Time Recording on Business Trips: What Counts as Working Time?

1. What is a business trip and what counts as such?
2. Which times may be recorded on a business trip?
3. Why is time recording also legally important?
4. How does time recording work on a business trip?
5. Business trips abroad: Differences in time recording
6. Which time recording tools are suitable for business trips?
7. Conclusion: Travel time equals working time?

Business trips have become a fixed part of everyday work in many sectors. But a business trip also entails numerous legal, organizational but also financial questions. First of all, it needs to be defined what a business trip actually is and who bears the travel costs. And which parts of the business trip must be compensated at all? In this article you will find everything you need to know about time recording on business trips.

What is a business trip and what counts as such?

Business trips are defined as travel activities which must involve the completion of business matters outside the workplace. This can be a customer appointment on site, but also participation in a trade fair. Moreover, it has to be a certain distance - a visit to customers one street further does not count and is rather referred to as a service trip.

The following occasions are among the business trips:

• Trade fairs
• Conferences
• Continuing education and training
• Visiting other company locations
• Visiting customers outside the city
• Sales talks
• Meetings
• Visiting other workplaces

Furthermore, business trips are distinguished on whether they take place within the actual working hours. If the travel activity is within working hours, the travel time must also be paid as it counts as working time. If, however, the business trip takes place outside of the usual working hours, this requires a more thoroughTime recording.

Which times may be recorded on a business trip?

Like at the actual workplace, all work-related activities are recorded on a business trip. A business meal also counts as working time, the morning breakfast in the hotel, however, does not. Likewise, waiting times between appointments, breaks, and TV evenings in the hotel room are excluded from remuneration. The overtime usually incurred on business trips is therefore not generally considered as working time. Rather, it depends on how the employee structures his/her time.

If employees travel by train or plane, this only counts as working time if they were instructed by the employer to write e-mails or prepare a meeting, for example, on the route. However, if the employees can arrange their time freely and relax during the journey, this is not considered as working time. If employees are instructed to travel by their own car, this belongs in the time accounting of a business trip. Participating in traffic is seen as demand. However, it looks different if the employee voluntarily chooses the car instead of a train journey.

Why is time recording also legally important?

Even on business trips, the provisions of the Working Time Act (ArbZG) have to be adhered to. This stipulates that certain rest, break, and working hours have to be considered and well documented. The same applies to overtime incurred on business trips. In principle, rest periods of at least eleven hours have to be observed and also the working time should not exceed eight hours. However, exceptions of up to ten hours are possible. There are also special regulations for rest and working hours for some sectors, including catering, health care, and transport companies.

How does time recording work on a business trip?

Your employees should use a time recording software, like ZEP on business trips to properly keep their working hours. Alternatively, spreadsheets like Excel can also be used. It is important to clearly differentiate between regular working hours, overtime, and rest periods. You also have to discuss with your employees how time recording must be carried out and which activities count as working time.

In addition to the above-mentioned, work-time relevant activities, all arising costs and their receipts also have to be documented. This is particularly relevant later for the Travel expense accounting.

The costs include among others:

• Meals (drinks and dishes)
• Transportation costs
• Parking costs
• Telephone charges
• Tips in restaurants
• Costs for the stay, such as for hotel nights

Business trips abroad: Differences in time recording

Business trips abroad usually involve a greater amount of time, as they generally require a much longer journey. It is not infrequent for such business trips to end up in the Federal Labour Court when employees are not adequately paid for their expended time. For although it generally applies that journeys in a vehicle not controlled by oneself count as rest periods, this cannot be transferred to business trips abroad.

In 2018, a court case went viral in which an employer wanted to only compensate the regular working hours (8 hours) for a business trip to China, solely arrival and departure. The employee's claim was upheld - the Federal Labour Court found that for business trips of this kind, both the outward and return journey must be compensated. It does not matter whether they take place during or outside the usual working hours.

Which time recording tools are suitable for business trips?

To simplify the mobile time recording of business trips, both Travel management software and Time recording software are used. These includes, for instance ZEP or Kenjo. Below you will find an overview of the best tools according to category:

Travel management software

TravelPerk

Navan

Chrome River by Emburse

Egencia

SAP Concur

Lanes & Planes

Time recording software

clockin

Crewmeister

TimeTac

Clockify

Ordio

Sawayo

You find more tools and a detailed comparison of these in our Software guide on the topic of time recording.

Conclusion: Travel time equals working time?

Which parts of a business trip are recognized depends on the respective situation. For instance, when traveling, it matters which means of transport you are using. If you drive by car, the driving time counts as working time as you have to concentrate on the road. However, the situation changes if you choose to drive by car, although other means of transport would have been available. With other means of transport, like the train or airplane, it depends on whether you have been instructed to use the time for work-related tasks. If that is not the case and the travel time can be spent as you wish, it is not counted as working time.

It is relatively straightforward to answer which activities after arrival count as working time: The time during which employees meet clients, or engage in other work-related activities is counted as working time. The time during which the employees relax in the hotel or pursue their personal interests, however, counts as leisure time.

To ensure that the accounting for the business trip can go ahead without difficulties, precise time recording is necessary. Employees have to clearly document how they have spent their time on the business trip. To simplify the process, companies can use time recording software.