Travel Expense Policy

Owner: MODS Board of Directors
Originally Board Approved: November 14, 2018
Last Revised: N/A
Last Reviewed: N/A

1. PURPOSE

This document exists to guide the approval and payment/reimbursement of expenses incurred by those traveling on MODS business.

2. APPLICATION

This policy applies to all who travel for the purposes of MODS administration, supervision or representation, including but not limited to staff, coaches, volunteers, delegates. This policy does not apply to any person traveling solely in the capacity of player on a MODS-sanctioned team.

3. APPROVAL

The process for approval of applicable travel expenses is dependent on adherence to policy, variance to budget and materiality, as follows:

  1.  If proposed expenses to be covered by MODS a) fall within the scope of eligible expenses as per section 5 below, AND b) do not result in any exception to budget (ie. don't result in any excess or unbudgeted expense), then approval may be granted by the Director of Business & Sport Development.
  2. If the Director of Business & Sport Development seeks to approve expenses that either a) don’t fall within eligible expenses as per section 5 below, OR b) result in an exception to budget (ie. result in excess or unbudgeted expense), additional approval is required as follows:
    1. If the proposed expense amount and/or exception to budget is less than $1,000, approval may be granted by MODS’ Treasurer.
    2. If the proposed expense amount and/or exception to budget is $1,000 or more, approval must be granted by MODS’ Treasurer AND MODS’ board of directors.

4. APPEAL

In the event of a disagreement regarding expenses to be covered by MODS, any person may appeal a decision as follows:

  1. If the disputed expense(s) amount is less than $1,000, appeal may be made to MODS’ Treasurer, who may approve the expense at his/her sole discretion. If the expense was initially denied by the Treasurer under 3.2.a above, appeal may be made to MODS’ board of directors who may approve it by majority vote.
  2. If the disputed expense(s) amount is $1,000 or more and has been initially denied by the Treasurer under 3.2.b above, appeal may be made to MODS’ board of directors, who may approve the expense by majority vote. If the initial denial was by MODS’ board of directors under 3.2.b above, any appeal must be made in accordance with MODS’ Appeals Policy.
  3. Any disputed amount may, at the appellant’s discretion, be escalated to MODS’ board of directors for review. MODS’ board of directors retains the right to final approval/denial of any disputed amount, notwithstanding the provisions of MODS’ more general Appeals Policy.

5. ELIGIBLE EXPENSES

Approval of all expenses, whether consistent with below guidelines or not, is granted according to section 3 above. (In particular, regular approval of expenses is conditional upon expenses being provided for in MODS board-approved budget.) Approval of proposed expenses should be considered in view of the below guidelines.

For what follows, the term ‘MODS representative’ is used to refer to any person to whom this policy applies (per section 2 above).

5.1 INTERPRETATION

Eligibility of expenses, as outlined below, is not sufficient to guarantee that MODS will be able to cover such expenses on the representative’s behalf. There may be cases where - due to budget constraints or otherwise - MODS is not able to cover all or any of the generally eligible expenses in respect of a program or event. In such cases, to the greatest extent possible, MODS representatives should be made aware, prior to accepting the engagement, of the expenses for which they are being asked to assume responsibility. For clarity: MODS representatives should not find themselves in the position of having already accepted the engagement when learning of the requirement to personally cover travel expenses that would otherwise be eligible under this policy.

5.2 TRANSPORTATION

  1. Inter-city/province transport: MODS representatives are generally entitled to have MODS cover the cost of air/ground transport from Winnipeg to the location of the event to be attended, and back, subject to the following considerations:
    1. Every reasonable effort (e.g. price-shopping, flexibility of itinerary) should be made to have the transportation be as direct and inexpensive as possible.
    2. Where the MODS representative wishes to engage in additional travel (ie. not falling under the scope of this policy) between the departing and return legs of the travel associated with the designated MODS business, any incremental cost associated with such travel is the sole responsibility of the MODS representative. As agreed to between the MODS representative and the Director of Business & Sport Development (or otherwise in accordance with section 3 above), the MODS representative may be compensated/reimbursed for the amount corresponding to the most direct/inexpensive round-trip travel associated with the designated MODS business, and otherwise combine their MODS-sanctioned travel with any additional personal travel that they wish to pursue.
  2. Transportation to/from Winnipeg airport (or other departure point): MODS representatives are generally entitled to have MODS cover the cost of hired ground transportation (e.g. taxi) to and from the Winnipeg airport (or other departure point), subject to the following considerations:
    1. Every reasonable effort (e.g. vendor selection, ride-sharing with other representatives) should be made to have such transportation be as inexpensive on a per-person basis as possible.
  3. Transportation from destination airport (or other arrival point) to hotel (or other final destination): MODS representatives are generally entitled to have MODS cover the cost of hired ground transportation (e.g. taxi) from the arrival airport (or other arrival point) to hotel (or other final destination) and back, subject to the following considerations:
    1. Every reasonable effort (e.g. vendor selection, ride-sharing with other representatives) should be made to have such transportation be as inexpensive on a per-person basis as possible.
  4. Ground transportation while in destination city/province: MODS representatives are generally entitled to have MODS cover the cost of ground transportation while in the destination city/province, subject to considerations of both cost and practicality: 
    1. Where public transit (e.g. subway, bus) is reasonably accessible and practical, MODS representatives should prioritize its use.
    2. Where public transit is not reasonably accessible or practical, alternate forms of ground transportation (e.g. taxi, rental car) may be considered.

