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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024 Travel ProceduresCITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE, TEXAS Travel & Expense Procedures Manual February 2, 2024 Page 2 of 5 TRAVEL AND EXPENSE PROCEDURES MANUAL 1. Purpose of the Procedures To protect the interest of the city of West University Place (“city”) and insure like treatment for all, uniform procedures are established to govern expense allowances for city employees and city officials who travel out of the city on city related business. 2. Advance Payments Employees will be allowed to request advance payment on estimated expenses to finance contemplated travel on City business. Upon review, the department director may authorize advance payment of the estimated amount to the employee. When advance payments for travel expenses are made, the reimbursement procedure, as stated in Section six, must still be followed. Advancing money for travel expenses does not constitute approval for the expenditure of the entire amount so advanced, as all expenditures must be justified and approved by the finance director. Requests for cash advances shall be submitted to accounts payable at least ten (10) working days prior to the anticipated date of departure. 3. Travel Expense Report Any employee traveling on city business shall complete the Travel Expense Report (‘Report’) in which a detailed record of their expenses must be stated. All items must be supported by receipts included with the report unless specifically exempted by this procedure document. When the employee returns from the trip, the employee’s Report is to be completed within five (5) business days. The form to be used is located on the public drive in the Standard West U Forms folder. The finance department will update the form as necessary. The period covered should include the date and time of departure and return. 4. Expenses Approved for Reimbursement The following list of expense classifications is for information and guidance in determining which expenses are appropriate and reasonable when traveling on city business. The list is intended as a guide and is not necessarily all-inclusive nor absolute. Discretion remains with the department director, finance director and the city manager in approving travel expenses to provide for unusual circumstances. Items specifically prohibited include the purchase of personal items and alcoholic beverages. Prohibited also are the expenses of the employee's family who accompany him/her on a trip. Due to budgetary constraints, departments may set more restrictive policies for travel, but in no case can the departmental approvals exceed the limitations allowed in the procedures manual. Officials and employees are expected to make good judgment about travel expenses and have proper regard for economy in conducting business away from West University Place. a) Transportation: The least expensive air fare (advance purchase, non-refundable tickets) will be considered standard air travel. Other classes of air fare may be used if advance purchase, non-refundable tickets are not available. Air travel is usually more economical in time and money when making a long trip. Page 3 of 5 Round-trip tickets shall be purchased when air, rail or bus transportation is used. Employees should purchase tickets using their city issued procurement card. If the employee pays for the tickets, then receipts for travel expenditures must be obtained and submitted with the Report. No travel allowances will be made over the actual cost of travel. The use of personal automobiles for travel may be approved by the employee’s department head when the convenience and best value of the city is served and when the convenience of the employee is served. When personal automobiles are approved by the employee’s department head for the convenience of the city, reimbursement will be at the rate set by the U.S. General Services Administration (www.gsa.gov and select ‘POV Mileage Reimbursement’ on the home page). Use an online mileage calculator (i.e.,www.RandMcNally.com,www.Google.com/maps, www.distancebetweencities.us/) to determine the current mileage between cities and provide a copy of the resulting mileage calculation with the Report. Mileage reimbursement will be allowed between West University Place and a Houston airport for employees (excluding employees who receive a monthly automobile allowance) using personal automobiles to reach the airport. Parking fees will also be allowed if the employee must park their car during the duration of their official leave of absence (a receipt is necessary). When personal automobiles are approved for the convenience of the employee, total allowance shall in no case exceed the cost of standard air travel. If an air travel rate is not available, the allowance shall be determined by the department director. When two or more employees are traveling by personal automobile to the same destination on city business, they are encouraged to carpool. Mileage reimbursement will start from home to hotel or conference unless the employee leaves straight from work. Mileage reimbursement will not be authorized for personal automobiles traveling within Harris County and the immediately surrounding counties if the employee is receiving a monthly automobile allowance from the city. Employees who receive a monthly car allowance can request mileage reimbursement for 50% of the current GSA privately owned vehicle (POV) mileage rate for travel outside of Harris County and the immediate surrounding counties. Travel in city vehicles may be approved when circumstances warrant. When such travel is approved, purchase of gasoline, oil, other routine supplies, and emergency repairs for the vehicle will be allowed. The notation "city vehicle used" must be written on the Report. All receipts for such payments must be furnished to obtain reimbursements. Repairs to personal vehicles will not be reimbursed by the city. Expenses for local transportation, such as taxi, or auto rental, will be allowed when such