Plymouth University – Guidelines for Employees Travelling and/or Working Abroad

Document / Guidelines for employees who are travelling and/or working abroad
Document Owner / Head of HR Operations
Document Commencement / September 2013
Review date / September2015

1.Purpose

1.1This guide should be cross referenced to the University’s Safety Policy Code of Practice: Off-site activities and fieldwork.

This document setsout for managers and employee’s guidelines and information in relation to all employee travel on official University business overseas. It defines the responsibilities of all employees in line with University policies and procedures relating to travel on official University business and provides guidance for all managers on managing the process.

1.2These guidelines aim to providea fair and consistent framework in which employees who undertake travel on behalf of the University do so with regard to the University’sInternationalisation Strategy, whilst supporting safe and sustainable business travel.

1.3Theguidance alsoprovides information to ensure that managers are aware of theirresponsibilities concerning our duty of care.

1.4The guidelines consider 3 areas of overseas working arrangements: short-term temporary visits; short-term teaching assignments - flying faculties; longer term arrangements.

2.Contents of theseguidelines

  1. Purpose
  2. Contents
  3. List of links to be used to implement procedure
  4. Relevant underpinning legislation
  5. Detailed responsibilities for managers,Finance and Sustainability, individuals and Talent and Organisational Development (HR)
  6. Short term temporary visits – up to 6 months
  7. Flying Faculty: Short term secondment teaching assignments
  8. Managers Duty of Care and Employee Support
  9. Long term arrangements
  10. Debrief and review to inform the continuous update of these guidelines

3. List of appendicesand links to support implementationof these guidelines

Link 1Risk Assessment

Link 2Off-site Activities and fieldwork code of practice

Link 3Business Travel Policy (Finance (Purchase to pay (p2p))

Link 4Insurance

Link 5Student and Business Travel Contact details (Finance)

Link 6Key Travel

Appendix ALong term overseas worker assessment – Basic facts template

Appendix BChecklists – A guide to offshore staffing strategies for UK universities

4.Legislation

HMRC Income tax when leaving the UK

HMRC 490 Employee Travel - A tax and NIC’s guide for employers

Bribery Act 2010

Direct.Gov.uk Working in another EU member state

5.Responsibilities

5.1The manager is responsible for:

  • Making an employee aware of this guide prior to travelling.
  • Putting a programme of support in place for the employee whilst they are overseas including a nominated contact and out of hour’s emergency number.
  • Carrying out an adequate assessment of the risks relating to both the travel and the work overseas including carrying out a threat analysis where appropriate
  • Ensuring a contingency plan and emergency plan are in place
  • Ensuring employees planning to travel or work overseas are competent and where necessary qualified.
  • Ensuring all local conditions at the overseas destination have been sufficiently explored and any potential risks identified.Where a risk is identified the manager is required to contact Finance and Sustainability: Insurance to discuss any insurance implications.
  • Confirming Insurance cover is appropriate and in place.
  • Providing formal authorisation for the employee to travel / work overseas.
  • Agreeingexpenses and/or remuneration and relevant actions with employee prior to departure.
  • Collecting copies of the employee’s travel information, including copy of their passport and visa.
  • Ensuring employees use Key Travel for booking their travel.

5.2The University’shas an arrangement with Key Travel for university employee travel and is responsible for:

  • Further information can be obtained regarding the status of countries this can be used to inform employees where additional risk assessments are required.
  • Highlighting if Foreign & Commonwealth Office(FCO)recommends that it is not safe to do so.
  • Promoting and communicating their service to ensure all employees use this service for overseas travel.

5.3The Human Resources Directorateis responsible for:

  • Providing easy access and clear guidelines to employees and managers regarding travelling and working abroad in partnership with Key Travel, university Insurance, Safety Office, Finance and Sustainability, Occupational Health and any other external partner.
  • Providing advice and guidance to managers in partnership Key Travel, insurance,Safety Office, Finance and Sustainability, Occupational Health and any other external partner during any period of travel or work overseas.
  • Regularly monitoring and reviewing these guidelines to ensure that they are fit for purpose and consistently applied across the University
  • Promoting the international support provided by the University’s Employee Assistance Provider, in particular guidance concerning different cultures.

