Working time and commuting time on business trips
On business trips, the employee is actually at work. However, it is sometimes difficult to determine the hours worked. The employee has gone to work, but doesn't spend all 24 hours of the day working! Hence the difficulty.
Another difficulty is travel time. This is the time taken by the traveler to reach the city or country in which he is to work. The question for companies is whether this travel time can also be counted as working time.
Unfortunately, not all companies have a text governing working hours during business trips. Each company has its own rules. Some have opted to raise awareness by giving employees a framework for managing their working time, while others refer to the collective standards in force in their collective agreement.
Does commuting time count as working time when traveling on business?
Business travel time, or commuting time, is the time during which an employee leaves home to travel to work. As a general rule, this commuting time is not counted as working time. This means that the employer is under no obligation to pay for this time.
However, in some cases, this travel time can be counted as working time. If, for example, an employee leaves his office to go to an appointment or to visit a worksite, the time it takes him to reach the worksite or the appointment is part of his working hours. This is because the employee is at the company's disposal and not engaged in a leisure activity.
If an employee has to go to a meeting early in the morning, but not via the office, and the meeting location is further away from the employee's place of work, the employer is obliged to count the excess time taken to reach the meeting location as working time. For example, if the journey from the office to home is 30 minutes and the journey from the office to the worksite or meeting venue is one hour, the 30 minutes in excess are counted as working time.
For business trips abroad, time spent outside the country is not counted as either commuting time or working time. However, the company is obliged to compensate for this working and travel time. This can be in the form of time off or financial compensation.
How to manage an employee's working time during business trips?
It's impossible for an employee to work 24 hours a day. That's why it's difficult to determine working hours when the employee is away on business. One solution is to make the employee aware that he or she is the only one who can manage his or her own time. Before he leaves, the boss can give him instructions on time management: the amount of work expected of him, the maximum number of hours he must work, how to manage his breaks...
It's important to know that if an employee decides to work overtime while away on business, the company is not obliged to pay him or her for it. This is because it is difficult for the employer to determine whether the employee was not engaged in personal activities or resting during the said working hours.
Time management during business trips is not governed by the French Labor Code or any other law. However, companies can refer to collective bargaining agreements. Collective agreements stipulate that employees must receive a letter of assignment from their employer, setting out the practical details.
Good to know: In France, the legal working week is 35 hours. However, for certain professions, working hours can be shorter or longer than 35 hours. Overtime is defined as working more than this.
Optimize travel and working time on business trips, thanks to an agency
CTA Business Travel makes it easy for travelers to keep their business travel time to a minimum. In fact, the travel agency handles all bookings at the best price, as well as for the best routes. What's more, once on site, travelers don't have to waste time making vehicle reservations, as the travel agency also takes care of this aspect.
CTA Business Travel also offers a VIP service. No need to spend hours at the airport or wait at reception to get your keys.
Your personalized audit
Would you like a personalized audit of your business travel needs?
Our experts are at your disposal: