Clarification Only: Proposal: currency rate consistency fix

[Brett Smith]

On 03/20/2018 07:45 PM, Bradley M. Kuhn wrote:

> I've responded below in detail to your points, but I really do think that
> the change I proposed just yields consistency with the existing 2014-06-11
> change (which is in combination with the later change on 2017-08-24).  The
> policy is quoted as '>>' below, and that's been in the text since 2014.
>
> BTW, if folks do think my patch constitutes an actual policy change from the
> 2014-06-11 and 2017-08-24 updates, rather than mere clarification in the
> summary section (which was my intent), please do propose an alternative
> patch to yield a better clarification.  That's why I brought it up here.
>
> (From what I can tell, we just forgot to update the summary section the last
> two times (2014, 2017) we updated the main body of the policy on the issue
> of currencies, and my patch simply puts all back in sync.  I apologize in
> advance if I'm missing something on that.)

Whether or not it was the intention, I think it’s possible and
reasonable to read the 2014-06 change as drawing a distinction between
reimbursing credit card /rates/, and reimbursing credit card /fees/.

When I put a foreign transaction on my personal card, it shows up in USD
on my statement, presumably using a marked up commercial rate. Then
there’s also a foreign transaction fee, posted separately.

On its face, the text you’re proposing to patch implies (but doesn’t
actually say) I could send you my credit card statement and be
reimbursed for amount in USD actually posted to my card for the
transaction. The later section added in 2014-06 means I can’t be
reimbursed for the separate foreign transaction fee. (It also means that
if I withdraw cash from an ATM to cover incidental expenses, I can’t be
reimbursed for the fees associated with that either.)

I’ve never actually done this. Like you mentioned, I just roll all this
up into my M&IE per diem, because it’s easier for both of us: I have
less documentation to produce, you have less documentation to review and
file, and I can submit for reimbursement sooner.

Maybe we’re looking at this differently because of differences in how
credit cards handle foreign transactions? I could readily believe that
other card companies don’t split out the rate and the foreign
transaction fee the way mine does, and if that happens then I understand
the most straightforward way for Conservancy to treat everybody equally
is to just avoid dealing with credit card transactions at all. But given
the way my card works, I think it’s possible to read all the parts of
the current policy in a way such that they all have meaning, and they’re
all consistent with each other, and still allow at least reimbursement
of credit card foreign transaction rates.

​
-- 
Brett Smith
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