When travel for LAA services requires overnight accommodation, and your destination is 250 km or more from your Lawyer Courthouse, please keep in mind the most cost-effective means when selecting accommodations.
As per section 9 of the Travel and Disbursement Guidelines, before booking, consider:
- Prevailing market rates for similar accommodations in the area;
- Proximity to the work location, to minimize additional travel costs;
- Availability of discounts accessible by the Claimant, which should be used where available;
- Where a corporate rate is available, it must be used unless an alternative accommodation is selected because it offers a more appropriate location or provides better value overall. If the alternative rate exceeds the available corporate rate by more than 15%, prior approval must be obtained;
- Accommodations should be booked as far in advance as reasonably practicable and, where available, must be booked on terms that allow cancellation without penalty (or with minimal cancellation charges); and
- Where a high-demand event is likely to increase rates in the desired area, Claimants should consider reasonably available accommodations outside that area, provided this does not result in unreasonable additional travel costs or create safety concerns or accessibility issues.
You may be asked to provide documentation confirming your accommodation was the most cost-effective option at the time.