bank where you hold your account</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Qatar: IBAN</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Russian Federation: Beneficiary INN; Patronymic Name of Beneficiary;
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and VAT/VO Code of Beneficiary Bank</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>Ukraine: BSB or “Bank Code”; Tax ID of the Account Holder;
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and Phone Number of the Account Holder</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>United States: Phone Number of the Account Holder</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<p><strong>Additional information we can use</strong></p>
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<p>Banks outside the US will often designate a Correspondent Bank when
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receiving funds from the US. If you can give us the Correspondent
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Bank Name and ACH, we can specify that in the wire. Your bank will
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usually take the fewest fees when receiving wires from its
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Correspondent Bank, so this will mean the most money for you.</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>A check in your local currency, sent to you via post. For this option, we
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just need your postal address and what currency you want. Note that this
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is a more involved option to process and will usually take at least 30
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days to issue payment. We do not recommend this method. Please choose
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it only if you absolutely cannot receive a wire transfer for some reason.</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<p>Project Leadership Committees: when you see emails of this nature, please
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be sure to have your designated Representative review the materials and
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send an approval message to Conservancy.</p>
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<h2 id="project-leadership-committee-review">Project Leadership Committee Review</h2>
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<p>Conservancy foresees the need for periodic reasonable exceptions to
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this Policy. Persons working on behalf of a specific Project seeking
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an exception to this Policy must petition their PLC to obtain written
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approval from Conservancy authorizing the exception. Persons working
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directly on behalf of Conservancy seeking an exception to the
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Policy must obtain written approval from Conservancy authorizing the
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exception.</p>
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<p>PLCs are responsible for creating procedures for requesting exceptions,
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and submitting to Conservancy reimbursement requests associated with
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their respective Projects. PLCs are also responsible for making available
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a list of required response times for inquiries, including but not
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limited to, the following two cases</p>
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<ul>
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<li>
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<p>a specific number of days to respond to regular reimbursement requests,
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and</p>
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</li>
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<li>
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<p>a specific number of days to respond to pre-authorization requests.</p>
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</li>
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</ul>
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<p>PLCs are also responsible for monitoring the available balance in their
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Project Fund, and for granting or refusing approval for travel expense
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requests based on an assessment of the funds available and of any
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outstanding contracts payable. PLCs are not to approve travel expense
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requests when their Project does not have sufficient funds to cover the
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expense. If a PLC has any questions regarding whether their Project has
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sufficient funds to cover a Traveler’s expense request, the PLC should
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contact Conservancy.</p>
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<h2 id="transportation">Transportation</h2>
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<h3 id="overall-transportation-cost">Overall transportation Cost</h3>
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<p>Domestic transportation costs greater than US$750 requires Conservancy
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approval prior to booking, even if all other Policy conditions have been
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met. International transportation costs greater than US$1,800 requires
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Conservancy approval prior to booking, even if all other Policy conditions
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have been met.</p>
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<h3 id="advance-purchase">Advance Purchase</h3>
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<p>Tickets for travel by air or rail (excluding commuter train and subway)
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should be booked at least 14 days in advance; any travel booked less than
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14 days in advance requires written pre-authorization by Conservancy.
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Tickets for travel by air or rail beyond 365 days in advance also require
|
||
|
|
written pre-authorization by Conservancy.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h3 id="air-travel">Air Travel</h3>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="class-of-service">Class of Service</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>Coach and/or Economy Airfare is the only acceptable class for all flights
|
||
|
|
(domestic and international) unless a PLC provides a special exception and
|
||
|
|
a valid reason (such as a need for business class due to a documented
|
||
|
|
medical reason) to Conservancy for written approval. Travelers may select
|
||
|
|
their airline of choice (e.g., for the purpose of collecting airline miles
|
||
|
|
and rewards), provided that the resulting 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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="advance-purchase_1">Advance Purchase</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="low-fare">Low Fare</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>Conservancy aims to balance cost savings with time savings and convenience.
