Travel Guidelines

The purpose of this supplemental guide is to assist in the processing of allowable travel expense claims by identifying timing considerations, acceptable supporting documentation and helpful tips. For the full context beyond the tips about eligible travel expenses, see AP 7400 Travel Procedure. 

Important Timing Considerations:
Please be informed of the timing points below prior to submitting any claims for reimbursement.

1. Claims must be submitted after you have returned from travel, but must be within 90 calendar days following travel.
2. If the reimbursement expenses are incurred in the months of April, May, or June, they must be submitted no later than July 15.
3. Prior fiscal year travel expenses will not be processed/reimbursed.

Links to Key Documents and Resources:

• • Accounts Payable Forms
  • Board Policy 7400 Travel
  • Administrative Procedure 7400 Travel

Supporting Documentation:

Supporting documentation is required to substantiate the expense being claimed and should include but is not limited to vendor originated digital or scanned detailed receipts and/or invoices.  The receipt or invoice should include:

• • vendor name
  • date of service/item purchase
  • the detailed description of the item or service
  • amount
  • method of payment

Hotel Accommodations:

Hotel stays are allowable when traveling for a multi-day event or outside a 50-mile radius from the District. Only room rates, mandatory taxes/fees, and required parking is reimbursable. Short-term vacation rentals or multi-unit shared accommodations are not allowed and are not eligible for District reimbursement.

• • A guest folio provided by the hotel is required for reimbursement unless booked through a third-party web site.
  • If applicable, email indicating approval from your administrator with explanation is required for room rates that are premium and not reasonably priced.
  • If applicable, email indicating approval from your administrator with explanation of extenuating circumstances for hotel stays within a 50-mile radius from the District.

Air Transportation:

We encourage staff to secure reservations with the airlines at least two weeks in advance to minimize cost.

• • A complete copy of your airline reservation including fare detail and total amount along with method of payment. (e.g. credit card). Economy or regular coach fares are only eligible for reimbursement only, no premium coach, business or first class fares will be reimbursed.
  • If a premium, business or first class fare is selected, then the difference between the higher fare and the economy or regular coach cost will be borne by the employee.

Car Rental:

Compact is the standard rental except when traveling with multiple employees, a larger car may be shared. Employees are encouraged to purchase rental agency additional insurance coverage.

• • Car rental detail reservation reflecting date, location, car rental type, etc.
  • Fuel receipt(s) for gas needed for rental car use period or needed upon rental car return.

Personal Automobile Transportation:

The current reimbursable mileage rate is posted on the Accounts Payable Travel page here. Mileage reimbursement will be from an employee’s regular reporting worksite or from their residence to the business destination, which point of departure results in fewer miles. 

For long distance travel, an employee may opt to drive a personal vehicle and be reimbursed for the actual roundtrip mileage or the baseline two-week advance roundtrip airfare plus the cost of ground transportation to the destination, whichever results in a lower cost to the district. Shared driving is acceptable for multiple employees to travel to the same destination, though only one of the employees may request reimbursement.

• • Map summary from an online mapping service measuring the route mileage from and to the travel destinations.

Domestic Per Diem:

Claims using the meal per diem rates do not require receipts, but do require:

• • a trip voucher for claimed meal reimbursement and indicating if the location was a High or Low rate area to support the amount claimed.
  • conference, meeting, workshop, or event agenda (if applicable). Conference fees that include meals will not be reimbursed as per diem.

The district uses the Federal per diem, High-Low Substantiation Method, which currently cites a total of $86 per day for travel to any high-cost locality and $74 per day for travel to any other locality within the continental United States. These amounts are typically adjusted annually in October but can vary from year to year. The district determines these values based on I.R.S. annual notices using the High-Low Substantiation Method.

Below is the breakdown for the High-Low Substantiation Method domestic per diem amounts:

Low

High

Here is a list of the domestic cities with a high per diem, all others are considered low per diem:

Alabama

Arizona

California

Colorado

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Montana

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

Wyoming

International Per Diem:

Below is the breakdown for the International Per Diem amounts: