Company Policy and Procedure Travel Policy Effective Date: November 1, 2012 Responsible Department: Human Resources/Operations Review Date: November 2013 Policy Statement This Travel Policy applies to all employees of Franklin Energy. Specific business units may, at their discretion, impose greater control than required by this policy but never less. It is intended to be a guide for both the employee and for management approval. Responsibility and Enforcement Employees are responsible for complying with this policy. The approver is responsible for accurately reviewing expense reports for compliance. Franklin Energy will reimburse employees for all reasonable and necessary expenses while traveling on authorized Company business. Franklin Energy assumes no obligation to reimburse employees for expenses that are not in compliance with this policy. Employees who do not comply with this Travel Policy may be subject to delay or withholding of reimbursement. Purpose • Ensure all employees have a clear and consistent understanding of policies and procedures for business travel and entertainment. • Provide business travelers with a reasonable level of service and comfort at the lowest possible cost. • Maximize Franklin Energy’s ability to negotiate discounted rates with preferred suppliers and reduce travel expenses. You will be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred when conducting Company business. Reasonable standards to govern spending for travel, entertainment, and other business expenses shall provide for consistent and fair treatment of all employees whose business duties involve such spending. Reimbursement of business expense is not, nor should be considered, either direct or indirect compensation of any sort. This policy anticipates that Company funds will be spent prudently for the benefit of Franklin Energy and without extravagance. Individual good judgment should be used in determining the appropriateness of business expenses, subject to the guidance of your supervisor. Franklin Energy wishes to be reasonable but not extravagant and depends upon the respective employee to judge each situation in its proper perspective. Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Procedure Travel Arrangements Egencia Franklin Energy utilizes a self-service travel management web-booking tool called Egencia. Egencia is a central travel module provides travelers with a familiar booking tool that grants employees access to air, hotel and ground transportation featuring added discounts, amenities, reports, and rewards points. To book Travel you must go to www.Egencia.com and sign in. Your user name will be the first letter of your first name, and your last name (Same as your Franklin login). Traveler Profiles All employees expecting to travel at least once per year should complete the traveler profile form on Egencia to ensure that pertinent details and preferences are adhered to in the reservation process. Please contact Kelli Lopina, Operations Administrative Assistant for the registration link so you will be able to create an account. The traveler is responsible for managing all personal information changes within their personal account. This includes credit/charge card numbers, delivery address, phone number, title, medical restrictions, special meal requirements, seat preferences, and any reward point numbers (i.e. frequent flyer numbers). Reservation Procedures Travelers should make reservations as early as possible to take advantage of advance purchase discounts. All air travel, lodging, car rental, and rail travel reservations including en route changes, preferably should be booked through Egencia. Utilizing Egencia as a central travel module provides travelers with a familiar booking tool that grants employees access to air, hotel and ground transportation featuring added discounts, amenities, and rewards points. To book Travel you must go to www.Egencia.com and sign in. Your user name will be the first letter of your first name, and your last name (Same as your Franklin login). Your password will be set by you upon receiving the registration email from Egencia. If you had not received this registration link, please contact Kelli Lopina. Reservations must be booked online!! - The use of a travel agent to book trips will cause additional fees that will not be reimbursed unless in the case of an emergency, which will need to be approved by a manager. Please see attached Fee Schedule. Emergency Travel Assistance In case of emergency in the United States, contact Egencia at 1 (866) 397-2677. Travel Policy Page 2 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Emergency/En Route Changes Travelers may use the 24-hour toll-free Emergency Travel Center phone number 1 (866) 397-2677 for changes on the road or after normal business hours ONLY. This number appears on the itinerary accompanying each ticket. After-Hours Call Service: After-Hours defined as calls between the times of: 6:01pm and 4:59am Pacific 7:01pm and 5:59am Mountain 