Travel policy for OsloMet

OsloMet’s travel policy is in accordance with prevailing regulations where relevant. These documents are currently only available in Norwegian:

• Special agreement concerning coverage of travel, board and lodging expenses for domestic travel for Norwegian state employees (lovdata.no)

• Special agreement concerning coverage of travel, board and lodging expenses for foreign travel for Norwegian state employees (lovdata.no)

• The Public Procurement Act (lovdata.no)

• General rules for financial management at OsloMet

All employees have an independent responsibility to make assessments in relation to this policy. The immediate supervisor is responsible for the final approval.

Careful consideration to whether the trip is necessary or can be replaced with by a digital option must be made prior to the trip. Environmental and sustainability considerations, costs, time spent, safety, strategic priorities and OsloMet’s commitments to national and international authorities and bodies must be included in the overall assessment. Environmental and sustainability considerations must be given particular emphasis in the assessment.

If the trip is deemed necessary, it must be carried out in an eco-friendly, cost-effective, safe and suitable manner. Environmental and sustainability considerations must be given particular emphasis when planning and carrying out trips, cf. OsloMet’s Action Plan for Sustainability (in Norwegian only). OsloMet’s ambition is to reduce its CO2 emissions from air travel, cf. the climate targets in OsloMet’s Green Strategy (expected to be completed in spring 2021). See also OsloMet’s green travel tips and the separate section on means of travel below.

The trip must be carried out in an eco-friendly, cost-effective, safe and suitable manner. Environmental and sustainability considerations must be given particular emphasis. See also OsloMet’s green travel tips.

• Trips in the local community should preferably be made on foot, by bike or by public transport.
• Alternatives to air travel must always be considered when travelling in Norway south of Trondheim and within the Scandinavian countries.
• Travel within and outside Europe must be limited to the number of trips deemed strictly necessary. Alternatives to air travel must be considered where expedient, based on an overall assessment, cf. clause 2.
• In instances where car hires are deemed necessary, electric or hybrid cars must be used if possible. Carpooling must be practised as much as possible.

All trips must be approved in advance by the immediate supervisor/person with budget allocation authority. Prior approval should be given through the ‘travel application’ in SAP or the DFØ app. Exceptions can be made to the prior approval requirement in SAP for external projects and in other cases where applications are approved by someone other than the immediate supervisor. Approval must be based on OsloMet’s travel policy.

Environmental and sustainability considerations may come in conflict with the university’s strategic priorities and our commitment to follow up national and international authorities' recommendations on increased internationalisation. 

Research and staff mobility, together with student mobility, are an important element in internationalisation. Reference is made to clause 2 above for what needs to be taken into account in an overall assessment. Environmental and sustainability considerations must be given particular emphasis in the assessment of whether the trip is necessary, and the means of travel.

The general rules for financial management at OsloMet cover the handling of non-conformities. A consequence of not complying with OsloMet’s travel policy is the risk of not being granted a refund for travel expenses. Non-conformities are otherwise handled in accordance with the regulations in force at all times for employees at OsloMet.

Use of framework agreements

OsloMet has entered into a framework agreement with a travel agency that is to be used for all travel bookings, hotels and car hires. This is important with respect to safety and emergency response work and enables the university to maintain a good overview of people in an emergency response situation. Exceptions can be made for conferences where the organiser has entered into hotel and transport agreements. Employees book their trip via the travel booking portal or app on their mobile phone or tablet. OsloMet’s framework agreements must not be used for private trips.

Discount schemes and use of bonus points

Bonus points or similar benefits accumulated through travel covered by OsloMet’s travel policy cannot be used for private travel. Private use is deemed a breach of the employee’s official duties, cf. The special agreements for domestic and foreign travel for Norwegian state employees Section 3 the ministries’ comments section 2 (lovdata.no).

Changes/cancellations 

If a trip has to be changed or cancelled, the employee is responsible for making the changes as quickly as possible, either by contacting the company directly or via the travel agency. If a trip is postponed, the employee must contact the travel agency immediately to rebook or request a refund.

