Travel

4. Travel approvals

4.1 Electronic travel request authorisation

School-based staff must submit pre-travel requests electronically for travel within Victoria and its border communities of more than 5 consecutive nights, interstate, travel to New Zealand and international travel (refer to Chapter 1 ‘Key policy requirements summary’ for more details). School-based staff must submit pre-travel requests using the school travel application system (where required). This is known as a Travel Request Authorisation (TRA). Refer to How to complete a Travel Request Authorisation via the travel application system (DOCX) (staff login required). The Travel approval documents checklist (DOCX) and templates for required documents are also available on the Resources tab.

All applications for international travel and travel to New Zealand must be complete and compliant, and submitted to the region for review and final approval at least 12 weeks before the departure date. The school travel application system submits TRAs to the appropriate approver in the region.

When travellers are travelling in a group, the lead traveller for the group must submit a single TRA on behalf of the group. If separate travel itineraries are involved, these should be individually provided as attachments within the TRA. Refer to the Travel itinerary template (DOCX) (staff login required) on the Resources tab. Where group travel is undertaken by school-based staff in different Victorian regions, the lead traveller for each region may submit a single TRA on behalf of all travellers in their respective regions.

Travel bookings must only be confirmed after a trip has been formally approved by the relevant delegate or travel approver. Travellers must not self-approve their travel.

If travel costs increase after formal approval to travel has been granted, travellers must obtain email authorisation from an appropriate delegate before incurring additional department-funded expenses.

4.2 Approval process

The approval process for travel must promote a prompt decision on whether a trip is approved or not, as many air fares and hotel rates are ‘instant‑purchase’ or expire within hours if not confirmed, and may result in additional cost for the department. Travel approvers are required to provide a decision (approved or not approved) on a travel request within 10 working days of receiving a complete and compliant application. Travellers must not self-approve their travel. Refer to specifics below.

4.2.1 Appropriate travel approvers for school-based travellers without students

• Day trip
  • No system approvals (for example, TRAs) required
• Travel within Victoria and border communities (5 consecutive nights or less)
  • For principals – regional director approval
  • For all other staff and school council members – principal approval
  • No TRA required (email approval is sufficient)
• Travel within Victoria and border communities (more than 5 consecutive nights)
  • For principals – regional director approval
  • For all other staff and school council members – principal approval
  • TRA required
• Interstate travel and travel to New Zealand
  • For principals – regional director approval
  • For all other staff and school council members – principal approval
  • TRA required
• International travel
  • For all staff (including principals) and school council members, all other staff – Assistant Deputy Secretary, Schools and Regional Services approval
  • TRA required

* Day trips are likely to incur minimal or no cost and the approval requirements are commensurate. If costs are to be incurred, approval from an appropriate delegate is required.

** Travel within Victoria and its border communities for 5 nights or less is likely to incur costs that require approval from an appropriate delegate (for example, accommodation costs).

4.2.2 Approval process for school trips and excursions

Where school-based travellers are accompanying students on school trips or excursions, the following approval processes apply for the travel of the school-based travellers.

School-based travellers accompanying students on school trips and excursions have additional obligations. These are detailed in the department’s Excursions policy.

Appropriate travel approvers for school-based travellers accompanying students:

• Day trip
  • No system approvals (for example, TRAs) required
• Travel within Victoria and border communities
  • Staff accompanying students on excursions – principal approval
  • No TRA required
• Interstate travel
  • Staff (including principal) accompanying students on excursions – principal approval
  • No TRA required
• International travel and travel to New Zealand
  • Staff accompanying students on excursions – regional director approval
  • TRA required

4.3 Personal travel and official travel

Personal travel is defined as non-work related travel requested by a traveller before, during or after periods of official travel. Official travel is defined as business travel required by or when representing the department and/or school, including any time required to be spent at a location for business purposes, including travelling time.

Official travel may include non-work time at locations other than an employee’s base location, in situations where it may not be appropriate (for example, where it may negatively impact the employee’s health and wellbeing or where it may not be economical) for the traveller to return to their base location.

Travel undertaken over weekends and Victorian public holidays before or after periods of official travel, is considered personal travel and may be approved by travel approvers, subject to the travel principles (below) being met.

Personal travel requested by employees before, during or after approved official interstate or international travel must be included in the travel application and authorised by an executive level travel approver. Travellers must fully self-fund all costs incurred on travel days that are not business related. When considering or approving requests for personal travel, be it travel within Victoria and border communities, interstate, travel to New Zealand or international travel, travellers and travel approvers must ensure that personal travel meets the following travel principles:

1. does not have any detrimental effects on official travel
2. does not result in any additional costs to the department
3. meets community expectation and can withstand scrutiny
4. does not give the impression that official travel is being used to subsidise personal travel

The travel principles apply to travel wholly or partly-funded by the department or school. Travel principles 1 to 3 apply to self-funded travel.

For international official travel, the personal travel allocations outlined in the table below apply.

• Where international travel is fully self-funded, but the traveller is still representing DE, travel approval is required but the personal travel allocations stated in the table below do not apply. In these circumstances, approval for personal travel must be included in the travel application.
• Where DE or an external individual or organisation funds all or part of the airfare for a trip, the personal travel allocations stated in the table below apply.

All travellers are reminded that they are travelling on government business on behalf of the department and all matters relating to travel and conduct prior, during and after the travel are subject to public scrutiny.

4.4 Spouse, companion and dependents’ travel

Spouse, companion and dependents’ travel must be approved by the traveller’s travel approver. Travel expenses for these persons are not reimbursable.