8:01pm and 6:59am Central 9:01pm and 7:59am Eastern Domestic Air Travel Making Air Travel Reservations Air travel reservations preferably should be made through Egencia. Air travel reservations should only be booked through the airlines or another travel site under special circumstances. (I.e. flight not offered, more than $15 cheaper, etc.) Employees are asked to book their own air travel a minimum of fourteen (14) days prior to the trip, if possible, in order to secure reasonable rates. Airline Class of Service All domestic air travel must be in Coach Class. Employees are expected to use the lowest logical airfare available. All non-coach classes are considered out of policy. Lowest Airfare Definition Travelers are expected to book the lowest logical airfare. Any flight over $500 should receive prior approval from management prior to booking the flight. Travel Policy Page 3 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Airline Frequent Flyer Programs Traveling employees may retain frequent flyer program benefits. You can do this by entering your frequent flyer codes in your Egencia profile. However, participation in these programs must not influence flight selection that would result in incremental cost to Franklin Energy beyond the lowest available airfare, as defined in this policy. If you do not belong to a frequent flyer program please utilize the Franklin Energy corporate codes below: AA Business ExtrAA [ 838341 ] Delta Sky Bonus [ US07357832 ] Frontier Airlines [ B1584 ] Cancellations & Unused/Voided Airline Tickets Unused airline tickets or flight coupons must never be discarded or destroyed as these documents may have a cash value. If the carrier allows, tickets can be cancelled with no fee by midnight the day after booking. You can do this in Egencia within your itinerary. If you have unused tickets, you will be given the option to redeem unused credits at checkout - if using the same airline. Lost or Stolen Airline Tickets Lost tickets can be reprinted through your online Egencia itinerary or re-issued at the service counter. Airline service counters may charge a fee to reprint, which is not eligible for reimbursement. If your ticket was stolen, please report the incident to the appropriate airlines service center. Air Travel Payment Procedures Air travel costs are to be paid using the employee’s personal credit card. The corporate credit card may only be used under special circumstances with supervisor and Operations departments’ prior approval. Lodging Making Hotel Reservations Hotel reservations should be made through the Egencia’s online booking tool. Negotiated rates at choice hotels have been pre-loaded into the system and will show up as a first choice in cities where Franklin has offices. BentraNet keeps an active list of hotels that do offer Franklin corporate rates and/or direct billing. Direct billing is only permitted if traveler is staying over 4 consecutive nights, new hire orientation, or under special circumstances that are approved by Operations. Please contact Kelli Lopina if you have any questions or have any issues trying to get the corporate rate of direct billing option. Hotel Selection Guidelines 1. Travel Policy All Company-authorized accommodations must meet with industry accepted business travel standards with reference to comfort, convenience and cost. Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn type overnight accommodations have been set as an acceptable standard for all Company employees. Page 4 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Corporate rates have been negotiated in most cities where Franklin Energy has an office or does a significant amount of business. Please reference Exhibit A for the most recent list. Please note that some programs go by the GSA rates. Please visit the link below to see what the local GSA rates are at your program destination. Franklin Energy is responsible for paying the anything over the GSA listed rate for that area. www.gsa.gov 2. All lodging claims must be supported by an original, itemized receipt. 3. The employee is responsible for confirming that the rate being charged is also the rate listed on the travel itinerary. It is also advisable to ask at check in if this is the best available rate. 4. All hotel reservations will be guaranteed to the employee’s personal credit card. It is the employee's responsibility to cancel hotel reservations within the hotel cancellation policy time frame. This can be done by contacting the hotel directly. Employees must obtain a cancellation number when canceling a hotel reservation. Franklin Energy will not reimburse hotel "no-show" fees or exceeding posted checkout hours, unless approved by a manager. 5. Reimbursement is limited to the single rate for a standard single room. 6. An employee may stay at the conference site where lodging exceeds the maximum on the basis it enables the employee to gain professional benefits due to interaction with other attendees. In such situations, documentation corroborating the site selected is the conference hotel is required. Supervisor pre-approval is required. 