Employees are offered a credit card through OsloMet, which is to be used to pay for trips. This is not subject to an annual fee. The card is issued with personal liability and the employee is responsible for any credit costs that accrue following the expiry of the interest-free period. Employees who wish to use their own credit cards may do so. The travel agency must register these cards. Employees can contact their immediate supervisor for alternative solutions, see the web pages on travel.

Travel expense advances are normally not covered. Costs that are due before the trip takes place are paid subject to advance registration in the travel expense system to ensure invoices from the credit card company are settled before they fall due.

Advances may have to be reimbursed if travel expenses are not settled by the agreed deadline. This is done through an agreed deduction in pay.

Travel expense settlements must be submitted as soon as possible and by the end of the month after ended travel.

Travel expenses must be charged to the right work order (cost centre) by the employee submitting them. Employees and external parties must themselves obtain information about where to charge the trip.

The expenses listed on the travel expense settlement must be necessary for the performance of the work. The travel expense settlement must specify the events that have been attended.

EU-funded projects require a copy of conference programmes etc. to be attached as documentation. For reimbursement claims with hospitality expenses, the purpose of the hospitality must be specified, as well as the names of the persons covered by the hospitality and what activity they represent.

Note that tax-exempt reimbursement of expenses is contingent on them being necessary outlays in connection with the work. Private expenses are not covered. 

A trip can be combined with private holidays/days off pursuant to prior agreement with the immediate supervisor and provided that this does not incur higher costs for the university. 

Safety

Each employee has an independent responsibility to familiarise themselves with the safety situation in the country in question, and ensure the necessary preparations are made with respect to insurance, vaccination and travel documents and necessary precautions for data security.

Employees must comply with travel information from the Norwegian authorities (travel information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and individuals are responsible for registering their trips on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ travel registration website prior to departure. The university can decide to impose a travel ban on certain areas and cannot order employees to travel to areas they are not comfortable with.

Read more on OsloMet’s website on foreign travel.

Travel insurance

Everyone who travels must ensure they are covered by travel insurance. This can be secured by the credit card the university offers or the travel agency’s invoice solution for group travel. In the event that other credit cards are used, the employee travelling must ensure that they cover travel insurance for the trip. Extra insurance not covered by the credit card in question, for example insurance of expensive equipment, may be covered by the university subject to the approval of their immediate supervisor.

If an employee is invited on a trip that is organised and paid for by an external organiser, it is the employee’s duty to ensure that satisfactory travel insurance is included. The insurance cost can be covered by the university subject to the approval of their immediate supervisor.

It is the individual employee’s responsibility to report insurance claims to the applicable insurance company.

If an employee has cancelled a trip or it has been cancelled by others, he/she must contact the travel agency for reimbursement. The amount not refunded by the airline company or the travel agency may be covered by the travel insurance that applies to the trip (the card used to pay for it). Claims not covered by the airline, travel agency or insurance can be covered by the employer subject to documentation of the claim being rejected by the above.

Sickness prevention

When travelling to particularly vulnerable countries or parts of the world, the employee travelling has an independent responsibility to ensure that necessary sickness-prevention measures have been taken. OsloMet covers the costs of any necessary expenses for vaccinations. See the Institute of Public Health for an overview.

Standard of hotels and restaurants

Hotels/restaurants of good average standard should be used. In cities with a high crime rate, the hotel should be located in a safe part of the city. High-price hotels/restaurants must only be used when special circumstances so dictate, and subject to prior agreement with the employee’s immediate supervisor.

For security reasons, booking accommodation through Airbnb or similar providers should be avoided to ensure that the employee’s location is known at all times. Airbnb or similar providers can nonetheless be used for longer stays (more than one week) if approved by the immediate supervisor and if the employee provides information about his/her location. 

Risk reduction for group travel

For group travel, consideration should be given to whether the whole group should travel together or be divided into smaller groups bearing in mind the potential consequences of accidents for the university. It is recommended that management teams avoid taking the same flight.