[tei-council] per-diem rates for Oxford

[Syd Bauman]

I think the 70% is total per diem permitted (i.e., TEI per diem is
0.70 * US Dept of State per diem); of that, I think only 80% may be
used for meals. ("[T]he allowance for meals is 80% of the total TEI
per diem.")

Thus the TEI per diem for a day of meals in Oxford 2013 is 97 * 0.7 *
0.8 = USD 54.32.

That said, when the document was originally written, the intent was
not that each traveller would claim the per diem rate per day;
rather, the intent was the per diem rate (which was set to USDoS, not
to 70% of USDoS) was a maximum. Travellers were expected to claim
exactly what they spent, up to this amount. There is still what may
be a vestige of that policy in the document: "The per diem rates are
intended to cover actual meals and incidental daily living expenses".

But it certainly looks like the current (draft) policy is just to use
the per diem as a per diem, not as a maximum claim. However, I note
this draft document also says that group meals are forbotten, which
would put me up a proverbial creek. I've always, including for our
2013-04 meeting in Providence, sumbitted exactly what I spent, with
receipts when I have them (which is usually), and including group
meals. TEI reimbursed these expenses without comment or complaint.

> For those meals eaten while traveling but not paid for as part of a
> group meal or covered by our lodging, I want to check on the rates
> before I submit my reimbursement form.
> 
> The US Department of State gives USD 97 as the meals and incidental
> expenses rate for Oxford. According to the Board procedures
> document we take 70% of this, giving USD 67.90. Last time we
> divided the percentages among meals as follows:
> 
> breakfast: 25%
> lunch: 35%
> dinner: 40%
> 
> And thus we would use the following on the reimbursement form:
> 
> breakfast: USD 16.975
> lunch: USD 23.765
> dinner: USD 27.16
> 
> Sound right?