Is there a provision to avail comp-off for Business Travel - time spent in travelling for these trips can be compensated?

abhishek-koli
I work in an IT Training Institute (Pvt. Organization) in a managerial position. I require to travel outstation to conduct Campus Interviews, deliver lectures, give presentations, etc. Most of these trips involve travelling to locations at a distance of 4 to 6 hours one way sometimes including overnight stay.
While these trips are paid by the company, I want to know whether the time spent in travelling for these trips can be compensated through half-day or compensatory offs. I understand that if not for these trips, I could have used this time (i.e. time beyond 9 hours of duty) to take on any other activity as per my wish.
Kindly let me know if there is any provision for this in the labour laws of India.
vmlakshminarayanan
Hi,
Your travel to outstation cities as part work will be considered as "On Duty" by your employer. The Company is sponsoring for your travel expenses and you are paid salary for your "On Duty" also. So logically you cannot claim for comp off for travel time or extended hours.
However please check your Appointment order and check with your HR for any Policy as to whether you are eligible for any Deputation Allowance /Tour Allowance as per your grade entitlement. If so, you can claim it.
Normally in private sector, for Managerial level, comp-off applicability will not be there mostly.
vishwanathsavula
Yes. I too agree with Mr. Lakshminarayana. In private companies Manager Levels are exempted from Comp offs at the same time, when you are paid for the tour / trip on the days of your travel, you can not claim Off. You may be eligible for allowances, if the same is defined as part of any policy. Kindly check with your HR colleagues.
Regards,
Vishy.
P.Senthil
Hi,
Some companies are availing Special Permission to take rest for night travel. Please check with your HR Team and check with your company have any policy for comp. off.
Regards
P.Senthil
Manager - HR
cOIMBATORE.
abhishek-koli
I am supposed to work for 9 hours a day for 6-days a week; and deserve the freedom to decide what I should be doing after office hours. If not for these business trips I could have been able to utilize the time spent beyond my work hours, either with family or friends or any other activity which I consider suitable for me. But because of these business trips, around 18 to 20 hours of my time (excluding sleep hours) is under the control of the organization.
Under such circumstances when the organization is completely eating up the "My-Time" shouldn't I deserve some (non-monetary) compensation in terms of time that can be dedicated to family and friends or myself?
Just yesterday, 19th May 2019, I started for a business trip at 5:30 am and reached home on 20th May 2019 at 1:00 am. Even my Sunday week-off has been utilized for the benefit of the organization. Doesn't this call for a compensatory off? I am taking a compensatory off on Monday 20th May 2019 but that's for working for 9 hours on my weekly-off. But what about the additional 10 hours spent in travelling? This too could have been spent with my family or friends or anything that I consider beneficial for me. Shouldn't there be some compensation in terms of time, may be not the entire 10 hours but may be an adequate portion of it?
Another colleague travelling along with me enjoys a week-off on Friday but in-spite of reaching home at 1:00 am on the 20th of May 2019, he still has to report to office at 8:00 am on the 20th of May 2019. Doesn't he deserve a certain concession "in terms of time" to may be report late on the following day? or a paid half-day leave? My boss's argument against this is "you traveled by an Air-conditioned car, why should you need any additional time? The bone of contention though is that time spent for the organization beyond the work duration is eating up of the "My-Time". Shouldn't this time be adequately replaced. The basis, is that this is time spent in travelling and therefore beyond the control of the employee. An employee however efficient cannot reduce this time. If it takes 10 hours (to and fro) to travel to a place 400 kms away, there is nothing an employee can do to reduce this distance or time.
What I am asking is, "is there any provision in the labour laws of India which talks about such situations at work?"
PRABHAT RANJAN MOHANTY
Dear friend,
Compensatory off is for working on Holidays but not associated with working days. Your travel to outstation is part of your job responsibility and for this you may be paid travelling expenses, food expenses & hotel accommodation & other perquisites as per your company norms.
There is no such provision under Labour law except working on holidays but you take the matter with your HR, they can bring policy for facilitating the working people. In my previous company we used to pay our staff on outstation duty for excess hour spent on work in travel expenses aginst DA.
The compensatory off is very much present in private sector. The C-off is even considered for managerial people but all this depends upon the management and their HR policy.
vmlakshminarayanan
Hi,
Understood.
Hope your compensation package and other perks should have been designed and fixed by your employer considering the extensive travel involved. In general when we grew in terms of hierarchy by virtue of role and responsibilities we need to work beyond the call of duty. In general, in most of the Companies, for employees holding Sr.Level position, they will not look at in-out very rigidly where travel is more involved. Also hope your Employer discussed with you regarding the nature of your work well before your appointment.
You can discuss your concerns with your HR Head and request for implementation some policy for flexible hours, Tour allowances etc.
santosh-nigade
As per my understanding as long as you are applying for ODD (it includes Travel time as well), system should automatically generate the Comp off, provided comp off is allowed for managers as per policy of your organization & the comp-off quota generation is customized in tool against ODD.
Amit Zanpure
Dear All,
I think HR policy should be flexible enough to accomodate all circumtances. What this employee wants is Comp.off.? I think his immediate superior can decide on Comp. off. & HR can give that flexibility to his superior to decide on employee Comp off. As per my perspective in professional organisations Senior employees should also have comp off since they are going through really tough stage of life having family , kids, old age parents etc.
With regards,
Amit
uzairHr
The ruling of comp-off regarding travel vary from organization to organization. It has no government set standard and is covered by company specific policy. Better consult your Senior HR or the employer on this.
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