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ANNOUNCEMENT:
TRAVEL PROCEDURES Bralley Annex, Room 201 940-898-3671 or 81-3671
TRAVEL POLICY This policy applies to employees and prospective employees traveling in a University capacity. The travel regulations contained in this policy apply to all University funds. Official Business The University’s definition of “official business” includes the formal presentation of original research by an employee, if before a national, international, regional or state learned society. Attendance and/or participation in the proceedings of the meeting of a learned society is considered official business so long as the context of the meeting directly related to the current job recognition; social functions are not considered official business. State law specifies that travel expenses may be reimbursed from State appropriated funds only when the purpose of travel is clearly for the conduct of the State’s official business and in consonance with the legal responsibilities of the agency of the state represented. State appropriated funds cannot be used to pay travel expenses of students incurred in attending meetings or conferences. Neither can such funds be used to pay travel expenses of an employee of the University if the only justification is that of accompanying or sponsoring students or in furnishing transportation for them. State funds cannot be used to pay travel expenses of University employees providing transportation for consultants, friends of the University or other visitors to the campus. Employees who are away from headquarters on personal leave may be reimbursed for the cost of transportation returning to headquarters when required by the University. This rule does not apply to travel from the employee’s residence to headquarters. Travel Request Anyone traveling on University business must obtain permission in advance of the trip. A Request for Travel Authorization (RTA) form must be completed prior to travel. Complete the form based on allowable rates and vendor quotes. Obtain supervisor and account holder’s signatures verifying funds available. For airfare, a requisition must be created and the requisition number provided to National Travel for securing airfare. Attach the RTA form to the Travel Voucher form upon the completion of travel. Travel to Washington, D.C. Prior to traveling to Washington, D.C., an employee should notify the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations about the timing and purpose of the trip, and provide the office with the name of a person who may be contacted for additional information about the trip. After completing a an on-line confirmation will be returned. Print confirmation and attach to Travel Voucher. Foreign Travel Official University business travel to any foreign country other than Canada or Mexico requires authorization from the Provost at least 30-days prior to departure. Upon Provost approval, the form will be forwarded to the Chancellor for final approval by the Chair of the TWU Board of Regents. Actual expenses are reimbursable. All receipts must be attached to the Travel Voucher and show conversion rate to US dollars. Helpful links for foreign travel: U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs Please contact Travel Coordinator, Andrea Massey 940.898.3671, for further rules and regulations. Travel Card An individual Bank One/JP Morgan Chase Corporate Charge Card is available for eligible employees. To be eligible to apply, the employee must take, or expect to take, three (3) or more business trips per fiscal year, or expend at least $500 per fiscal year for official State business. An employee is not required to apply for a State-issued card. The State-issued individual corporate charge card is to be used for business-related charges only while traveling on official State business. Use of the card for personal business is considered a violation of State policy and the employee may be subject to disciplinary action, that may include termination of employment. TWU employees are personally liable for payment to Bank One/JP Morgan Chase for charges on the travel card. Employees can seek reimbursement from TWU to cover this liability. If the application is approved by the credit card company, the employee agrees to be bound by the card member agreement which is sent with each card. Additionally, the employee agrees to be bound by the State policies governing the use of the card. The card is a charge card, not a credit card; the amount on the monthly billing statement is due upon receipt and must be paid in full each month. An employee may apply for an individual travel card by sending an email, from a TWU email address, to vparr@mail.twu.edu requesting an application. Further information concerning the travel card is available on the Controller’s website. Advance Travel Funds Who is eligible? The following must apply for an employee to be eligible for a travel advance:
