1.     PURPOSE

Apex Instruments Company Private Limited (Apex) by way of this policy lays down the guidelines governing the rules and regulations a member must follow when he is deputed somewhere and/or on a business tour for an official purpose representing Apex. 

2.     SCOPE

The main objective of the policy is to maintain clarity on issues relating to the budgeting and allowances that will be provided to the members for the purpose of making a business tour for Apex and/or when a member is deputed to any project site and/or plantation and/or any other place for an official purpose of Apex and/or when a member is required to make a short trip or a visit at any project site and/or plantation and/or any other place for an official purpose of Apex.

3.     APPLICABILITY

This policy is applicable to all employees, directors, managers, officers or other people working with and associated with Apex, either temporarily or permanently as per the categorization chart in point 5 of this policy document, working in all branches throughout the Indian territory (collectively referred to as ‘members’).

4.     PRINCIPLES OF THE POLICY

4.1.         Every expense incurred during the business tour and/or deputation and/or the short trip/ visit by a member should be linked to the specific business purpose and/or the object for which such business tour and/or deputation and/or visit has been arranged.

4.2.         Every expense incurred during the business tour and/or deputation and/or the short trip/ visit by a member, should be supported by proper documents which includes genuine invoices, for reimbursement of the same.

4.3.         No member should incur any such expense with the motive of any personal gain. No reimbursement would be provided for any such expense which is not supported by any documentation. However, such expenses which are reasonable in nature, but not supported by any document, might be brought under the term ‘Out of Pocket Expenses’ or OPE, for reimbursement, subject to clarification by way of showing proper break-up of such OPE.

5.     ALLOWANCES

5.1. Apex for the ease of formulating the guidelines of its travel and commutation policy, shall outline allowances based on employment categorization of the members on the basis of the Organizational Hierarchy and/or Organizational Structure. The allowances shall be classified and morefully elaborated in the Annexure “A” enclosed hereto.

6.    DEFINITION

6.1.    Type A travelling:

6.1.1 If the place of assigned work is upto 50 kms from the place of Job Location.

6.1.2 If the place of assigned work is beyond 50 kms to within 100 kms from the place of Job Location.

6.2.    Type B travelling: If the place of assigned work is from above 100 kms to 300 Kms from the place of Job Location.

6.3.    Type C travelling: If the place of assigned work is more than 300 Kms from the city of Job Location.

7. GUIDELINES

7.1.   All “At Actual” costs should be reasonably acceptable and subject to verification by the management. In case if capping is applicable on particular type of travel as per ‘Annexture A’, then maximum reimbursement amount will be limited to the capping amount only.

7.2.   Any incidental upgradation of allowed mode of travel can be availed against reasonable cause and with prior approval from the management.

7.3.   In case of overnight stay under Type B travelling company will pay accommodation bill at actual with a capping of maximum ₹ 1500/- per day.

7.4.   On the travel end day under Type C travelling, if the date changes when the employee reaches home, then only the employee is eligible to get full day allowance for the previous day and allowance for the new travel end day will not be applicable. In other special cases related to Type C travelling will be under sole discretion of the management.

7.5.   The employees are expected to attend office as much as possible during the travel start and end days.

7.6.  In case of travel commencement or end within Office hours under Type C travelling on a Weekend or Holiday as per Company Holiday calendar, the employee is entitled to get 1 day Compensatory leave (to be availed within 90 days from the date of entitlement of such leave) or allowance for ‘travel Start and End days’ as per Annexure A.

7.7.    In case a Holiday or a Weekend falls in between the travel Start and End date, the employee is entitled to get 1 day Compensatory leave which is to be availed within 90 days from the date of entitlement of such leave.

7.8.    In case of any inconvenience caused due to reservation problem of Rail tickets, the employee is eligible to get ₹ 500/- for that specific journey.

7.9.   In case an employee is accompanied by another employee whose employment category is superior to his/her employment category, then in such case the employee is allowed to get benefit of mode of travel as applicable to his/her superior only during the course of travelling together.

