Legal: Travel Policy

The Cresta Solutions travel policy exists to protect employees’ and subcontractors’ health and safety, while also respecting clients’ funds and the consumption of environmental resources. 

Cresta Solutions’ Process

Below is our typical process regarding travel expenses. As you collaborate with Cresta Solutions for your organization, this will be the process unless expressly determined in writing to follow a different process. 

1. Cresta Solutions typically pays up-front for travel expenses (including, but not necessarily limited to, airfare, lodging, ground transportation, meals, and other incidentals). 
• Exceptions may be provided in situations such as when the client has a block of hotel rooms for a conference. 
2. Expenses are documented and submitted with an invoice, along with receipts. 
• When receipts are not available (i.e. for public transportation), another form of cost verification is provided. 
3. Client pays the invoice according to the terms outlined in the agreement.

Guidelines for Expenses

When making travel plans, Cresta Solutions adheres to the following guidelines:

Flights

• During business hours, to the extent possible
• Nonstop, to the extent possible
• Includes a carry-on
• For flights three hours or longer, business class tickets
• Corporate clients will cover the cost of offsetting the carbon emissions of the flight

Ground Transportation

We welcome your advice about how to best navigate your area. Please inform us:

• If there is limited or no access to public transportation, taxis, or rideshare programs.
• If you recommend a rental car.
• If insured individuals from your organization will provide rides.

Lodging

• If staying in a hotel, the hotel should have at least 3-stars to ensure basic amenities for business operations. Exceptions are when the client has equivalent alternative lodging options (i.e. visitor housing on a university campus).
• Lodging should include, at minimum:
• A desk in the room.
• Private bathroom.
• Access to wifi of a reasonable strength to complete work. If the standard wifi in the hotel is not sufficient, the client will cover the cost of upgraded wifi.
• Within a reasonable distance to the venue. When in urban areas, within walking distance to the venue, if possible.
• Taking flights only during business hours (to the extent possible), may require us to arrive a day early and/or to stay a night after. This may necessitate 1-2 additional nights of lodging.
• If more than one consultant/facilitator from Cresta Solutions is traveling to your site, each professional shall have their own room.

Meals

• Clients are to cover three meals a day for full-day travel, and two for partial-day travel. When meals are provided by the hotel or during an event, we would not seek reimbursement for that meal.
• We will do our best to make reasonable food and beverage selections, out of respect for our clients’ budgets.
• We may have a meal during non-work hours with another person and may cover their meal. We would only seek reimbursement for the part of the meal consumed by Cresta Solutions representatives and would provide appropriate documentation to support that.
• Clients are not expected to reimburse for alcoholic beverages.

Additional Considerations

• A standard 20% tip will be added for food and drivers.
• There might be times when we travel from our home base to the client site, and then not directly back to the home base. 
• If it is due to staying longer for other personal or professional reasons: We will cover our own expenses for extended stays, though the Client would still cover the cost of the transportation back to home base at the cost that it would’ve been at the end of the client engagement. 
• If it is due to traveling to another location before returning to the home base: We will seek reimbursement for the cost that it would have been to return to the home base, or less if wherever we’re going is less than that cost.
• If we were to experience travel delays at a layover site or at the client site, the client is responsible for the unexpected expenses related to that, such as, but not necessarily limited to, lodging, ground transportation, and meals.
• In recognition of the fact that emergencies happen and we may end up not being able to travel, we will do our best to reserve flights and lodging that allow for flexibility in cancellations or changes. The client is still responsible for costs that are not refundable if the reason for cancellation/change falls within the reasonable reasons for cancellation/change in the agreement.
• Travel insurance may be required for international trips and more significant trips within the United States.

Suggestions for a Smooth Process

• Communicate ahead of time to whom or how the reimbursement expense should be submitted.
• Travel reimbursement is distinct from the consulting/facilitation fees. 
• An estimate of travel expenses may be available upon request, with the understanding it is an estimate primarily based on the main costs of lodging and flights.
• Proactively provide any suggestions for lodging, transportation, and other factors that will help us have a safe, efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible travel experience. We welcome them!

Please direct any questions about this policy to Megan Mozina, Owner & Principal Facilitator, at [email protected].

We look forward to working with you!