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One-day business trips are a common format for many Belarusian companies. In this article, we’ll explore how to arrange, pay for, and organize these trips, taking into account local specifics.
Contents
A business trip is considered a one-day trip if the employee leaves their permanent workplace, completes a work assignment, and returns home on the same day without staying overnight in a hotel. Typically, the conditions for such trips are detailed in the company's internal travel policy, including the approval procedure, expense limits, and reporting rules. To streamline expense management and planning, many organizations use a business travel platform that enables centralized rule-setting across all departments.
Restrictions
Not every employee can be sent on a short-term business trip. Belarusian labor legislation, along with the company’s internal regulations, defines specific groups of employees for whom travel is either prohibited or discouraged, even for a single day.
Typically, those who cannot be sent on one-day business trips include:
- pregnant women, regardless of experience or position;
- minors (under 18), except for certain creative or other professions specified by dedicated lists;
- employees undergoing mandatory training or skill improvement that requires them to miss work, if traveling would disrupt their study schedule.
Some categories of employees may be eligible for travel only with their written consent. These typically include:
- women raising children under the age of three;
- parents or guardians of children with disabilities;
- employees caring for seriously ill family members, accompanied by a supporting medical certificate;
- single parents with children under 14;
- guardians of children under 14;
- employees with children under 14 whose spouses work on a shift basis or serve in the military by conscription;
- parents with three or more minor children, provided that the youngest is under 14.
Before arranging a one-day business trip in Belarus, HR specialists must verify whether the employee falls into one of the restricted categories and, if necessary, obtain written consent. This will help avoid disputes and claims during labor inspections.
Documentation
From a paperwork perspective, a one-day trip follows the same general procedures as multi-day business trips. The only differences are the actual expenses (usually no accommodation costs) and the level of reporting required.
Travel order (instruction).
This document is prepared using the company’s standard form or a unified template (such as an adapted version of the T-9 form, modified for Belarusian standards). The order should include the employee’s full name, position, purpose of the trip, destination, dates, duration, and the funding source. If necessary, a detailed work assignment outlining the trip objectives can be attached to the order.
Work assignment and travel pass.
In Belarus, the issuance of these documents is governed by the company’s internal regulations. Many organizations have moved away from paper travel passes and work assignments in favor of electronic documentation, keeping only the order and the itinerary. The key is that the procedure is outlined in the company’s internal policies.
Travel expenses and advances.
Prior to the one-day trip, the employee should receive a cash advance or have the expenses paid directly (for example, via a corporate card or an agreement with a travel provider). Advances typically cover the cost of tickets, local transportation, and other verified expenses. For air travel, it is convenient to use airfare booking that includes corporate details and automatic generation of expense reports.
Per diem.
For one-day trips within Belarus, the company may set its own rules regarding per diem payments, ranging from no per diem at all to a fixed amount based on the duration of absence from the workplace. For international trips, many employers opt to pay a partial per diem (for example, 50% of the standard rate) if the trip falls within a single calendar day. The exact amount and tax treatment of the per diem should be explicitly defined in the collective bargaining agreement or business travel policy.
Reports and supporting documents.
Upon returning from a one-day trip, the employee must submit an expense report along with all corresponding supporting documents: tickets, boarding passes, fuel receipts (if traveling by personal or company car), taxi receipts, parking fees, and other expenses related to the business purpose of the trip. The deadline for submitting the report and the approval process is defined by internal policies, but typically does not exceed several business days.
To simplify expense verification and accounting, companies increasingly use electronic services to manage travel activities and business travel services that automatically generate expense reports.
Transportation
When planning one-day business trips within Belarus, the choice of transportation depends on the distance, schedule, and budget. For routes between regional centers, trains or commuter trains are often chosen as they simplify time planning and reduce the risk of delays due to traffic. For shorter distances, a company or personal car is more cost-effective, especially if the employee needs to visit multiple locations in one day.
For international one-day trips, such as to neighboring countries or for connecting meetings at major hubs, air travel is most commonly used. To book flights and quickly find convenient connections, flexible date flight search services are beneficial, as they display options for not only the chosen day but also adjacent dates if the schedule allows some flexibility.
Special attention should be given to trips using the employee’s personal car. In such cases, the company’s internal documents should detail the reimbursement process for fuel, depreciation, and tolls, as well as the method for verifying the route (itinerary sheet, tracking apps, etc.). If the company frequently sends employees on one-day trips by car, it may be sensible to establish agreements with fuel networks or use fuel cards.
For trips outside Belarus, advance planning is key: obtaining visas (if required), insurance, and checking entry and transit regulations. For these tasks, it is convenient to use a business travel agency that can handle route booking, schedule changes, and provide support to employees on the road.
Payment
When calculating payment for a one-day business trip, Belarusian employers typically base the compensation on the employee’s average earnings over a fixed period, as defined in internal regulations and the employment contract. The logic is simple: while the employee is on a business assignment outside the office, they should be paid no less than their average daily wage.
Consider the following example. Suppose that over the past 12 months, employee Ivan worked 240 days, and during that period, the company credited him a total of 24,000 Belarusian rubles (gross earnings before deductions). His average daily wage would be 24,000 / 240 = 100 rubles. This is the amount that the employer will pay for one day of travel if the internal regulations do not provide for more favorable conditions.
If a one-day business trip falls on a weekend or public holiday, payment is made at a higher rate or an additional day off is provided, in accordance with labor law and company policy. In practice, many employers offer double pay for work on such days or grant time off while maintaining the average daily wage for the travel period.
It is important that the calculation method, list of payments included (bonuses, incentives, etc.), and rounding rules are clearly defined in internal documents. This reduces the risk of disputes with employees and ensures predictable travel expenses for the finance department.
In addition to the base salary, the employee is reimbursed for all documentarily confirmed expenses incurred in the employer’s interest: tickets, transfers, toll roads, business mobile communications, and other pre-approved costs. To ensure transparent expense tracking, it is convenient to use a corporate travel management system with online reporting and data export options for the accounting system.
Key Takeaways
- A one-day business trip involves the employee leaving the workplace, completing business tasks, and returning home the same day, typically without hotel accommodation.
- Pregnant women, minors, and certain other employees are generally not eligible for such trips; some categories require written consent.
- Arranging a one-day business trip includes issuing an order, advancing funds or direct payment of expenses, and subsequently submitting an expense report with the necessary receipts and tickets attached.
- Payment for a one-day business trip is usually based on the employee’s average daily earnings. If the trip falls on a weekend or holiday, a higher rate or additional day off is provided.
Even a short business trip demands careful route planning, scheduling, and budgeting. By using modern online tools, both preparation and reporting can be greatly simplified. For air travel, services offering online airfare booking with the option to choose optimal fares and service classes—including economy class fares and corporate options—are ideal. If overnight accommodations are needed or if the return is delayed, it is convenient to pre-arrange discounted hotel bookings that match the required service level.
Belarusian companies that frequently send employees on business trips can significantly reduce administrative burden by outsourcing travel planning, ticketing, and accommodation to specialized partners. Comprehensive B2B travel solutions allow for centralized route planning, expense approval, limit control, and reporting for both the accounting and HR departments.
For occasional one-day trips, it may be sufficient to use targeted online services—for example, booking cheap flights for the route and, if necessary, arranging budget hotel bookings near the meeting location. When managing a high volume of trips and group outings, it is more convenient to implement a unified corporate portal where group airfare booking, hotels, transfers, and expense analytics are available in one place.
A well-organized one-day business trip saves time for employees, reduces the risk of errors in documentation, and helps the company better control travel expenses without compromising the comfort and safety of its staff.