7. An employee who is required to remain in one location for an extended period is expected to find lodging at reasonable weekly/monthly rates. Consideration should be given to use of apartments or private homes if the cost is more economical. In those situations, the cost of normal utilities, i.e., gas, heat, electricity, monthly local phone service, including installation, etc., are reimbursable. 8. Employees are expected to commute during the same day unless they are more than 50 miles from their main office. Lodging costs within 50 miles may be reimbursed only for extenuating circumstances and with proper written justification and approval of the employee's supervisor. 9. Tips and gratuities to hotel employees are reimbursable up to $3.00 on the day of arrival, $3.00 on the day of departure, and $3.00 per night of stay. Claims for higher amounts must be justified and supported by receipts. 10. Incidental personal charges incurred while staying in the hotel, such as, but not limited to, health club fees, in-room movies or laundry services, will not be reimbursed. When making calls from the hotel room, employees should use cellular phones to avoid expensive hotel phone charges. Room Guarantee Unless otherwise instructed, all rooms will be guaranteed for late arrival with the traveler’s personal charge/credit card. Travel Policy Page 5 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Hotel Cancellation Procedures Travelers are responsible for canceling hotel rooms and must contact the designated travel agency office that made the reservation. Travelers will be held responsible and will not be reimbursed for “no-show” charges unless there is sufficient proof that the billing is in error or approved by a manager. Each hotel group has a different cancellation policy, so please make note prior to booking. Hotel Payment Procedures Hotel costs should be paid using a personal charge/credit card. Please contact your manager or reference BentraNet for additional information to see if the hotel offers direct billing and a corporate rate. The corporate credit card is only permitted for use under special circumstances, or in cases of extended term travel (4 nights or longer). These accommodations must be arranged by Kelli Lopina. Lodging in a Private Residence Travelers staying in a private residence with family or friends while traveling on business can be reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses incurred to extend appreciation to friends or relatives for their hospitality. These expenses should be approved by your supervisor prior to incurring. Hotel Frequent Guest Programs Many hotels have frequent guest programs that reward travelers with free accommodations in exchange for a given number of paid room nights at the hotel. Awards from such programs may be retained by travelers for personal use. However, participation in these programs must not influence hotel selection that would result in incremental cost beyond Franklin Energy’s specially negotiated rate or preferred rate. Any membership fees associated with joining these programs are not reimbursable. Rental Car Guidelines Rental Car Rental vehicles should be used in situations where it is the most cost-efficient means of transportation or the efficient conduct of Company business precludes the use of other means of transportation. The rules of thumb are as follows: Round trip exceeds 200 miles Round trip exceeds 1 full day of travel time The original rental agreement and itemized receipts for gas purchases must be submitted for reimbursement. Preferred Providers Franklin Energy has chosen Enterprise Rent-A-Car as its preferred vehicle rental agency. Enterprise has offered two pricing solutions: Enterprise (Franklin Energy Code: NA44083) – Fixed Preferred Rate Agreement Enterprise (Franklin Energy Code: NA44087) – 5% Regular Daily Rate Discount Agreement Travel Policy Page 6 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Franklin Energy has two rate codes because rental rates fluctuate nationally, regionally, and do so daily according to supply and demand. The Fixed Preferred Rate helps hedge against steep rises in price while the 5% Daily Rate Discount hedges against occasions where the daily rate may be less than our Fixed Preferred Rates. Please compare the two options prior to booking. VEHICLE CLASS Compact Mid-Size/Intermediate Standard Size Full Size Premium Luxury Mini-Van Medium SUV Large SUV Cargo Van/Truck 15 Passenger Vans Hybrid Standard Hybrid Full Size Hybrid SUV DAILY RATE $38.00/day $39.00/day $42.00/day $45.00/day $55.00/day $65.00/day $68.00/day $68.00/day $93.00/day $65.00/day $105.00/day $45.00/day $48.00/day $71.00/day Rewards Numbers Franklin Energy is eligible to accrue rewards, credits, and volume discounts through corporate programs that have been established with the providers listed below. Reward codes should automatically be applied when booking through