7.10. The policy pertaining to travel shall at times be governed as per the policy handbook of the Company which is also available at http://www.apexicindia.com/company-policies. The said travel policy is subject to change at the sole discretion of the Management without any prior intimation in any manner whatsoever. All claims pertaining to travel allowances shall have only prospective applicability from the date of travel and the claim sought. No claims shall be entertained by the Company with a retrospective effect.

7.11.   At all times the travel policy and applicability shall be read together with Annexure “A” enclosed with the policy hereto. The Management reserves the sole discretion to amend the policy and categorization of the same from time to time as it may be felt necessary.

8.      EXPENSES REQUIRING SUPPORTINGS

8.1.    Expenses in specific which has been incurred during the course of business tour and/or deputation and/or short visit shall be reimbursed provided sufficient supporting documents and/or authentic invoices are submitted.

8.2.    Invoice submitted shall include any such document and/or record which contains the name of the vendor and/or service provider, the amount incurred inclusive of applicable tax, and description and/or other particulars of the nature of service availed for which such expenses were incurred.

8.3.   Members must estimate the reasonable expenses that might be incurred by them as a part of OPE before the commencement of the business tour and/or deputation and/or short trip/ visit and get the same duly approved by the Management. Any further expenses incurred over and above the amount that has been pre-approved by the Management shall be reimbursed subject to submission of the detailed break up of additional expenses.

8.4.   Reasonable expenses, not supported by an invoice, (yellow taxi fare, auto fare, bus fare and likewise) brought under the head termed as ‘OPE’ shall be reimbursed, only if it comes within the estimated OPE as approved by the superior authority.

9.      AIR TRAVEL

9.1.     The categorization shall be classified and morefully elaborated in the Annexure “A” enclosed hereto.

9.2.    Air travel tickets shall be purchased by the member, from either the most cost-efficient provider or from the travel agency as specified by Apex. The member might do a comparative analysis between a few ticketing agencies before finally purchasing the ticket. The expense incurred for the air-tickets shall be reimbursed by Apex after producing the invoice for the same.

9.3.     Flight tickets purchased by the members for a business tour and/or deputation and/or visit/short trip shall be of ‘economy class’ only.

10.      TRAIN TRAVEL

10.1.    The categorization shall be classified and morefully elaborated in the Annexure “A” enclosed hereto.

10.2.    Train tickets shall be purchased by the member, from either the most cost-efficient provider or from the travel agency as specified by Apex. The member might do a comparative analysis between a few ticketing agencies before finally purchasing the ticket. The expenses incurred by the train-tickets shall be reimbursed by Apex after producing the invoice for the same.

11.       BUS TRAVEL

11.1.    The categorization shall be classified and morefully elaborated in the Annexure “A” enclosed hereto.

11.2.   Bus tickets shall be purchased by the member, from either the cost-efficient provider or from the travel agency as specified by Apex or physically from the terminus. The member might do a comparative analysis between a few ticketing agencies before finally purchasing the ticket. The expense incurred by the bus-tickets shall be reimbursed by Apex after producing the invoice for the same.

12.        CAR TRAVEL

12.1.     For travelling within the state around or outside the city, reimbursement for car travel shall be provided for members only if such travel is pre-approved by the management. The amount of such reimbursement shall be solely under the management’s discretion.

12.2.    For car travel, the vehicle can be arranged through car rental services, or through app-cab services (Uber, Ola, etc.) and/or through local car-hire agencies, whichever is most cost-efficient with the management’s approval. The expense incurred by the car-hire services shall be reimbursed by Apex after producing the invoice for the same. The amount of such reimbursement shall be solely under the management’s discretion.

13.        DISPLAY OF THIS POLICY

13.1.          Apex shall display this Policy on the Apex website as well as display the same conspicuously on the notice boards of each of its offices in English.

13.2.          Each employee shall view and confirm to these policies upon joining and/or upon the same being enforced by Apex.