|
||
|
|
Budgets for flights are set based on their travel time compared to the
|
||
|
|
flight with the lowest available fare. Flights with fares that are within
|
||
|
|
budget are in-Policy.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>To find the lowest available fare, run a flight search that meets these
|
||
|
|
criteria, and save the results:</p>
|
||
|
|
<ul>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>The search must include fares from multiple airlines. Any
|
||
|
|
widely-recognized airfare search site that lists results from multiple
|
||
|
|
airlines is acceptable, including sites such as
|
||
|
|
<a href="http://orbitz.com">Orbitz</a>, <a href="http://kayak.com">Kayak</a> or
|
||
|
|
<a href="http://hipmunk.com/">Hipmunk</a>.</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>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.</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>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
|
||
|
|
consider those reasonable. However, you may not filter out specific
|
||
|
|
airlines, or flights without WiFi.</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
</ul>
|
||
|
|
<p>Save the results of this search. A PDF printout of the first page of
|
||
|
|
results from your browser is ideal. A screenshot can work too. Just make
|
||
|
|
sure the output shows the search criteria and the lowest available fare.
|
||
|
|
When you send your reimbursement request, attach these results.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>The budget for a flight is set depending on how its cost and travel time
|
||
|
|
compares to the flight with the lowest available fare. Travel time is
|
||
|
|
measured from the scheduled departure time of the first flight in the
|
||
|
|
itinerary to the scheduled landing time of the final flight. We use the
|
||
|
|
following table to determine the budget:</p>
|
||
|
|
<table>
|
||
|
|
<thead>
|
||
|
|
<tr>
|
||
|
|
<th>If the travel time for a flight is…</th>
|
||
|
|
<th>the budget for that flight is…</th>
|
||
|
|
</tr>
|
||
|
|
</thead>
|
||
|
|
<tbody>
|
||
|
|
<tr>
|
||
|
|
<td>the same or longer than the flight with the lowest available fare</td>
|
||
|
|
<td>the lowest available fare + US$100</td>
|
||
|
|
</tr>
|
||
|
|
<tr>
|
||
|
|
<td>less than three hours shorter</td>
|
||
|
|
<td>the lowest available fare + US$100</td>
|
||
|
|
</tr>
|
||
|
|
<tr>
|
||
|
|
<td>between three and six hours shorter</td>
|
||
|
|
<td>the lowest available fare + US$200</td>
|
||
|
|
</tr>
|
||
|
|
<tr>
|
||
|
|
<td>between six and ten hours shorter</td>
|
||
|
|
<td>the lowest available fare + US$350</td>
|
||
|
|
</tr>
|
||
|
|
<tr>
|
||
|
|
<td>at least ten hours shorter</td>
|
||
|
|
<td>the lowest available fare + US$600</td>
|
||
|
|
</tr>
|
||
|
|
</tbody>
|
||
|
|
</table>
|
||
|
|
<p>Any flight with a total cost that is within its corresponding budget is
|
||
|
|
within Policy. Any flight with a cost over its budget requires written
|
||
|
|
pre-authorization by Conservancy.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>Travelers may book their tickets on different dates or a different site as
|
||
|
|
long as they used a qualifying fare search site to determine that the
|
||
|
|
booked flights are within Policy.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="reasonable-flights">Reasonable Flights</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>Conservancy asks that Travelers allow for flexibility with respect
|
||
|
|
to departure times during a desired day of travel, as well as longer
|
||
|
|
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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="excess-baggage">Excess Baggage</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>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 with a
|
||
|
|
receipt. Team members are responsible for charges on any baggage beyond a
|
||
|
|
single 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).</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="out-of-policy-bookings">Out-of-Policy Bookings</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>All air travel not adhering to the above Policies are considered Out-of-Policy
|
||
|
|
and require written pre-authorization by an officer of Conservancy.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="cancellation-fees">Cancellation Fees</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>Cancellation fees and other penalties incurred result of a change
|
||
|
|
of plans are reimbursable at Conservancy’s discretion. In general,
|
||
|
|
Conservancy shall reimburse such fees if the Traveler can submit a
|
||
|
|
valid reason for the change of plans. Acceptable reasons include Conservancy
|
||
|
|
and/or the PLC canceling or altering the trip or unexpected delays
|
||
|
|
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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h3 id="other-transportation">Other Transportation</h3>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="ground-transportation">Ground Transportation</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>Ground transportation necessary as part of authorized Project trips
|
||
|
|
is considered to be a reasonable expense. Public ground transportation,
|
||
|
|
such as taxis, shuttles, buses and municipal transit, are generally
|
||
|
|
the most cost-effective options and are the standard for eligible
|
||
|
|
ground transportation reimbursements. All car rentals require pre-authorization
|
||
|
|
by the PLC or by an officer of Conservancy. When car rentals
|
||
|
|
have been pre-approved, the rental of compact cars is encouraged;
|
||
|
|
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).</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="rail-transportation">Rail Transportation</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="use-of-personal-vehicles">Use of Personal Vehicles</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>When circumstances require Travelers to utilize their personal vehicles for
|
||
|
|
Project purposes, they can be reimbursed at the current
|
||
|
|
<a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/standard-mileage-rates/">USA IRS Standard Mileage Rate</a>,
|
||
|
|
plus any related parking expenses and toll fees. Drivers are encouraged to
|
||
|
|
find the lowest cost parking area reasonably near their destination.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h2 id="additional-days-of-travel">Additional Days of Travel</h2>
|
||
|
|
<p>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 <strong>reduces</strong> 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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h2 id="lodging">Lodging</h2>
|
||
|
|
<p>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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>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 <strong>must</strong> 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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>Lodging documentation submitted as part of a reimbursement request must
|
||
|
|
include a copy of the hotel invoice detailing all charges (credit card
|
||
|
|
receipts <strong>alone</strong> 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.