Egencia. Please ensure that you utilize these codes when traveling on behalf of Franklin. Enterprise [ 44D0707 ] Budget [ Z158391 ] Hertz [ 1930083 ] Avis [ X216200 ] Making Rental Car Reservations When renting a vehicle, visit Egencia first to see what the 5% Daily Rate Discount price is in real-time. If that rate is below the Fixed Preferred Rates listed above, book the vehicle immediately for your trip. Note, the closer a vehicle is reserved to departure time; the fewer savings can be realized. As previously mentioned, daily rental rates may increase sharply without notice based on market factors. If the daily rates displayed on Egencia exceed, the Fixed Preferred Rates listed above, follow the link: http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/deeplinkmap.do?bid=028&refId=FRNKNRGY. Upon clicking, a Fixed Preferred Rate reservation may be made through the Enterprise website at an appropriate branch location. Travel Policy Page 7 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Rental Car Categories The vehicle rented should be reasonable in terms of size, cost, and number of passengers and cargo to be transported. Please see the acceptable vehicle trim levels in the above table. Claims for reimbursement other than compact, midsize, or intermediate models must be documented with the receipt in the traveler’s expense report. If traveling with three or more passengers or bulky equipment, a larger vehicle may be reserved per the above table. When picking up a rental car, travelers should check with the rental car agent for any additional promotional rates, last-minute specials or free upgrades. Rental Car Insurance – Domestic Franklin Energy has made provisions for insuring rental cars against damage. When renting an automobile in the United States, you should decline all insurance coverage. This does not mean the renter is driving under personal insurance. Enterprise Rent-A-Car has been named on Franklin’s insurance policy and notes have been made in their computer system mentioning employees will decline. **Nonetheless, please expect Enterprise associates to offer insurance; it is Federal Law.** The reservation must be in the name of Franklin Energy for this insurance coverage to apply. Rental Car Payment Procedures Unless otherwise instructed, rental cars must be paid using a personal credit card. Fuel should be purchased on an as-needed basis throughout the rental period and receipts stored for reimbursement per company guidelines. Please Note: Enterprise Rent-A-Car requires renters to fill the fuel tank to the level recorded at time of rental. Employees must fill the gas tank before returning rented vehicles. Purchasing the fuel prepayment option is not advised—due to the difficulty forecasting fuel consumption—as this option may lead to unnecessary additional cost to the company. Other Transportation Reimbursement for Personal Car Usage Franklin Energy will reimburse you for the use of your personal automobile when used expressly for Company travel (not including commuting between home and work) at a rate per mile within IRS limitations. This rate will always be kept up-to-date in Tenrox (our online Time and Expense system), feel free to check with the Accounting Supervisor with questions on the current rate. Franklin Energy will also pay toll and parking charges incurred during business travel. Franklin Energy will not reimburse you for parking tickets or fines for any traffic violations committed on Company time or in commuting to or from a work location. Mileage reimbursement is allowed based on the following guideline: • If business travel originates from your main office or from your home, mileage begins from the time you leave the office/home and ends upon your return to the main office/home. Travel Policy Page 8 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure o Franklin Energy Services, LLC In instances where you are commuting from your home to a location, other than your normal office location, your mileage should be recorded as the difference between your normal commute and the commute to the other location. Example: if your normal daily commute to work is 15 miles, but you spend the day at offsite training, which is 25 miles from your home, you would then submit 10 miles for reimbursement. If your normal commute is a longer distance than the commute to the other location, than you would not be eligible for reimbursement of miles. o For those whose role consists of daily travel from job site to job site, like direct Installers and Energy advisors, mileage should be recorded from job site to job site without deducting your normal commute to your normal office location. On days where your commute to or from your home to your normal office location without stops at job sites, those miles would not be reimbursable. • We expect you to carpool whenever possible. If carpooling is an option and you choose not to, mileage reimbursement will not be provided unless approved by your supervisor. • Personal mileage