5.3 ACCOMMODATIONS

  1. MODS representatives are generally entitled to have MODS cover the cost of lodging while in the destination city for the duration of the designated MODS business, subject to the following considerations:
    1. Every reasonable effort (e.g. price-shopping, hotel selection) should be made to have the cost of lodging be as inexpensive as possible.
    2. Where reasonably possible and appropriate, MODS representatives should seek to stay two to a room to lower per-person lodging expense. Where not reasonably possible (e.g. no two-bed hotel rooms available) or appropriate (e.g. for reasons of age/gender mismatch or other impediment to a person’s basic sense of comfort/security), individual accommodations may be considered.
    3. Where the MODS representative wishes to extend their stay for reasons not falling under the scope of this policy, any incremental cost associated with such extended stay is the sole responsibility of the MODS representative. As agreed to between the MODS representative and the Director of Business & Sport Development (or otherwise in accordance with section 3 above), the MODS representative may be compensated/reimbursed for the amount corresponding to the minimum lodging expense associated with the designated MODS business, and otherwise combine their MODS-sanctioned lodging with any additional accommodations that they wish to pursue.

5.4 MEALS & OTHER EXPENSES

  1. MODS representatives are generally entitled to have MODS cover the cost of basic meals while they travel on MODS business, between the times of the representative’s departure from and return to their home. If any meals are provided by the event to be attended, or by the site of accommodations (e.g. hotel breakfast), such meals are deducted from the meal expense to which the MODS representative is entitled.
  2. Meal stipend is to be disbursed in the form of a ‘per diem’ (via cheque to the individual’s name) at the beginning of the designated travel, for all meals falling between the times of departure from and return to the MODS representative’s home, as follows:
    1. $25 per dinner not otherwise provided by the destination event/lodging.
    2. $15 per lunch not otherwise provided by the destination event/lodging.
    3. $10 per breakfast not otherwise provided by the destination event/lodging.
  3. All other expenses require explicit approval in advance, in accordance with section 3 above (ie. initially by request to the Director of Business & Sport Development) and section 6 below, subject to the following considerations:
    1. Expenses directly associated with the designated MODS business and otherwise unavoidable (e.g. supplies, necessary equipment) are generally eligible for payment/reimbursement.
    2. Expenses relating to the MODS representative’s entertainment or otherwise falling outside the scope of the minimum necessary expense to fulfill MODS duties are generally not eligible for payment/reimbursement.

6. DISBURSEMENT

  1. Where eligible travel expenses are contemplated, the Director of Business & Sport Development should begin – prior to approving or incurring any such expense - by initiating a conversation with MODS’ Treasurer to confirm that the intended expenses fall within the provisions of MODS’ board-approved budget, and/or align on a plan in relation to the proposed expenses.
  2. In all but exceptional, unavoidable circumstances, the following requirements apply to the disbursement of funds for travel-expense payment/reimbursement:
    1. MODS, by way of the Director of Business & Sport Development, is responsible for the booking of all transportation and lodging, and payment of same.
    2. Per-diem amounts (per section 5.3 above) are to be disbursed by MODS (by way of the Director of Business & Sport Development) at the beginning of the designated travel, via cheque made out to the MODS representative’s name.
    3. For expenses not available for prepayment and/or of uncertain value (e.g. taxi), MODS representative to inform Director of Business & Sport Development ahead of time of intended expense, with the latter to provide tentative approval prior to the expense being incurred. Reimbursement of such expense to be completed by cheque after the fact, subject to final approval by Director of Business & Sport Development or otherwise in accordance with section 3 above.
  3. Any expense incurred without the prior approval of the Director of Business & Sport Development is the sole responsibility of the MODS representative, subject to the following caveat:
    1. If the expense is deemed, after the fact, to have been urgent and unavoidable (e.g. matters relating to personal safety), it may be retroactively approved and reimbursed by the Director of Business & Sport Development (or otherwise in accordance with section 3 above).