How much may I receive? If all the above criteria are met, the traveler may receive 80% of the allowable rate for lodging. What are the procedures? To receive advance travel funds, the Travel Request should be received by the Controller’s Office at least five (5) working days prior to travel. Advance travel funds will be issued by check made payable to the employee requesting the advance. As a condition of receiving advance travel funds, the employee agrees to complete and return the Travel Voucher form and repay any excess money (amount advanced less documented eligible expenditures on the Travel Voucher) within 14 days from the ending date of the trip. An employee receiving travel funds will be ineligible for future travel advances and/or reimbursement until the outstanding Travel Voucher is submitted. An employee who receives an advance and does not travel must immediately return the issued check. Abuse of the travel advance privilege will result in ineligibility for future advances and the employee may be subject to disciplinary action that could result in termination of employment. Travel Voucher In order to receive reimbursement, travel expenditures must be documented on a Travel Voucher and signed by the employee, supervisor or account holder. The Travel Voucher must reflect the total reimbursable expenses paid by the employee. Expenses paid by the University should not be on the Travel Voucher. Original receipts are required for travel expenses. Reimbursement Rates – Lodging State agencies are required to use State Contracted Hotels. If the employee does not use a State Contracted Hotel AND one was available at the duty point, then a Contract Travel Vendor Exception form must be completed and submitted with the Travel Voucher form. This exception has no bearing on the allowable rates. In-State Lodging In-State lodging cannot exceed $85 per day. Include actual charges up to $85.00 in column E of the Travel Voucher form per day. Attach the original lodging receipt. The following must be included on the receipt:
The employee is required to present a state occupancy tax exemption card and the hotel should not charge state tax. City and county tax are reimbursable as incidental expenses in relation to the allowable lodging rate. If the hotel does charge State tax, it will not be reimbursed. The State Occupancy Tax Exemption form is available on-line, or cards can be obtained in the Controller’s Office. The employee may pay personally or request the hotel directly bill TWU. If direct billing is acceptable to the vendor, a Purchase Order must be established prior to making reservations. Travel Tip: The governmental rate for lodging is usually less than the convention rate. Employees should check the governmental rate first. Since there is often a limited number of rooms available at the governmental rate, employees should make hotel reservations far in advance of the travel dates. Out-of-State Lodging Out-of-state lodging cannot exceed the State Comptroller’s Allowable Rates unless specifically authorized by the Controller's Office (see Requests for Increase in Out-of-State Lodging rate below). Include actual charges up to the allowable rate in column Q of the Travel Voucher form per day. Attach the original lodging receipt. The following must be included on the receipt:
Out-of-state taxes are reimbursable as incidental expenses in relation to the allowable lodging rate. The employee may pay personally or request the hotel directly bill TWU. If direct billing is acceptable to the vendor, a Purchase Order must be established prior to making reservations. Request for Increase in Out-of-State Lodging When using state and/or local funds, the Controller's Office may approve an out-of-state lodging reimbursement rate that is higher than the allowable rate. The request must be on the Request to Increase Maximum Out-of-State Lodging Rate (10 accounts) or Authorization to Pay Above State Travel Rate (other accounts) and be received by the Controller’s office no later than the 10th business day before travel begins. Complete the form and forward to the TWU Controller’s office. The Controller's Office will grant the request only if one of the following exists:
or
Increasing the Comptroller’s Maximum Lodging Reimbursement Rate For out-of-state travel only, an employee may decrease the meal reimbursement and apply that to receive a greater lodging reimbursement. The total meals and lodging must be less than or equal to the total maximum meal and lodging reimbursement allowed by the state. This must be noted in “Section Y” of the Travel Voucher form. Shared Lodging Sharing a room with another state employee is subject to the same limitations noted for in-state and for out-of-state travel. The lodging receipt must show proof of payment from both parties or the hotel should provide separate receipts. If two employees (A & B) share a room and employee A pays the bill in full, then employee B must pay employee A separately and obtain a receipt showing proof of payment. Employee A will not be reimbursed for the total bill. Sharing a room must be noted in “Section Y” of the Travel Voucher form by both employees. Reimbursement Rates – Meals The following guidelines must be observed regarding reimbursement