(life) Air Fare

[Eric Langager]

Just wondering what the standard procedure is for reimbursement of air fare.   The Software College where I work allows 7000 RMB per year, but if you do not use it, it's gone.  This is frustrating,  because it's hard to get a ticket for 7000, and I don't go every year, so it would be much better if I were allowed to accumulate unused portions.  Do most universities allow you to accumulate unused portions of air fare reimbursement?

Eric Langager                 王长野
College of Software
Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
http://beijingdiary.blogspot.com           13681031447


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Tony Lee-3]

--- In TEFLChinaLife@..., "Eric Langager" <langager@...> wrote:
>
> Just wondering what the standard procedure is for reimbursement of air fare.   The Software College where I work allows 7000 RMB per year, but if you do not use it, it's gone. ...  Do most universities allow you to accumulate unused portions of air fare reimbursement?
---------------------------------

This has been raised several times in the past and the reasoning is that it is a reimbursement for expenses actually incurred. If you don't leave China then there is no expense and no payment. Same if you look for a job when you are already in China.

For the same reason, it is not salary and no tax is payable.

Tony

[Chris-170]

> Just wondering what the standard procedure is for reimbursement of air fare.  

 TIC There is no standard. As some other have said, often you can get cash in hand if you are not going home. Some schools do this as a rule of thumb. Other schools might state a specific cash limit if the foreign teacher does not buy a ticket. In my contracts I usually state "return airfare, or the price of a ticket one month before contract end)
   The Bureau in charge (SAFEA) states a round trip ticket for one year of work, but some schools try to get away with just paying one way. So your school is not technically in the wrong for not paying you cash, if you decide not to fly home. Of course you could have them by the ticket, and then cash it in. So the school would be better off paying you slightly less in cash.

   In the future, you may want to put this in the contract, if you are not sure of the school's SOP.

    If you get a ticket, this money is reimbursement of an expense, not taxable. If they pay you cash, and you don't go home, then it is a bonus and taxable. But schools don't know this, or don't care. I paid a little too much in taxes this year because I pay for my own housing, but couldn't get the school to care about the tax law. I guess it all worked out pretty even in the end.

 Well it was nice visiting this site again after several years. Keep up the good work



 Chris Pratt