5.4The Individualis responsible for:

  • Booking their travel arrangements through Key Travel.
  • Reading and understanding the information in these guidance notes.
  • Ensuring a risk assessment has been carried out and, in conjunction with their manager, where a high risk is identified, referring the issue to Finance and Sustainability: Insurance.
  • Carry out a workplace risk assessment in the overseas work area, take action to resolve any issues, paying particular attention to the provision of services and facilities through third party providers where appropriate
  • Ensuring a contingency plan and emergency plan are in place
  • Knowing who their nominated contact in their Faculty/School/Directorate is including all contact information both within and outside of normal hours of work.
  • Declaring any relevant pre-existing medical condition or disability that could be potentially worsened by the proposed overseas travel /assignment.
  • Where relevant the employee should seek confirmation from their GP that they are fit to travel.
  • Ensuring that a sufficient supply of existing medication is available for the trip and can be personally administered without any risk.
  • Ensuring that all relevant and necessary vaccinations have been administered.
  • Checking the country specific safety advice on the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) pagesand complying with its requirements.
  • Providing the Faculty / Department with a travel itinerary covering issues such as flight numbers, copy of passport and visa, schedule information, departure times, accommodation address, phone numbers, schedule of planned meetings, events etc. and any other relevant contact details, including emergency contacts.
  • Subscribe to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice alerts from the travel advice section of
  • Ensuring they are fully aware of the arrangements and requirements of the University Travel Insurance Policy
  • Ensuring that they have a valid passport and all necessary VISA / Permit requirements are in place. Non-UK nationals should ensure that VISA arrangements cover both UK and destination travel, work and residency requirements.
  • Ensure sufficient funds for the trip have been arranged e.g. personal credit card, university credit card.
  • Being culturally aware of the country they are visiting
  • Ensuring that all essential equipment is available e.g. laptops, mobile phones
  • Keeping all expenses receipts

It is important to note that any travel against the advice of an employee’s GP or the FOC will have insurance implications and therefore authority should be sought from the DVC with responsibility for Internationalisation

6Short term temporary visits– up to 6 months

6.1 For the purpose of these guidelines short term temporary visits may include for example:

  1. Continuous Professional Development Events.
  2. Attendance at overseas conferences.
  3. Attendance at international meetings of professional/research networks.
  4. Undertaking visits with a view to student recruitment.
  5. Fact finding visits to investigate potential overseas opportunities.
  6. Academic exchanges.
  7. Employee field trips.
  8. Overseas partner organisation visits.

6.2 Remuneration

Short term, temporary visits are not remunerated other than through the payment of expenses. All expenses and subsistence will be paid as determined in the Business Travel Policy and all receipts must be retained in order that expense claims can be processed.

Any remuneration offered by receiving partners should be discussed with Head of Schools, referring to HR and Finance Business Partners as appropriate.

7Flying Faculty: Short term secondment teaching assignments (where the individual remains UK based)

7.1For the purpose of these guidelines, short term secondment / assignments include:

  1. Short periods of teaching overseas of up to 6 months.
  2. Secondment overseas for a period of up to 6 months
  3. Setting up overseas Academic Partnerships, including module delivery

7.2Employee Remuneration & Salary – overseas delivery

The University will normally pay a disruption allowance of up to £3500 per module or multiple of creditstaught overseas depending on the duration and as authorised by the budget holder. The budget holder should discuss with the employee and document prior to them taking up the assignment what the disruption allowance will cover and any entitlement to personal incidental expenses (refer to Travel and Subsistence). The amount is determined by the principles below:

  • Level of responsibility (e.g. module leader, partnership co-ordinator etc.).
  • Degree of disruption.
  • Destination.
  • Duration of visit.
  • Duration of travel.
  • Scale of teaching overseas (e.g. number of classes and students).
  • Responsibilities for quality assurance, preparation (including preparing course and module materials and setting of assessments), liaison with any in country staff, marking (including second marking and moderation and liaison with external examiners) and student contact both whilst overseas and in the UK.

