If you need to make a domestic or international business trip, read more on all of the conditions that apply to travel and accommodation costs in these regulations.
Business trip regulations
established and agreed upon by the Executive Board with the staff organisations, most recently in the Local Council on 15 July 2022
Under Article 3.20, paragraph 1 of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU), the employer establishes the following regulations.
Section I General
Article 1 Definitions
In these regulations, the following definitions apply:
- place of residence: the municipality where the employee is registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP).
- work location: the municipality where the employee carries out his work as directed by the employer.
- business trip: a temporary displacement ordered by the employer for the purposes of performing work outside the regular work location.
Article 2 Principles and the start and end of a business trip
- For the reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses, the start and end point of the business trip are assumed to be the work location. If the employee has a different place of residence and work location, the place of residence can be used as the start and/or end point of the business trip. A business trip starts and ends at the times when the employee leaves or returns to the place of residence respectively.
- If reimbursement for travel and accommodation expenses is received from third parties, then this amount must be deducted from the expense claim in accordance with these regulations.
- Reimbursements for business trips with a private vehicle are all-inclusive and include reimbursement for insurance plans associated with potential personal damage and/or damage caused by others. The employer accepts no liability in this respect. The use of a private vehicle for business trips is done entirely at the employee’s own risk, regardless of whether or not the employer has granted permission.
- In the case of international business trips, reimbursement is based exclusively on a preapproved budget using the maximum rates on the applicable rates list of the National Government CAO.
Section II Domestic travel expenses
Article 3 Public Transportation
- A domestic business trip will, as a rule, be made via public transportation, which is understood to mean transportation by train, bus, metro, tram, or ‘OV-taxi’.
- All travel expenses associated with the business trip that are incurred via public transportation will be reimbursed. Train travel will be reimbursed based on 1st class travel. The reimbursement of travel expenses (by car, bicycle, etc.) for the trip to the boarding location for public transport amounts to €0.23 per kilometre. Taxi costs will be fully reimbursed.
- If you frequently take the train for business trips with a departure time between 9.00 am and 4 pm, or after 6.30 pm, the employer will provide the employee with or reimburse the employee for an NS Dal Voordeel if this is cost-effective.
Article 4 Private Transportation
- If the business trip cannot effectively be made via public transportation, the employee may use a private vehicle. The employee does not require any permission from the employer for this. If, after the fact, the employer determines that, even though a private vehicle was used, the trip could have been made via public transportation without a great deal of additional time and/or expense, the employer can require the employee to use public transportation in the future. Reimbursement for the use of a private vehicle amounts to €0.23 per kilometre travelled, even if the business trip is taken with other colleagues.
- The distance between the start and end point is calculated using the route planner on www.anwb.nl. Via the "fastest route" option, you will be shown the distance, which is rounded to the nearest full kilometre. This result is binding. With respect to ferry charges, the kilometres of ferry travel count as distance travelled. The employee must state the names of the colleagues that travelled with him/her on the expense claim. Potential travel companions do not have the right to submit expense claims.
- The actual and demonstrable costs for parking, tolls, ferry, and storage, etc. can be reimbursed.
- If it is not possible to use a private vehicle for transportation, the demonstrable costs incurred to rent a car can be reimbursed, provided the employer grants permission. If an (electric) loan car is available, it must be used.
- The kilometre reimbursement mentioned in the first clause is adjusted annually to general pricing developments, but can never exceed the maximum, pre-tax, fiscal amount to be reimbursed.
Section III Domestic costs of accommodation
Article 5 Costs of accommodation
- The demonstrable and necessary incurred costs associated with a business trip (original receipts), such as for meals, drinks, and overnight stays, will be reimbursed up to €200 per day.
- The costs for accommodation for business trips within Nijmegen or for business trips shorter than four hours will not be reimbursed.
- The reimbursement mentioned in the first clause is adjusted annually to general pricing developments.
Section IV International travel and accommodation expenses
Article 6 Travel and accommodation expenses
- The costs for public transportation or use of a private vehicle is reimbursed in accordance with the provision in Articles 3 and 4.
- Radboud University’s Business Air-travel Regulations apply to air travel. This regulation states that from the moment a central travel agent is designated in February 2024, in principle, no flights can be made to destinations that can be reached within seven hours using sustainable alternatives. The travel time is calculated from Nijmegen CS or the employee’s city, town or village of residence if it is not the same as the place of employment. If the travel time is the same by plane and train, the basic principle is to travel by train. Using the travel agent VCK Travel for booking international travel is mandatory from February 2024.
