Clause 16.4.3 and Clause 16.4.4 of the 2015 EA state the following:

16.4.3 When an employee is required by NPBS to travel on NPBS business, NPBS will reimburse the Employee for reasonable costs associated with the travel authorised by the Employees Line Manager.

16.4.4 For the purposes of this clause16.4.3, reasonable costs include taxis, public transport, parking, tollways, business telephone calls, reasonable laundry and dry cleaning expenses, overnight accommodation (up to the standard of a four star hotel) and a reasonable standard of meals (upon the production of appropriate receipts, or if receipts are not provided for meals, up to an amount of $65.00 per day will be paid)

Pretty self-explanatory in the Union’s view, however, your Union has recently been in dispute with NPBS following the Society’s decision to decline a request for reimbursement from a USU member in relation to paying for parking when attending training at Head Office.

Despite several conversations with different levels of NPBS Management the Society refused to pay.

Your Union subsequently applied to the Fair Work Commission to have the matter resolved with a hearing due in Sydney on Monday July 8, 2019.

The Society contacted the Union on July 2, 2019 and although the Society “has an alternate view of the interpretation” they agreed to pay the employee.

This is interesting given it was the Society that proposed and implemented the current wording into the 2010 EA.
NPBS Management’s response also included the following:-

“For the period leading up to and including EA negotiations Newcastle Permanent will reimburse reasonable car parking expenses should an employee covered by the Newcastle Permanent EA be directed to attend Head Office for training and/ or meetings, which is not their regular place of work, and who is unable to find free car parking within a reasonable walking distance. Reimbursement will be provided on presentation of receipts.”

Therefore, USU members who pay for parking when attending Head Office – or incur any of the other expenses set out above when travelling on NPBS business (other than at their regular place of work) – should submit a claim for reimbursement through the appropriate channels.

If your request is declined contact the Union immediately for assistance.

For more information contact:

USU official
Paul Sansom 0409 076 633 or
psansom@usu.org.au

USU Workplace Delegate
Dannielle Hunt
4943 7455
danni.york@npbs.com.au