Per Diem should be paid on a daily basis, seven days a week, and may be calculated for each day away from home on business, not just days worked. Per Diem should be a flat daily rate, which should NOT be tied to an individual's salary or number of hours worked.

No, per diem is not strictly limited to working days; it is calculated based on the entire duration of a business trip, including travel days and weekends, provided you are "away from home" for business purposes. Under the 2026 GSA and IRS guidelines, an employee is eligible for a daily allowance for lodging, meals, and incidentals for every day they are required to stay overnight at a business destination. A critical distinction is the "First and Last Day" rule: on the days you are actually traveling to or from your destination, you are typically only entitled to 75% of the standard M&IE (Meals and Incidental Expenses) rate. If a business trip spans a weekend and it is more cost-effective for the company for you to stay at the destination rather than fly home and back, those weekend days are fully covered by per diem. However, if you extend a trip for personal "bleisure" (business + leisure) reasons, the per diem stops on the day your business obligations end, even if you remain at the destination for a few extra days of vacation.