of meals: Non-overnight meal reimbursement Reimbursement must be approved by the Chancellor or a Vice-President. The employee must be outside designated headquarters for six (6) or more hours. The meal reimbursement cannot exceed $25 per day. Include actual charges up to $25 in column C (in-state) or column O (out-of-state) of the Travel Voucher form. Include receipts. In-state meals Maximum reimbursement is $36 per day. Enter lesser of actual meal cost or $36 in column D. Attach receipts with Travel Voucher form. Out-of-State Meals Out-of-State meals are limited to the State Comptroller’s allowable rates. The employee must know the state and city of duty point to search the web page. If city is not listed then the employee must use the county. If there is not a city or county identified, the employee may use the median rate for the state. Include the actual meal expenses up to the allowable rate in column P of the Travel Voucher form per day. Attach receipts with Travel Voucher form. Tips, gratuities and alcohol are NOT reimbursable. Transportation to/from duty point Rental Cars University employees are required to use State State Contracted Rental Cars to ensure the lowest rates. Rental car arrangements should be made directly by the employee to ensure state rates and establish payment method. If employees do not use a contracted rental car agency, they must complete a Contract Travel Vendor Exception form. If the reason for not using a contracted rental car is not recognized on the form, the reimbursement may be limited to the median rate that would have been given if the employee had used a contracted rental car. The employee must pay for rental cars; generally, direct billing is not available. The only exception for direct billing is when the employee is a prospective employee. Taxi, Bus or Limousine Actual invoices are not required, but expenses must be itemized in “Section Y” of the Travel Voucher form. When sharing a taxi or limousine, only the employee who paid for the service may be reimbursed. Reimbursement may be allowed for limousine only if it was the least costly transportation available considering all relevant circumstances. This applies when a state employee uses a bus, subway, other mode of mass transit, taxi or limousine to obtain a meal. A receipt showing proof of payment is required to seek reimbursement for all other forms of transportation not itemized above. All transportation expenses must be itemized in “Section Y” of the Travel Voucher form. Travel by Personal Vehicle An employee traveling by personal vehicle must carry insurance as required by the State of Texas. An employee traveling in any non-University vehicle (i.e. personal vehicle, rental) does so at his/her own risk. TWU accepts no responsibility for vehicle or other damage, personal injury, claims filing, vehicle repair, maintenance, insurance costs, towing or citations. With the exception of tolls and parking expenses, mileage reimbursement is inclusive of all expenses associated with the operation of a personally owned vehicle. Separate claims for fuel are not reimbursable. See State Comptroller’s Mileage Guide for the current mileage rate. Traveling from Headquarter to Duty Point It is TWU policy to use the State Comptroller’s Mileage Guide for all travel by personal vehicle. The following points may be helpful when using the mileage guide:
If locations are not available on the website, odometer readings are acceptable if a mileage log is included or referenced on “Section Y” of the Travel Voucher that includes:
Travel to and from Residence Mileage may be calculated from employee’s residence if one of the following applies:
Out-of-state Travel When a personal vehicle is used for out-of-state travel, the employee must claim reimbursement based on the lesser of:
or
Employees Traveling Together When several employees are traveling on the same date to the same place by personal vehicle, they are expected to share transportation (four (4) persons to a car). Each passenger may submit a Travel Voucher to claim meals/lodging and should give the name of the person who furnished transportation. The owner of the vehicle may claim mileage in addition to meals/lodging. Exceptions must be approved by the Chancellor or a Vice President. Traveling by air Airline arrangements should be made through National Travel Systems to ensure that the most competitive fare is reserved. Arrangements can be made by emailing twutvl@nationaltravelsystems.com or by calling 1-800-814-3336 x209 to speak with Ginger Sims or Shari Smith. For after hours or emergency service in the USA (between the hours of 5:30pm CST and 8:30am CST, weekends or holidays) please call 1-800-891-9002. For questions regarding airfare or requisitions for airfare contact John Sudduth x3539. When using the Contracted Travel agency a requisition must be created. National Travel Systems will require a requisition number to book the flight. A confirmation itinerary will be emailed to the traveler. Requisitions are only required for employees using the travel agency. Online Sources: If employees book airline reservations using online systems such as Expedia and Travelocity rather than the airline’s websites, the following should be considered: 1. All airlines may not be listed 2. Receipts may be provided by the online booking source rather than the airline vendor, which may not meet reimbursement requirements. 