TRAVEL POLICY- Highland, Illinois

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE #98-02
SUBJECT: TRAVEL EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
AUTHOR: Darin W. Girdler, City Manager
EFFECTIVE DATE: 01/01/1998        SUPERCEDES PROCEDURE: #84-2
OBJECTIVE: To control travel for City employees.

PROCEDURE: City employees are occasionally required to travel so that the City may receive certain benefits. These City benefits fall into the categories of training, information gathering and dissemination, negotiations, conferencing and problem solving. Due to the necessity for City employee travel, the following has been developed to provide consistency in processing of travel requests and to establish proper accounting procedures for travel as well as establish criteria for eligible expenses payable by the City of Highland

1. RESPONSIBILITY

A.   Department Directors:

1. Shall make every effort to anticipate travel expenses accurately so that such expenses will be included in the annual budget.

2. Shall, at least two weeks prior to anticipated travel, approve such requests as originate in departments under his or her immediate control and forward to the Accounts Payable Department.

3. Shall ensure that budget travel expenses do not exceed the budgetary limits during the fiscal year.

4. Shall cause all post-trip accounting to be completed no later than two weeks after travel.

B. Accounts Payable Department:

1. The Accounts Payable Clerk shall forward request to the City Manager for approval.

2. The Accounts Payable Clerk shall prepare a check and ensure proper accounting of all departmentally approved travel.

C. City Manager:

1. City Manager shall approve all travel requests as submitted by the department Director if determined to be beneficial to the City and are eligible expenses.

2. City Manager shall verify receipts and statements of traveler's expenses incurred while traveling on City business within two weeks of completion of travel.

2. TRANSPORTATION

A. Employees may use any suitable means of transportation, but payment of transportation costs shall be based on the most economical mode of transportation.

B. City-owned vehicles will be used for day travel when available, but privately-owned vehicles (POV) travel will be authorized if no City-owned vehicle is available. In any event, (COV) travel shall not exceed the cost of round trip "tourist or coach" class airfares and transfer fees from the airport to the final destination.

C. City-Owned vehicles (COV) may be used for overnight trips if this means of transportation is most economical, and if, due to employee restraints, no privately-owned vehicles are available. The COV may be used for transportation to and from the motel and for travel for means. No other travel is authorized with the COV while on City business away from Highland.

D. If more than one City employee travels by POV, the City shall reimburse mileage only to the vehicle owner.

E. Travel by POV is time consuming and "lost work time" and meals and lodging while en-route shall be considered in calculating the most economical method of transportation.

F. If POV transportation is found to be most economical, mileage reimbursement will be at the current approved IRS rate.

3. SUBSISTENCE:

A. Subsistence costs to include rooms, meals and tips will be based upon actual cost of lodging, plus $30.00 per day for meals, tips and incidental expenses (Breakfast $5.00, Lunch $10.00, Dinner $15.00). If traveling in a metropolitan area, this shall be increased to $40.00 per day (breakfast $7.50, Lunch $12.50, Dinner $20.00).

B. Travel necessitating overnight lodging is discouraged, however, an employee when traveling for City business and requiring overnight lodging should secure lodging nor more or less than his or her home environment. Lodging which equals a medium priced "chain type" motel is acceptable. Blocks of rooms at or near a conference site, set aside for conference participants are likewise acceptable lodging. Accommodations are expected to be: single person - single room, two people - single room, double occupancy, etc. If travel necessitates missing a regular meat at the employee's home by two hours or more, the City will pay for meals (i.e., departure before 6:00 AM or return after 7:00 PM).

4. SUBSISTENCE 

Registration fees for conventions, conferences, and seminars will be considered eligible and are payable out of training expense funds. Meals and/or lodging included in registration fees will negate proportional per diem expense authorizations.

5. SPECIAL EXPENSES

Special expenses beyond normal transportation, subsistence and registration fees may be considered eligible for payment by the City.

A. First class airfare will be considered eligible only when no acceptable alternative exists. Such expense must receive prior approval from the City Manager.

B. Rental car expenses will be considered a special expense and may be paid by the City when prior approval is received from the City Manager. Rental car expenses will only be authorized when it is more practical and/or less expensive than the use of taxicabs or other public transportation.

C. Cab fare, while on City business, will be considered eligible.

D. Other incidental expenses eligible for payment include tolls, parking charges, baggage handling, and business related telephone calls are eligible.

E. Entertainment expenses are eligible only when such entertainment is of a direct benefit to the City.

F. Business calls and such personal calls as may be deemed necessary by the traveler to notify the City and family of arrivals and departures will be considered eligible.

6. REQUESTS FOR TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION

A. When it becomes necessary that employee travel in the interest of the City and City funds will be expended, the appropriate employee shall submit a City Travel Request form. One form shall be submitted for each traveler and should indicate the purpose of the trip, the departure and return dates, itinerary, whether an advance of funds will be required, the department to be charged, and special expenses being requested. Such forms shall be submitted to the City Manager for approval.

B. If a travel advance authorization is requested, the appropriate information should be inserted in the travel request. If approved, the Accounts Payable clerk will issue a check to the traveler.

C. Accounting within two weeks (10 working days) after an employee return from an authorized trip, an itemization of travel expenses will be submitted on an expense report to the Accounts Payable Department.

D. Receipts for the following expense items must be retained and attached to the travel expense voucher submitted for the City Manager's review and approval or denial.

1.    Meals
2.    Commercial transportation
3.    Lodging
4.    Conference registration (where applicable)
5.    Entertainment
6.    Fuel (when using a City vehicle)
7.    All other special expenses as defined above

E. When the travel advance exceeds the amount of approved expenses, the employee will deposit the difference with the Accounts Payable Clerk and will be issued a receipt.

F. When eligible expenses exceed the amount of the trave1 advance, the Accounts payable Department will prepare and issue a check to reimburse the employee.

7. EXPENSES NOT ALLOWED

A. Reimbursement for meals eaten at friends or relatives homes, or lodging if staying with friends or relatives.

B.    Expenses of a personal nature and incurred for the convenience of the traveler, such as expenses for travel by indirect routes or stopovers for personal reasons.

C.    Travel insurance premiums

D.    Personal items such as movie or theater tickets, magazines or services, sightseeing fares, etc.

E.    Motel/hotel expenses for a spouse or family.

F.    Meals expenses for anyone but employees or guests in the conduct officials City business.

Any additional expenses or deviations not discussed in these regulations must be approved by the City Manager in advance, or as soon as the employee returns, if the additional expense/ deviation from the policy was unavoidable.