|
||
|
|
Conservancy will not reimburse Travelers for any costs associated with an
|
||
|
|
upgrade of room accommodations.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h2 id="other-reimbursable-expenses">Other Reimbursable Expenses</h2>
|
||
|
|
<p>Conservancy will reimburse persons for Project-related expenses that
|
||
|
|
are incurred while traveling on approved Project business and/or approved
|
||
|
|
Conservancy business. Only necessary, ordinary and reasonable expenses
|
||
|
|
are eligible for reimbursement, and only those categories of expenses
|
||
|
|
listed in this document qualify.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h3 id="meals-and-incidental-expenses">Meals and Incidental Expenses</h3>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="overview_1">Overview</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>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, up to the maximum rate for the
|
||
|
|
destination of the trip. See the “Rates” section above for details.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>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
|
||
|
|
the costs the Traveler incurs are lower than this rate, then the Traveler
|
||
|
|
should reasonably reduce their per diem claim.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>PLCs and/or Conservancy have the authority to set lower per diem rates
|
||
|
|
than those generated by the calculators above. In those instances,
|
||
|
|
Travelers will only be able to submit for the lower per diem rates.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="group-meals">Group Meals</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>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
|
||
|
|
opportunity to submit for separate per diem reimbursements after the trip.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>For clarification purposes, this Policy does not relate to planned
|
||
|
|
group events that include meals and/or refreshments (e.g., a PLC-organized
|
||
|
|
conference that includes lunch for all attendees). Further, PLCs and/or
|
||
|
|
Conservancy retain the right to allocate a separate budget for anticipated
|
||
|
|
large group meals beyond the individual per diem limits of each Traveler,
|
||
|
|
provided that they are within the PLC’s technical objectives and/or
|
||
|
|
Conservancy’s mission. Travelers anticipating a need to cover such
|
||
|
|
a large group meal should seek pre-approval from his/her PLC and/or Conservancy
|
||
|
|
for such expenses before the trip.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="meals-for-organizational-development">Meals For Organizational Development</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>Travelers may occasionally have the need to invite third parties
|
||
|
|
(e.g., prospective donors, contributors, community members, etc.) to
|
||
|
|
meals in order to further a PLC’s technical direction and/or Conservancy’s
|
||
|
|
mission. Conservancy recommends that Travelers seek pre-approval from
|
||
|
|
their PLC and/or Conservancy for such meals.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="phone-call-charges-part-of-per-diem">Phone Call Charges Part of Per Diem</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h4 id="currency-conversion-charges-part-of-per-diem">Currency Conversion Charges Part of Per Diem</h4>
|
||
|
|
<p>Any fees associated with currency conversion are not reimbursable as an
|
||
|
|
expense separate from the allocated per diem.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h3 id="conference-registration-fees">Conference Registration Fees</h3>
|
||
|
|
<p>Conservancy will reimburse conference registration fees up to $100 per day
|
||
|
|
for Travelers on approved Project business and/or approved Conservancy
|
||
|
|
business. For example, a $250 registration fee for a 3-day conference is
|
||
|
|
In-Policy; however, a $225 registration fee for a 2-day conference is not.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>Travelers seeking reimbursement for registration fees that exceed $100 per
|
||
|
|
day must obtain prior approval from an officer of Conservancy.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h3 id="internet-access">Internet Access</h3>
|
||
|
|
<p>Internet access/wi-fi fees charged by a hotel are reimbursable, provided
|
||
|
|
that they are listed on the hotel/lodging invoice submitted for
|
||
|
|
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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h3 id="visa-fees">Visa Fees</h3>
|
||
|
|
<p>Conservancy will reimburse fees charged by an embassy (or any government
|
||
|
|
agency) that are mandatory for receiving a visa (or other permission) to
|
||
|
|
enter the final destination country of travel, provided proper documentation
|
||
|
|
of cost (such as a receipt, or a copy of the visa along with government
|
||
|
|
