Policy or Goal Statement

To ensure that TVCC travel is undertaken in the safest, most efficient and cost effective manner. This policy applies to all TVCC travel related to all programs and all sources of funding.

Procedures

1. Employees may be required to drive their own vehicles as a regular part of their duties. This may include travel to schools, day cares, community agencies, workshops, conferences or any other TVCC business.

2. Employees may or may not be carrying other staff, volunteers or students as passengers in their vehicles. A staff member has the right to decline the suggestion to provide/join a car pool. Employees are prohibited from transporting clients in their vehicles. When a staff member transports others in their vehicle, they must take reasonable safety precautions including ensuring the use of seat belts.

3. If an employee is required to drive as a regular part of their duties, they must have a valid driver's license and maintain a minimum of $1,000,000 third party liability insurance coverage. Upon hiring and annually thereafter, a copy of the employee's valid license and insurance certificate must be provided to Human Resources when requested, for the employee file. Reimbursement of mileage expenses may be withheld unless the documents are received within the specified period of time.

4. In the event of an accident, the staff member's personal insurance is always the first point of coverage. Employees must therefore notify their insurance carrier of the business use of their vehicle.

5. To ensure their safety while driving (refer to HR.0716 Motor Vehicle Safety), staff members are encouraged to maintain their vehicle in a good state of repair, and be aware of the weather and/or road conditions on the way to your destination. If appropriate, appointments should be rescheduled for another time when conditions are more favourable. Information on road conditions can be obtained from the Ministry of Transportation at 1-800-268-4686 or the website http;//www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/conditions. If staff members are advised not to travel while out of town, they should book a standard hotel room and TVCC will cover the room and meal cost, within capped amounts (refer to Travel - Not Mileage). Staff should notify their Program Director or Manager immediately of their change in travel plans and to obtain verbal approval.

6. Volunteers choosing to provide transportation to other volunteers must be made aware that they are accepting liability in case of an accident. The volunteer must have a valid driver's license and maintain a minimum of $1,000,000 third party liability insurance coverage. Upon request, a copy of a valid license and insurance certificate must be provided to Volunteer Services.

7. In order to receive mileage reimbursement employees must record work-related kilometres on a daily basis along with the trip details including the purpose, the starting and ending point of the trip and all points in between, and the names of institutions or initials of clients visited on a Mileage Claim Form. There must be sufficient detail to allow approval of the trip and verification of the distance claimed. The mileage reimbursement rate is intended to cover costs associated with operating your vehicle (fuel, insurance, maintenance, etc.).The rate is reviewed annually and any rate changes are communicated to employees. The mileage reimbursement rate for union employees is negotiated as part of the collective agreement. Additional related costs such as parking and tolls (with receipts if available) are recorded on the Expense Claim Form - Not Mileage for reimbursement.

8. See policy Travel - Not Mileage for further details on reimbursable expenses. Depending on circumstances, students and volunteers are generally not reimbursed for mileage.

9. For Non-union staff:
   Since TVCC does not pay staff to travel to and from work, mileage is not paid when employees travel from their home to their Designated Office Location (DOL) at the beginning of the day or from the DOL to their home at the end of the day. If staff travel to or from another work location at the beginning or end of the day they can claim the distance from their home to the location minus the kilometres they would usually travel from their home to DOL. Any exceptional arrangements should be discussed with their Director/Manager, and documented in writing with the staff member. If an employee significantly changes their home residence and this has an impact on their office location, they should discuss with their Director/Manager. If the Director/Manager changes the staff member's DOL, then an agreement will be reached regarding mileage.

10. For Union staff:
    The union staff mileage processes are per the collective agreement.

11. TVCC assumes no responsibility for privately owned vehicles other than paying the mileage rate when used for TVCC business. TVCC will not reimburse the costs of insurance for business use, deductibles, damages, towing, fines, speeding tickets or other penalties.

12. When travelling longer distances for meetings and professional development, a flat rate allowance may be used in lieu of actual mileage if alternate methods of transportation are available and are more cost effective. The flat rate for a return London/Toronto or London/Windsor trip is $100 and is reviewed annually for reasonability with train fares. Other long distance flat rates should be discussed with the Director, Finance.

13. Parking for a business related purpose is an eligible expense for which employees may claim reimbursement. Original parking receipts can be claimed on the Mileage Expense Form or the Expense Claim Form - Not Mileage. In the case of metered or gate operated parking, it is understood that receipts are not available and therefore not required, assuming reasonable costs.

14. Employees must forward a completed Mileage Claim Form to their Program Director/Manager for approval and account allocation. These forms should be submitted on a monthly basis, one month per form. The approved forms are then forwarded to the Business Office for reimbursement and payment will be processed on the first cheque run after receipt.

15. Forms must be submitted for approval by the end of the following month. Any forms submitted later than this must include a written explanation for the delay in submission and will only be approved by the Program Director (not Manager) if sufficient budget funds are available.

16. At year-end, mileage claims must be submitted by the communicated due date which is generally one week after March 31st. Claims received later than this will not be considered for reimbursement, unless the reason for the late submission can be justified. The CEO will have final approval on all late claims.

17. For small claims of $20 or less, the form should still be submitted but payment may be withheld and paid in a subsequent cheque run with additional expenses. The only exception to this is March, when all payments are made.

18. Any staff member who feels that this mileage reimbursement rate does not cover their actual expenses can claim the difference as a tax deduction on their annual tax return. This involves a detailed calculation of actual costs less reimbursement received. As support for this deduction, employees must obtain a T2200 Form (Declaration of Conditions of Employment) from Revenue Canada that they can submit to the Business Office for completion. This form only verifies the conditions of employment and does not calculate or confirm the amount of the deduction.