Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement (ASTCA)
Part Six: Travelling Allowances, Reimbursements and Expenses (ASTCA)
Travelling for work, the reimbursement of your travelling expenses, including your meal allowance, is set out in this part of the agreement.
6.1 Travelling Expenses
6.2 Meal Allowance
6.3 School Camp Allowance
6.4 Use of Private Vehicles for Official Business
6.5 Meetings and Courses
6.6 Subscription to Professional Association
6.7 Allowances for Relieving Teachers
6.8 Boarding Allowance
6.9 Tea Allowance
6.10 Miscellaneous Expenses
6.11 Reimbursement of Study Fees for Specialist Teachers
6.0 On production of receipts, the employer shall reimburse the following expenses (outlined in clauses 6.1 to 6.9) which have been incurred in carrying out the employee’s official responsibilities and duties; provided that:
(a) the employee had prior approval for the activity; and
(b) the employer had, before approving any activity which required the payment or reimbursement of expenses, ensured that such payment or reimbursement complied with any administrative arrangements applying to the school.
back to top6.1 Travelling Expenses
6.1.1 A teacher required to travel within New Zealand on official business shall be paid, on application, (whether by public transport or, with the prior approval of the Board, the use of the teacher’s own vehicle) a travelling allowance as follows:
(a) accommodation: reimbursement of accommodation costs on an actual and reasonable basis;
(b) meals: reimbursement of meal costs on an actual and reasonable basis;
(c) incidentals: incidentals allowance, as specified in Appendix 1 for each 24 hour period and additional part thereof spent travelling.
6.1.2 When the teacher leaves and returns to the teacher’s school on the same day, travelling allowance is not payable. Actual and reasonable expenses are payable instead and the incidentals allowance is not payable in these circumstances.
6.2 Meal Allowance
6.2.1 Any teacher is entitled to the meal allowance at the rate specified in Appendix 1 when:
(a) absence from the teacher’s school over the lunch-break is not a common occurrence, and warning was not given on the previous working day that the employee would be required to be absent from the school over the lunch-break;
(b) the teacher finds it necessary (while absent from school) to lunch with a school business associate;
(c) by reason of attention to official duties, a teacher’s return to the school at the end of the day is delayed unduly;
(d) a teacher’s attendance at the school or elsewhere at the request of the principal prevents the teacher returning home for an evening meal.
6.3 School Camp Allowance
6.3.1 Teachers are entitled to the School Camp Allowance specified in Appendix 1 when supervising the students attending a school camp or school trip for more than one complete day.
6.4 Use of Private Vehicles for Official Business
6.4.1
(a) Where any teacher is required by the employer to use her/his own vehicle for official business the teacher is entitled to the motor vehicle allowance at the rate specified in Appendix 1 or equivalent public transport fares where applicable.
(b) Where the teacher is attending a school camp and providing the official emergency vehicle or an authorised substitute, the teacher is entitled to the motor vehicle allowance at the rate specified in Appendix 1.
6.4.2 A motor vehicle allowance shall be paid to itinerant teachers within the limits of the annual grant provided to the school board for this purpose.
6.5 Meetings and Courses
6.5.1 (a) Where any teacher is selected to attend official in-service or retraining courses, or with the approval of the employer selected to attend other courses related to their work, or is required to attend school educational and sports tours, (provided the tour lasts more than 24 hours) or to attend meetings or engagements required by the employer, the teacher is entitled to actual and reasonable travel and accommodation expenses, and where applicable, the incidentals allowance.
(b) Any teacher required to attend post-entry specialist courses is entitled to:
(i) the expenses and allowances payable in terms of the Removal Expenses section of this agreement in relation to the move to the training course centre;
(ii) expenses at the end of the year and for return home during term vacations if the teacher has not shifted to the course location;
(iii) travelling and accommodation expenses while on section;
(iv) reimbursement of course expenses actually incurred and field trips as approved.
6.6 Subscription to Professional Association
6.6.1 Teachers shall be reimbursed the cost of a subscription to a professional association where membership is required as a condition of employment.
6.7 Allowances for Relieving Teachers
6.7.1 Relieving teachers in short-term positions may be granted assistance towards their daily travelling expenses to and from school as follows:
(a) If public transport is not available, the teacher shall be paid a transport allowance at a rate specified in Appendix 1 for the distance involved less the first twenty kilometres each day; or
(b) If public transport is available, the cost of fares for the full distance involved shall be refunded to the teacher except when the Principal or head teacher of the school deems public transport to be unsuitable or the employer requires the teacher to travel by private vehicle, in which cases a transport allowance shall be paid to the teacher in accordance with (a) above of this subclause.
6.7.2 The transport allowance shall not be paid to relieving teachers who, at the commencement of their employment are requested to work for a period longer than one term.
6.7.3 A relieving teacher required to use a private vehicle to place their child in childcare may be paid, on application, a transport allowance if no suitable public transport is available.
6.8 Boarding Allowance
6.8.1 A relieving teacher when required to live away from the normal place of residence to undertake the relieving shall be paid a boarding allowance or travelling expenses as specified in Appendix 1.
6.9 Tea Allowance
6.9.1 A tea allowance is payable at a rate, which must not exceed the rate specified in Appendix 1, proportionately to take account, at least nominally, of school vacations and other paid leave of absence, to teachers who do not already receive free morning and afternoon tea.
6.10 Miscellaneous Expenses
6.10.1 Teachers are entitled to be reimbursed the following expenses:
(a) When applicants are invited for interview on the initiative of an employer in connection with teaching appointments, actual and reasonable expenses are payable by the employer party concerned;
(b) Principals elect of new schools may, when necessary, have travelling expenses paid for travel to the new school while still holding the old position;
(c) Actual and reasonable travelling and accommodation expenses are payable to teacher-librarians who are entitled to leave on full pay to attend the New Zealand Library Association Conference;
(d) Teachers in divided schools who are required to visit side schools, attached classes and departments which are at a distance from the main school are entitled to receive:
(i) A refund of actual and reasonable travelling expenses; or
(ii) A motor vehicle allowance where there is no suitable public transport.
6.11 Reimbursement of Study Fees for Specialist Teachers
6.11.1 Each teacher upon their first appointment as a Specialist Teacher (ST) shall have an entitlement to a reimbursement of fees for study towards relevant post graduate qualifications up to a maximum of $1,000 for each of two years (these years do not have to be consecutive provided that the teacher remains appointed as a ST). Where no appropriate post-graduate qualification is available a relevant course of study may be substituted.