This allowance will be paid upon return and only following completion of the deliverables within the agreed timescales to meet the schedule required by the host and the University.

It is the budget holder’s responsibility to instruct HR to confirm the contract details prior to the visit. Following completion of the work the budget holder should also instruct HR to make payment. This payment is not pensionable.

Where a new Academic Partnership is being established and Node Leaders are required to coordinate duties, agree the curriculum, host academic staff during visits, produce teaching notes and materials, provide academic development and liaison, deliver programme design as well as deliver a module an allowance up to £8,000 for 1 year can be considered.

Note: Personal Incidental Expenses - these can be paid up to £10.00 per night without receipts. This type of claim cannot be treated as a daily allowance for each and every day that an employee remains outside the UK. The expenses are only allowable when incurred whilst travelling.

7.2.1 Salary

Salary will continue to be paid at the current level subject to normal incremental progression if applicable.

7.2.2National Insurance

Class 1 National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will continue to be paid and deducted from the payments.

7.2.3Pensions

Contributions to the relevant pension scheme will continue.

7.2.4Expenses

All expenses and subsistence will be paid as determined in the Business Travel Policy. All receipts must be retained in order that expenses claims can be processed.

7.2.5When a member of staff is required to work outside the United Kingdom for more than one month the University has a statutory requirement to provide them with details of their rights during the period of overseas employment including the currency they will be paid in, the period they will be based overseas, additional allowances and arrangements for return.

7.3 Adjunct Faculty (Honorary Appointments) – overseas delivery

Adjunct Faculty are not full time employees of the University but are external professionals employed by the University to undertake specific teaching or developmental tasks for and on behalf of the University. Individuals may be used to assist in the development of overseas partnerships and may undertake overseas delivery of teaching and related tasks. Whether overseas or at their home,tasks could include quality assurance, preparation (including preparing course and module materials and setting of assessments), liaison with any in country staff, marking (including second marking and moderation and liaison with external examiners) and student contact both whilst overseas and in the UK.

7.3.1 Adjunct Faculty Remuneration– overseas delivery

The budget holder may authorise a payment of an annual retainer of no more than£2000. The retainer is determined by the principlesoutlined below and may be paid, subject to authorisation, in instalments. Note:it is recommended that this is paid in 4 instalments – for further information and advice please contact Payroll.

The level of remuneration,which must be in line with University pay scales to ensure equity, should be set by the Head of School or Dean setting up the appointment, taking account of the principles set out below. The level of remuneration will be agreed by the Dean of the Faculty and notified to HR by the Manager for a contract to be put in place.

  • Level of responsibility (e.g. module leader, partnership co-ordinator etc.)
  • Degree of disruption.
  • Destination.
  • Duration of visit.
  • Duration of travel.
  • Scale of teaching overseas (e.g. number of classes and students).
  • Responsibilities for quality assurance, preparation (including preparing course and module materials and setting of assessments), liaison with any in country staff, marking (including second marking and moderation and liaison with external examiners) and student contact both whilst overseas and while in the UK.

The individualshould make claims for the hours of delivery, any claim must be authorised by the budget holder and forward to HR.

7.3.2 Travel & Expenses

Adjunct Faculty appointments will receive paid expenses and subsistence as determined by the Business Travel Policy. All receipts must be retained in order that expense claims can be processed.

7.3.3 Tax

Individuals will be liable to UK Taxation deducted from the payments.

7.3.4 National Insurance

Class 1 NICs will continue to be paid and deducted from the payments.