traveled during the workday is not reimbursable. All requests for mileage reimbursement shall be documented in writing and approved by the employee’s supervisor or another assigned individual from management. Documentation shall include, at a minimum, city of departure and destination, number of miles driven, reason for travel, Program number, total dollar amount requested for reimbursement, employee’s signature and supervisor’s or Focus Program director’s signature. Telephone Usage Business Phone Calls Telephones Business telecommunication charges (local, long distance, e-mail and fax) incurred in travel status may be reimbursed. Employees should provide an explanation of Company business for long distance phone and fax charges and a receipt if the claim is in excess of $5.00. One personal telephone call is reimbursable up to $5.00 per day for each of the following conditions: • For each night in travel status. • As a result of each unscheduled geographical location change. • As a result of an unscheduled change in travel status that results in more than a one-hour extension to the employee’s originally scheduled return time. Travel Insurance Travel Insurance Coverage Car Rental – You will be covered under Franklin Energy’s Insurance as long as you rent the car under the company name. Travel Policy Page 9 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Additional Travel Insurance Purchased by Travelers Expenses for additional travel insurance coverage will NOT be reimbursed by Franklin Energy. Rental Car Insurance Refer to the Rental Car section. Client & Customer Meals Meals and Entertainment Employees may be reimbursed for meals that include business meetings with clients or customers. Supervisor approval is required for this and an itemized receipt must be provided. Note: alcoholic beverages are not reimbursable and consumption is not advised while meeting with clients and customers. Employee Meal Reimbursement for Overnight Business Trips: Meal claims must be actual, reasonable and necessary and represent the actual amount spent and incurred when an employee is in travel status. Meals limits are listed below and an itemized receipt must be provided. Meals Covered on Overnight Business Trips Day of departure: Leave home after 6:00 am – lunch and dinner that day. Leave home before 6:00 am – breakfast, lunch and dinner that day Days between departure & arrival: Breakfast, lunch and dinner Day of arrival home: Return Home before 7:00 pm – breakfast & lunch only that day Return home after 7:00 pm – breakfast, lunch & dinner that day Employee Meal Reimbursement for Single-Day Business Trips Employee meals will not be reimbursed on business trips that do not include overnight arrangements unless the employee returns home after 7:00 pm. The employee may then submit receipt for one meal for that day not to exceed the listed meal rates. Meal expenses should not exceed the limits listed below. Meal allowances are based on the number of qualifying meals per day. For example, an employee who claims amounts under the per diem for one meal and in excess of the per diem for another meal on the same day is allowed reimbursement equaling the sum of the per diems for qualifying meals on that particular day. Applicable meal rates are as follows (please visit www.gsa.gov for out-of-state per diems): Meal Breakfast Travel Policy WI MI Out-of-State $7.00 $8.00 See GSA* Page 10 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Lunch Dinner $11.00 $23.00 $12.00 $26.00 See GSA* See GSA* Total $41.00 $46.00 See GSA* In addition to the meal per diem, gratuities are reimbursable and should normally be in the range of 15% to 20% of the cost of the services provided. Expense reports for joint checks must detail all employees/clients that participated in the meal/event. Specific Non-Reimbursable Expenses Examples of Expenses Not Reimbursable: • Alcoholic beverages • Spouse or family members’ travel costs. • Cancellation charges (unless fully justified). • Lost/stolen cash or personal property. • Personal items, e.g., toiletries, luggage, clothing, etc. • Traffic citations, parking tickets and other fines. • Excessive mileage charges incurred for personal reasons e.g., sightseeing, side-trips, etc. • Parking costs at the employee’s home office location. • Repairs, towing service, etc. for personal vehicle. • Additional charges for late checkout. • Taxi fares to and from restaurants. • Flight insurance. • Hotel in-room movies. • Pay for view movies in motel room; personal entertainment. • Expenses for family, child or pet. This list is not all-inclusive. Travel Policy Page 11 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Group and Meeting Travel Group Travel Definition Group travel is defined as 2 people or more gathering in a common place for a common purpose. This includes travel for: • Training meetings • Sales meetings • New product introductions • Professional/technical meetings • Incentive trips • Trade shows • Conventions This group travel policy