transportation is necessary for conducting city business. Receipts are required for reimbursement for auto rentals and ride share fees. Expenses for parking and tolls with receipts will be allowed when such an expense is necessary for conducting city business. b) Hotel: Expenses will be paid for adequate lodging. Hotel accommodation should be appropriate for the purpose of the trip and best value for the city comparable to market rates. Page 4 of 5 Detailed receipts for lodging must be provided to obtain reimbursement. Refer to incidental expenses for other charges incurred in addition to lodging costs. Lodging is not allowed for less than a 60-mile one-way commute from City Hall for a conference or meeting, unless after hour social events/activities accompany the conference or Director or City Manager approves as it is in the best interest of the City. c) Per Diem: When traveling, the U.S. General Services Administration’s per diem rates will apply. On the first and last travel day, employees are only eligible for 75 percent of the total M&IE rate for their travel location unless otherwise specifically approved. If the city or county travel location is not listed on the GSA per diem rate page, then the standard Continental United States (CONUS) rate, as defined by the GSA, applies. The per diem rates include meal related tips and taxes, therefore the employee will not be reimbursed separately for those items. Receipts are not required for the daily per diem allowance. Social events are covered with the per diem allowance. Meals included as part of the registration fee will not be reimbursed and thus should be deducted from the per diem. Copies of agendas from the events attended should be included with the report. Reimbursement for meal and incidental expenses when no overnight travel is involved requires that the reimbursement amount be reported as part of the employee's taxable income unless it is a valid Group Meal with a clear business purpose and a list of attendees is supplied and therefore will not be reimbursed. (d) Telephone: Hotel charged telephone calls will be allowed reimbursement for official calls and messages only. The employee should first use a city issued cell phone if one has been provided to the employee. (e) Registration Fees: Fees charged for registration at any convention, conference, training seminar or meeting are allowed for reimbursement. A receipt or some proof of the fee, such as a copy of the program setting forth the fee rate, must be provided with the report. (f) Lodging, Meals and Travel Time When Traveling by Personal Automobile: In instances where use of personal automobile for out-of-state travel is allowed for the convenience of the employee and approved by department head, lodging, meals, and other expenses will be allowed on the same basis as if the employee traveled by air. (g) Other Methods of Reimbursement: If the city is to be reimbursed for the employee's travel expenses by another government or agency, the employee may use the travel policy from that government or agency for reimbursement of their travel expenses. A copy of the travel policy for that government or agency must be attached to the employee's report. Also, employees from other governments or agencies working with the city through joint task force agreements may use the travel policy of their government or agency. A copy of the travel policy for that government or agency must be attached to the report. (h) Other Expenses: The city will reimburse for other expenses deemed necessary for official city business (i.e., postage, etc..). Other expenses include but are not limited to fees and tips for services, such as baggage handlers. It does not include expenses for laundry, cleaning and Page 5 of 5 pressing of clothing, movie rental, or snacks. Note - laundry, cleaning and pressing of clothing will be reimbursed if the stay is more than five (5) working days. (i) Non-Allowable Expenses: In-hotel pay television and videos, health clubs, spas, alcoholic beverages, dry cleaning, and laundry. (j) Spouse/Family Travel: When accompanied by a family member, an employee shall pay all incremental costs related to having the member along on the trip. Examples of incremental costs include the difference in lodging cost between single and double occupancy and all meal and incidental costs of the family. 5. Overtime Non-exempt employees shall be paid in accordance with Fair Labor Standards compensation 29 U.S.C. Sec 201 et al when traveling and attending conferences. Conference socials outside of the conference hours do not qualify for overtime. 6. Reimbursement To be reimbursed for travel expenses, the employee must sign and enter them into the current financial management system and have their department head approve their report within five working days after their return to work at the City. No reimbursement will be made, or travel accounts will be closed until the report has been approved by the department director and the finance department. The department director and the finance department shall check for reasonableness, review the expenses, and check the accuracy of transportation costs and time covered. Where cause is necessary, the report will be submitted to the city manager, together with the opinions of the department director and the finance director, for review. 7. Settlement of Advance Payments If an employee has drawn expense money in advance, a settlement must be made based on actual expenses and the unused balance promptly deposited with the finance department. If actual expenses exceed the estimate, upon approval of the finance department, the employee will be reimbursed by the city. Again, it is emphasized that when advance payments are made, they do not constitute approval to spend this amount. All expenditures must be justified. Expenses not justified by the employee must be reimbursed to the city and will be deducted from the employee’s payroll check if not timely repaid by the employee. Reimbursement should be deposited with the Finance staff and the receipt should be attached to the report.