Reasonably priced accommodations and meals are generally available in-country. The designated online booking tool or designated travel agency must be used to book hotels. Specific hotel accommodations are designated for major cities where we normally conduct business, and travelers are required to use these properties. When designated hotels are not available or are extremely inconvenient, the traveler should obtain approval from management so that hotels of a similar price and level can be used.
Reservations
All rooms must be booked using the designated online booking tool or travel agency available via the NBCUniversal Travel Management Services web site to ensure use of all available discounts. For employees attending seminars, conferences or related meetings where a specific hotel has been contracted for the conference, the hotel reservations may be made through the sponsoring organization provided that Department Head approval has been obtained.
As a reminder, a copy of the hotel “folio”, including a record of charges, is the required receipt for hotel accommodations.
Booking Room Rates
Accommodations are to be for a single room only. Generally, upgrades to suites, concierge or executive floors are not permitted unless charged at the single room rate. The rates for hotel reservations should be set when booking a reservation and should be confirmed at the time of check-in. Where the Citibank Corporate Card has been issued, all hotel expenses must be charged to the Card.
Room Guarantees
Rooms should be guaranteed to the employee’s individual Citibank Corporate Card (where issued). Employees are responsible for canceling rooms if plans change. Hotel “no show” charges are not reimbursable, except upon the approval of employee’s manager.
Personal Meals – (“Meals – Employee Only”)
Reasonable costs for meals taken while travelling on company business may be reimbursed but should be supported by appropriate original receipts. This is the preferred NBCUniversal method of managing employee subsistence costs while travelling.
Where required, an NBCUniversal business may instead authorize “Per Diem” reimbursement at its own discretion. Where not determined by Union Contracts, reimbursement rates should be at or below established government limits. Businesses are responsible for determining and ensuring compliance with all relevant payroll or other tax reporting caused by payment of per diems. Should you have any questions with regard to the use of per diems or the above rates, please contact your local country Travel Administrator or Corporate Tax Team in the London office.
Meals for Two or More Employees – (“Meals – Multiple Attendees”)
*Functionality effective no later than 1-July-2016
When two or more employees travel together, each should report only his or her meals. When it is not practical to do so, however, the more senior employee should cover the business meal expense. The business meal must be reported as Meals – Multiple Attendees.
In addition, employees, on occasion, take personnel out for a meal. These meals may or may not occur while employees are traveling. The cost of the meal should remain as reasonable as possible. The business meal must be reported as Meals – Multiple Attendees by the person in attendance with the most seniority.
In either instance it is required that you properly categorize whether the meal was during an internal meeting or while traveling as well as listing the full name of all employees in attendance.
See the International Entertainment Policy for classification of Staff Entertainment and Business Entertainment.