applies any time travel arrangements of any kind (air travel, lodging or ground transportation) are made for 2 or more people, regardless of the actual site of the meeting or conference. This policy applies to the selection of the meeting site, the arrangements for the travel participants and the arrangements for all other aspects of the meeting. This policy establishes the quality standards, financial parameters and other guidelines associated with planning, travel and related expenses. Responsibility Individual meeting planners, meeting sponsors and travelers are responsible for ensuring all group travel is consistent with this policy. Managers are responsible for ensuring that group travel arrangements of staff members are consistent with this policy. Sponsoring a Group Travel Event Any department planning to sponsor meeting travel or that has a group of 2 or more people traveling to the same destination must contact Franklin Energy’s travel agency office. All travelers are expected to use the most cost-effective means available to accomplish the required business objectives. Once group travel has been authorized, the meeting sponsor must contact Franklin Energy’s travel agency for assistance on: • Site and hotel selection. • Event development. • Air travel and land negotiations. • Meeting/conference coordination. • Group air ticketing. • On-site meeting/conference operation. Travel Policy Page 12 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Booking Instructions for Group Travel All group travel arrangements, including air travel, rail, ground transportation, meals and lodging, must be made through Franklin Energy’s travel agency office. Arrangements should be made as far in advance as possible to take advantage of the most favorable rates for both air travel and lodging. Payment Procedures for Group Travel When attending a meeting or conference, travelers must follow the standard reimbursement guidelines to pay for any out-of-pocket expenses. Expense Reporting for Group Travel Whenever possible, travelers must pay for their own expenses and submit an expense report for reimbursement. When expenses are incurred as a group, it is sometimes impractical to allocate a share of the expenses to each employee. Under these circumstances, the most senior employee should pay for and report the expenditure. Seminars Sponsored by Other Organizations Fees associated with employee attendance at conventions, meetings and seminars sponsored by outside organizations are reimbursable, with approval from the employee’s supervisor. IRS rules require that Franklin Energy report separately the cost of meals associated with such events. To comply with this regulation, travelers attending such events must complete their expense reports as follows: • Record the portion of the cost relating to meals on the “Meals” line. • Record the remainder of the event costs under “Miscellaneous” expenses. Timing of Reimbursement Payments To the extent that any reimbursement payment is taxable to an employee, the reimbursement payment shall be made no later than the last day of the employee’s taxable year following the taxable year in which the related expense was incurred. Reimbursements are not subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit, and the amount of such reimbursements an employee receives in one taxable year shall not affect the amount of such reimbursements the employee receives in any other taxable year. Travel Policy Page 13 of 14 Company Policy and Procedure Franklin Energy Services, LLC Exhibit A Hotel Name Hotel Address City State 2221 Killebrew Drive 1200 South Moorland Road 5615 North Cumberland Avenue Bloomington MN Brookfield WI Chicago IL 2728 Zuni Street Denver CO Magnolia Hotels 818 17th Street Denver CO Metropolis Resort Eau Claire IndianapolisCarmel WI Staybridge Suites 5150 Fairview Drive 10675 North Pennsylvania St. Clarion Suites 2110 Rimrock Road Madison WI Radisson Star Plaza Merrillville IN Okemos MI Homewood Suites 800 East 81st Avenue 3553 Meridian Crossings Drive 2536 West Beryl Avenue AZ Holiday Inn - Port Country Inn & Suites-Port 135 East Grand Avenue 350 East Seven Hills Road Port Hotel 101 East Main Street Phoenix Port Washington Port Washington Port Washington Embassy Suites 5500 North River Road IL Staybridge Suites 6905 Lake Drive Rosemont West Des Moines Country Inn & Suites Brookfield Suites Holiday Inn-O'Hare Hampton Inn & Suites Staybridge Suite IN WI WI WI IA Phone 952-6462803 262-7969114 773-6935800 303-4554588 303-6071131 715-8526000 317-5821500 608-2841234 219-7696311 517-3473044 602-6748900 262-2849461 262-2842100 262-2849473 847-3495034 515-2230000 Rate $106 $89 $99 $109 $109 $129 $69 $89 $74 $100 $74 $72 $72 $71 $84 $109 $75 Please note that when you book at any of the hotels listed above that you mention the Franklin Energy rate and have it direct billed. If you have any issues with this, please be sure to contact Kelli Lopina. Travel Policy Page 14 of 14
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