published rates).</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>Conservancy may reimburse other ancillary costs, such as use of a travel
|
||
|
|
expert agency for obtaining a visa, or additional domestic travel costs
|
||
|
|
necessary to obtain a visa, but all such other costs require prior approval
|
||
|
|
from Conservancy.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h2 id="non-reimbursable-expenses">Non-reimbursable Expenses</h2>
|
||
|
|
<p>Non-reimbursable expenses are identified throughout this policy. The
|
||
|
|
following items are typically non-reimbursable expenses:</p>
|
||
|
|
<ul>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>Partner, spouse, and/or companion travel</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>First class travel (unless medically necessary)</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>Upgrades to air travel, car rentals, or hotel rooms</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>Purchase of clothing, luggage, toiletries and other miscellaneous
|
||
|
|
personal items</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>Supplemental travel or car rental insurance</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>Fines, penalties, or legal fees</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>Personal entertainment or recreational expenses beyond the allotted per
|
||
|
|
diem</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
</ul>
|
||
|
|
<p>Travelers are permitted to pay for their own upgrades, or use bonus
|
||
|
|
programs to upgrade Conservancy-reimbursed expenses. However, Travelers
|
||
|
|
must ensure that Conservancy does not receive nor reimburse any charges
|
||
|
|
for any such transaction.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h2 id="satisfaction-of-irs-requirements">Satisfaction of IRS Requirements</h2>
|
||
|
|
<p>Reimbursed travel expenses are subject to examination by the USA Internal
|
||
|
|
Revenue Service (IRS). Travelers are responsible for retaining documentary
|
||
|
|
evidence that all expenses are strictly for Project- and/or
|
||
|
|
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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h2 id="approvals">Approvals</h2>
|
||
|
|
<p>Travelers traveling on behalf of a Project must seek approvals and
|
||
|
|
submit expense reports to their PLC. PLCs are to review those expense
|
||
|
|
reports and pass them along to Conservancy’s accounting office for
|
||
|
|
final approval and reimbursement.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>Travelers traveling on behalf of Conservancy must seek approvals from
|
||
|
|
Conservancy’s Executive Director, and submit expense reports to
|
||
|
|
Conservancy’s accounting office for reimbursement.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h2 id="expense-reporting">Expense Reporting</h2>
|
||
|
|
<p>Travelers seeking reimbursement must submit an expense report to the
|
||
|
|
appropriate channel with the following information:</p>
|
||
|
|
<ul>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>Name of Traveler</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>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”)</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>A brief paragraph explaining what was accomplished for the project
|
||
|
|
during your travel.</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>Number of days traveled (with documentary evidence, e.g., conference
|
||
|
|
itinerary, etc.) and associated per diem</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
<li>
|
||
|
|
<p>List of expenses not covered by per diem (e.g., transportation, lodging)
|
||
|
|
with substantiating receipts (or scans of receipts).</p>
|
||
|
|
</li>
|
||
|
|
</ul>
|
||
|
|
<p>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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>Any expense without a substantiated receipt and/or a supporting written
|
||
|
|
statement will not be reimbursed.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>Conservancy requests that all expense reports be submitted within two weeks
|
||
|
|
of travel. Expense reports filed more than 90 days after the last day of
|
||
|
|
travel (or for other reimbursable expenses, the day expenses are incurred)
|
||
|
|
<strong>will not be reimbursed</strong>.</p>
|
||
|
|
<p>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.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h2 id="consequences-of-policy-violations">Consequences of Policy Violations</h2>
|
||
|
|
<p>Failure to comply with this policy may result in the denial of, or delay
|
||
|
|
in payment for, reimbursement requests.</p>
|
||
|
|
<h2 id="policy-changes">Policy Changes</h2>
|
||
|
|
<p>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
|
||
|
|
distributed by the Conservancy. </p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
{% endblock %}
|