3. Transaction fees are incurred by the online booking source, which should be included when evaluating various booking methods for the lowest total cost. 4. Oftentimes, direct booking with an air carrier’s web portal such as, SWABIZ.com or AA.com, provides a lower total cost than sites with multiple carriers’ inventories. Caution: Any restricted fares may have non-reimbursable penalties associated with reservation changes or cancellations. Contracted Airlines: Direct links to the state’s two contracted airline vendors are provided below. Comparing two or three airlines for the lowest available airline fares is recommended. Incidental Expenses Incidental expenses are most often seen as hotel energy surcharges, city tax and occupancy tax. Employees are allowed to seek reimbursement for these taxes in relation to the allowable room rate, but state tax is not reimbursable when traveling in Texas. See Lodging for more information concerning tax on hotel bills. Parking is a separate line on the Travel Voucher form. Note: On the first page of the Travel Voucher form the total expenses for parking must be identified separate from the total of other incidentals in “Block 18.” Also note that each incidental expense must be itemized. There are several other incidental expenses allowed by the state (State Comptroller’s Travel Allowance Guide, Section 7.07), but documentation as to the business purpose must be noted in “Section Y” of the Travel Voucher form. Please contact Travel Coordinator, Andrea Massey x3671, if you have questions. Prospective Employees Travel costs incurred for prospective employees fall within the travel guidelines for a state employee. Please use the same travel guidelines as for employees. Exceptions are noted below:
Methods of payment allowed are:
Registration Fees Registration for conferences, seminars etc. are paid from Maintenance & Operation accounts. The following guidelines are provided:
Itemize Registration as an Incidental Expense in “Block 18” on the front of the Travel Voucher form. Guest Speakers The topic of guest speakers is addressed in travel because in certain situations State Travel Contract Rates may appropriately be used to pay for travel expenses of the University guests. The following guidelines are provided: Guest Speaker – No payment or Honorarium State travel contract rates may be used.
Guest Speaker – Payment or Honorarium Not eligible for State Travel Contract Rates. According to state guidelines, the cost of travel should be included in the payment or honorarium. Any reimbursement for travel costs to this category of speaker should not be submitted on a Travel Voucher. A requisition should be used to encumber funds using object code 7299 or 7252. Receipts should be submitted with Purchase Order number and completed Payment Voucher form to request reimbursement to the individual. Student and Group Travel State funds cannot be used to pay travel expenses of students incurred in attending meetings or conferences. Neither can such funds be used to pay travel expenses of an employee of the University if the only justification is that of accompanying or sponsoring students or in furnishing transportation for them. Department Approval Regardless of the types of travel, proposals for student travel must:
and
Individual Student Travel This applies to students traveling individually (as opposed to group travel) to attend conferences or symposiums. All receipts showing proof of payment must be attached to a Check Request form supporting the reimbursement expense. Do not use the Travel Voucher form for students. Travel advances are not allowed. If direct billing any expense, a separate Purchase Order is required payable to each vendor and the invoice referencing that Purchase Order must be submitted to the Controller’s Office for payments. The following information must be included in the Purchase Order:
Group Travel This applies to students traveling as a group to attend an event. Each department must establish separate procedures with the Controller’s Office. A designated TWU employee must be established as the responsible party. Funds may be advanced based on an estimate of expenses by a Check Request. All receipts are required and should be submitted to the Controller’s Office to reconcile the advance. If direct billing any expense, a separate Purchase Order is required payable to each vendor and the invoice referencing that Purchase Order must be submitted to the Controller’s Office for payment. The following information must be included in the Purchase Order:
Dual Status If students are also employees of TWU, then the purpose of the trip will determine if the individual should follow reimbursement guidelines set for employees or for students. |
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