Engineers / Recruitment field guide
Rotation, per diem and travel: what to confirm before accepting
Clarify travel days, accommodation, rotation changes, expenses and written employment terms before joining a commissioning assignment.
01
Turn the rotation into a practical calendar
Ask whether the stated rotation includes travel days and whether days off are protected or can move with site needs. Establish the normal workweek and how additional hours are treated under the applicable arrangement.
A rotation is an agreement for the role, not an industry-wide entitlement. Get the employer's answers in writing rather than assuming the new job follows a previous site's practice.
- Expected on-site days, home days and travel days.
- Who books and pays for flights, accommodation and local transport.
- How per diem is calculated, paid and treated on nonworking days.
- Expense approval, reimbursement timing and any caps.
- What happens if mobilization, demobilization or rotation dates change.
02
Separate reimbursement from compensation
Ask the employer to distinguish base pay, overtime arrangements, allowances and reimbursed expenses. The label 'per diem' does not, by itself, establish tax treatment or employment classification.
Loadbank Talent does not provide personal tax or legal advice. Direct questions about your own treatment to the appropriate qualified adviser and request clear employer documentation.
03
State your limits before an introduction
Tell the recruiter which travel commitments you can actually sustain, the notice you need and any location limits. You do not need to disclose private personal circumstances to explain an availability requirement.
Loadbank Talent's terms-first approach puts pay, per diem and rotation in the first message where known. If something is not known, ask for it to be confirmed rather than treating an estimate as an agreed term.
Quick answers
Common questions
- Is per diem always tax-free?
- Do not assume that. Treatment depends on your circumstances and the arrangement; obtain appropriate advice rather than relying on the name of the payment.
- Should flights home be included in the written offer?
- If flights are part of the agreed package, record who pays, how often, how booking works and how schedule changes are handled.