EmpireTV Travel & Expense Policy

Introduction

EmpireTV supports necessary business travel while ensuring responsible use of company resources. These guidelines apply to all travel arranged through EmpireTV and to any technician traveling on EmpireTV business.

Expense Reimbursement Guidelines

This section is the quick reference for what EmpireTV reimburses, what it does not, and how to get paid back. Use the search bar above to jump straight to a specific rule, code, or limit.

Core principles

• Expenses must be business-related, reasonable, and necessary.
• Anything booked in advance must go through the correct channel: flights, baggage, and parking through the MAC Coordinator; rental cars through National on the company code.
• Any exception to this policy needs written approval uploaded with the receipt. No written approval attached means no reimbursement.

What is reimbursable

• Yes Airport parking, but only the approved lot for that airport (see the Parking table).
• Yes Rental cars booked through National with code XZ24EMR, mid-size or smaller.
• Yes Flights booked by the MAC Coordinator.
• Yes Standard baggage for tools or work equipment, when added by the MAC Coordinator in advance.
• Yes In-flight Wi-Fi up to $15 per flight for office personnel on business use.
• Yes Fuel and tolls on company cards or EZ-Pass for business travel.
• Yes Reasonable and necessary emergency costs, when you contact the MAC Coordinator first.

What is not reimbursable

• No Meals, snacks, and beverages. Food on the road is a personal expense, the same as on a normal workday.
• No Upgrades of any kind: seat upgrades, priority boarding, premium or valet parking, larger rental class, extra insurance.
• No Same-day or additional parking beyond the approved reservation.
• No Additional bags, personal items, or overweight luggage.
• No Personal charges: movies, alcohol, minibar, hotel amenities, tips.
• No Voluntary changes such as missed flights or personal date changes.
• No Any personal use of company vehicles, gas cards, or EZ-Pass. Personal tolls charged to the company must be paid back.

Approvals

• Any single travel expense over $500 must be approved in advance by the MAC Coordinator, regardless of type.
• All exceptions to this policy require written approval, attached to the receipt.
• Parking at any airport not on the approved list requires Dispatch approval before travel.

Receipts and how to submit

• Keep original itemized receipts for every reimbursable expense.
• Submit within 72 hours of returning from travel.
• Submit through the EmpireTV Tech App expense tool by snapping or uploading a photo of each receipt, and attach any written approval.

Quick reference

Parking

All airport parking must be booked in advance by the MAC Coordinator during business hours using the approved lot for each airport. If booked personally, you must still use the approved lot listed below.

Additional or same-day parking expenses beyond the approved reservation will not be reimbursed.

The table below lists the approved pre-bookable parking option for each of our most frequently traveled airports. For all other airports not listed, parking must be approved by Dispatch prior to travel.

Company Vehicles & Gas Cards

• Company vehicles may be used only for business travel.
• Company gas cards may be used solely for fuel purchased during approved work travel.
• No personal travel using company vehicles; no personal charges (fuel, tolls, repairs). Such charges are non-reimbursable.

Tolls & EZ-Pass

• Company EZ-Pass must be used only for business travel.
• If personal tolls are charged to the company account, the traveler must reimburse the company.

Rental Cars

• Rentals must be booked through National Car Rental using EmpireTV's company code (CDP) or otherwise by the MAC Coordinator and approved in advance.
• Default rental class is mid-size or smaller unless business needs require otherwise.
• Upgrades, add-ons, or insurance beyond company policy are the traveler's responsibility.

Flights

• Flights must be booked through the MAC Coordinator.
• Seat upgrades, priority boarding, and elective change fees are the traveler's responsibility unless pre-approved for business necessity.

Baggage

• Standard baggage fees for tools or work-related equipment are covered only if added and booked by the MAC Coordinator in advance.
• Any specific or special baggage requests must be approved prior to travel.
• Additional bags, personal items, or overweight luggage are the traveler's responsibility.

Incidental Expenses

• Parking tips, valet service, hotel amenities, and in-flight purchases are not reimbursable.
• Exception: In-flight Wi-Fi is approved for office personnel up to $15 per flight when used for business purposes.
• Personal charges (movies, alcohol, snacks, minibar, etc.) are not reimbursable.

Travel Changes & Cancellations

• Voluntary changes (missed flights, date/time adjustments, upgrades) are the traveler's responsibility.
• All business-related changes or cancellations must be approved in advance by the MAC Coordinator.

Safety & Conduct

• Technicians must follow the company code of conduct while traveling and maintain professional behavior in hotels, airports, flights, and rental facilities.
• Misuse of drugs or alcohol during company travel is strictly prohibited and subject to disciplinary action.

Emergency Expenses

• In emergencies (flight cancellation, hotel closure, vehicle breakdown), contact the MAC Coordinator before making out-of-pocket purchases.
• If the Coordinator is unavailable, only reasonable and necessary costs will be considered for reimbursement.

Receipts & Reporting

• All expenses eligible for reimbursement require original itemized receipts.
• Submit expenses within 72 hours of returning from travel.

Meals

Meals, snacks, and beverages are the responsibility of the traveler. Just as food on a regular workday is a personal expense, food while traveling is also a personal expense and will not be reimbursed.

Approval for Large Travel Expenses

• Any single travel-related expense over $500 must be approved in advance by the MAC Coordinator, regardless of type (flights, hotels, rentals, emergencies).
• Expenses above this threshold without prior approval will not be reimbursed.