- Flights must be made using economy class. The costs for air travel are reimbursed based on the price for this (lowest) class ticket. If a flight lasts longer than 9 hours, an employee may fly business class, under certain circumstances and in consultation with the manager, and these costs will be reimbursed.
- In accordance with the provision established in Article 7, clause 2, the accommodation costs and any additional costs are reimbursed based on actual costs incurred using the maximum rates on the applicable rates list of accommodation and other costs pertaining to the International Travel Decree of the National Government CAO.
Section V Remaining provisions
Article 7 Expense Claims
- The reimbursements stated in these regulations are only paid upon the submission of an expense claim and the employee must use Radboud University’s electronic claims system. The original receipts must be attached to the expense claim. In order to reimburse the costs of international accommodation, the accommodation receipts must be provided. For the remaining costs that have actually been incurred, the employee can claim the maximum amount specified in the rate list, providing as many of the receipts as possible.
- The right to reimbursement expires if the expense claim is not submitted via the electronic claims system within three months of the month that the expense was incurred. When using public transport, the employee declares the actual costs of public transport by submitting (uploading) the travel tickets or a transaction overview of their OV chip card.
Article 8 Hardship Clause
Depending on the special circumstances of the employee, the employer may make additional, customised provisions. The fiscal legislation is a pre-requisite to these regulations. Deviations from the Business Air Travel Policy are only possible when justified.
Article 9 Entry into force
These regulations shall enter into force on 1 January 2024.
Explanatory notes
At the university, there is a transportation policy in effect that discourages the use of cars and encourages the use of public transportation and/or bicycles. For business trips abroad, the Business Air Travel Policy applies with the aim of reducing the number of flights and their impact.
Travel expense reimbursement
The reimbursement of travel expenses in these regulations is determined based on the total expense reimbursement for public transport. The university therefore also assumes that all business trips, as a rule, are taken via public transportation. Only if a business trip cannot effectively be made via public transportation are you permitted to use a private vehicle. The employer (the immediate supervisor) will review this later and can take corrective action against the employee if a private vehicle was used when the trip could have been made via public transportation without a great deal of additional time and/or expenses. The employer can require the employee to use public transportation in the future.
The employee may travel 1st class. These costs may be reimbursed. Should the employee decide to travel 2nd class, then the actual costs incurred for 2nd class travel will be reimbursed. The reimbursement is never more than the costs incurred. When claiming expenses for public transportation, the original tickets or an overview of the (anonymous) OV-chipcard must be attached. The costs of a disposable OV-chipcard cannot be claimed. The purchase cost of an OV-chipcard cannot be claimed, either.
Costs incurred while using an OV-fiets (public transport bicycle) cannot be declared because the OV-fiets scheme is not considered public transport. However, these costs are subject to the allowance of €0.23 per km described in Article 3, clause 2.
If an employee uses a private vehicle, then the reimbursement amounts to €0.23 per kilometre. The distance between the start and end point is calculated using the route planner on www.anwb.nl. Via the "fastest route" option, you will be shown the distance, which is rounded to the nearest full kilometre. This result is binding. In contrast to the requirements of the Reisen verhuiskostenregeling (Travel and moving expenses regulations), the distance for business trips is determined according to the fastest route, because the travel time during a business trip often falls under work time. The actual and demonstrable costs for parking, tolls, ferry, and storage, etc. can be reimbursed.
If the business trip cannot, or cannot be effectively made using public transport and it is not possible to use a private vehicle for transportation, the demonstrable costs incurred to rent a car can be reimbursed, provided the employer grants permission.
An (electric) car should be used if one is available. This is done using the GoAbout App. Requests can be on this website.
Reimbursement for the costs of accommodation
For reimbursement of all domestic costs of accommodations, the original receipts must be provided. For reimbursement of the actual, international accommodation costs, the receipts for lodging costs must be provided, at least. Because not all countries provide receipts for the remaining accommodation costs (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), according to the regulations, the employee can claim the remaining expenses of the amount specified in the rates list for accommodations and other costs pertaining to the International Travel Decree of National Government CAO. Of course, receipts should be provided as often as possible.
Hardship clause
Depending on the special circumstances of the employee, the employer may make additional, customised provisions. The fiscal legislation is a pre-requisite to these regulations.
Deviations from the Business Air Travel Policy are only possible if they are justified. These justifications will be collected and added to the Business Air Travel Policy during the first year of using the travel agent.