7.3.5 Adjunct Faculty should be appointed only with appropriate quality control, including but not limited to a curriculum vitae and references and, where appropriate, it may be necessary to hold an interview. Records should be kept of the appointment process by the appointing Faculty.

7.3.6When a member of staff is required to work outside the United Kingdom for more than one month the University has a statutory requirement to provide them with details of their rights during the period of overseas employment including the currency they will be paid in, the period they will be based overseas, additional allowances and arrangements for return.

7.4 Consultancy

It may be appropriate to contract an individual on a consultancy basis where a service delivery model is more appropriate than an employment contract. Managers should note:

  • A Consultancy Agreement will only be issued for the provision of expert advice, where the payment is scheduled against clear deliverables/outcomes and not the passage of time, e.g. every month.
  • One of the key determinants of whether work is considered to be self-employment (paid by invoice) or employment (paid via the payroll) is the extent to which the individual takes the risk of the work, both in terms of insurance and profit/loss. Consultancy could be either employment or self-employment, it can be undertaken by both firms and individuals and individuals may be both self-employed and employed depending upon the nature of the work undertaken.
  • Procurement will provide advice and assist in the assessment of a consultancy. Ultimately the University is bound by the decision of HMRC in this regard. All consultancy enquiries should be directed to

7.4.1 Where a consultant is contracted in the overseas country please refer to Finance and Sustainability regarding VAT and for further guidance.

8.Managers Duty of Care and Employee Support

8.1 Support

Employees who travel or work abroad on University business will be supported by their line manager or a delegated manager of appropriate seniority who will remain in touch with the staff member as required during the period the employee is overseas.

8.2 Health & Welfare

The University has a duty, in so far as reasonably practicable, to confirm that the employee is medically fit for travel to and work in the host country and to comply with any health standards laid down for entry. That duty also extends to ensuring that the employee has received any required vaccinations and inoculations. This is particularly important as overseas travel may impose additional health related risks.

Ensuring fitness of staff - Safety Policy Code of Practice: Off-site activities and fieldwork

The University has a responsibility to ensure (as far as reasonably practicable) the health and safety of staff, not only whilst attending University but also when undertaking off-site activities. In the context of the Code of Practice, the University must ensure that staff are medically fit to undertake their role in fieldwork, and must consider the implications of any medical issues for the safety of other fieldworkers. The University will, therefore, undertake a travel health assessment for each member of staff, at an appropriate level of detail, and, where needed, issue a Fitness to Travel certificate to the Head of School or Directorate. Employees are also asked to provide, in confidence, to the fieldwork leader, information that would need to be passed to a medical practitioner in the event of a medical emergency. Medical practitioners may include other fieldworkers giving First Aid. The procedure is outlined in Appendix E of the Safety Policy Code of Practice: Off-site activities and fieldwork.

Employees with a pre-existing medical condition or disability that could potentially worsen by undertaking the overseas travel/activity should declare this to their line manager so it can be considered as part of the risk assessment process and suitable support put in place to protect the traveller.

The University’s insurance requires that any pre-existing condition is subject to a doctors fit note and this is received before the travel can place. Employees should contact their GP to arrange this, if any costs are incurred these will be covered by the Faculty.

If employees knowingly travel to high risk areas they should follow the advice given by the Foreign office in relation to travel, In addition the University insurers provide some information on individual countries and this can be found at access code7796. Pre-travel advice can also be obtained from insurers on 020 7173 7796 and follow the instructions.

Should an employee travel against the advice of their GP or the FCO there will be insurance implications, if the employee has a medical condition it is recommended that they obtain a note from their medical practitioner to confirm they are fit to travel.In such circumstances a decision will be required by the Dean or DVC for Academic Partnerships. The employee and their manager should provide a report to the Dean/DVC. The report should include factors relating to the proposed travel such as the nature and reason for travel, the level of the risk, the severity and recommendation from the FCO, details of any medical advice andan outline of the insurance implications.