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Reimbursement
for the expense of travel is governed by:
A.
The
laws and regulations of the State;
B.
Regulations
of the Board of Regents; and
C.
Policies
of the University.
Department
chairpersons, research supervisors, and the heads of divisions, bureaus, and
offices are responsible for regulation of travel for their respective units.
All vouchers must be signed by at least one of them as well as by the
traveler. Travel within the state is to be authorized by those above named
officers.
Travel
outside the state must be authorized by the Dean, Director, or their designee
before the trip is started. Requests for out-of-state travel, except those
from the Graduate Travel Fund, are to be made to the appropriate Dean or
University Director 30 days in advance on forms available from the
Comptroller's website. Requests for grants from the Graduate Travel Fund are
to be made 30 days in advance on application forms regularly supplied to all
members of the graduate faculty by the Graduate School. An out-of-state trip
commences upon departure from one's official station and concludes upon
return to official station; therefore, dates authorized must include the
in-state part of out-of-state trips.
When
travelers discover that the conditions are going to change the information
originally submitted on an out-of-state travel request, notify CASPUR to
amended the request. An amended request is required when:
·
Travelers
depart before the departure date
·
Return
after the return date shown on the original request
·
The
location changes
·
Additional
stopover locations are added
The
university reimburses employees for travel expenses incurred on a trip within
the state only when travelers are on official university business and when
the travelers’ departments have funds budgeted for this purpose.
In
general, a member of the faculty is expected to attend his state association
meeting at his own expense. However, if staff members plan to present part of
the program at such a meeting, or to attend a special conference as the
representative of the university, they should submit a request for
reimbursement, in writing and in advance, to the Dean of the Graduate School.
Faculty
members who plan to present in person, either a research paper which will
likely be published, or a paper especially requested by the president or
secretary of the society or the editor-in-chief of its official journal,
should apply for reimbursement to the Office of the Graduate School. Except for travel by private car
(where two or more authorized travelers desire to travel together so that
mileage can be paid), the maximum graduate travel grant is equivalent to the
actual cost of transportation.
1. Travel associated with research and
development projects which are funded by at least 50% non state funds: This
section includes travel which is funded at least 50% by an external sponsor
(KU funds 0701-0715) or by Hi Tech Project and Center accounts (KU funds
0560, 0561, and 0563).
2. Prior approval for travel is not
required except when foreign travel is involved or when reimbursement rate
exceptions are requested; however, the standard travel voucher must be
completed for reimbursement of expenses. A request for foreign travel must be
approved by the Vice Chancellor for Research, Graduate Studies and Public
Service, the University's Office of Sponsored Program Accounting, and the
Travel Audit Office at least ten days prior to the trip. Rate exceptions must
be approved in advance by the appropriate chairperson, dean, or principal
investigator. (Approval for rate exceptions may be sought from the
University's Office of Sponsored Program Accounting after the trip is
completed and before the travel reimbursement request is filed.)
3. The use of a state designated
travel agency is not required.
4. Meal reimbursement will be based on
actual reasonable costs or $7 per quarter.
5. Mileage will be reimbursed at the
state rate.
6. Lodging will be reimbursed at
actual cost up to 150% of the state reimbursement rate if appropriate
receipts are presented.
7. Travel reimbursement must adhere to
any special constraints imposed by the sponsoring agency. Foreign travel reimbursement
will be based on federal rates. Travel reimbursement will be accomplished
through regular state expenditure procedures. Reimbursement requests must
include an appropriate reference to K.S.A. 76-770.
8. Purpose of travel must be stated on
the reimbursement voucher.
No
advances of state funds for travel expenses can be made except for travel
undertaken outside the United States and for travel where a staff member must
pay expenses for a group of students. However, the KU Endowment Association
will, for out-of-state travel only, provide advances for other than actual
transportation costs upon recommendation of the University Comptroller's
Office. All advances from funds 701-715, are processed for foreign travel
only through Sponsored Program Administration. All others are processed
through CASPUR.
Claims
for travel expense reimbursement for out-of-state trips may be made
immediately upon completion of the trip. All in-state trips chargeable to the
same account number can be listed on one voucher and submitted for payment
immediately after the close of the month in which travel was undertaken,
except in June. In June, fiscal year-end deadlines apply.
Travel
expenses for a trip starting prior to June 30, but which does not end until
July 1 or later may be charged to the new fiscal year in which the trip
terminates, provided funds are available in that fiscal year.
The
purpose of a trip must be listed on the travel voucher. The department
chairperson, or principal investigator for a sponsored project, must approve
all travel vouchers.
On
the Travel Expense Detail, the account number and name of the department to
be charged should be clearly indicated on the line for State Agency.
Fees
paid for driving state owned vehicles on the Kansas Turnpike will be
reimbursed upon presentation of the travel expense detail. Fees paid for
driving privately owned vehicles on the Kansas Turnpike will be reimbursed
upon presentation of a travel voucher and the turnpike receipt, with the
following information listed on the reverse: license number of the vehicle;
destination; and the driver's signature. Parking fees at a transportation
terminal can be paid. Fees paid for driving a rental car on the Kansas
Turnpike can be claimed by including them in the miscellaneous non subsistence
expense section of the DA-121. These fees must be supported by receipts and
fully explained on the voucher.
No
payment or reimbursement for any special conveyance (i.e., rental car, boat,
etc.) will be allowed unless the rental thereof has been approved in advance
by the Provost's Office and the traveler has justified on the travel voucher
the use of the special conveyance instead of public transportation either as
most economical for the state or as the only suitable transportation
available for the trip undertaken. However, if the traveler faces
unreasonable delay while en-route, because of failure or absence of public
transportation, he/she may avail himself of private means. Failure to present
suitable justification for the rental of a special conveyance may result in a
reduction in the amount of any repayment to the equivalent local air, rail,
bus fare, or private car mileage rate for the official mileage from origin to
destination and return. State regulations contemplate the use of state owned
vehicles where available and appropriate, public transportation, privately
owned vehicles and, lastly, rental conveyances in that order. Reimbursement
for the use of a private automobile, plane, motorcycle, or specially equipped
vans for the physically handicapped cannot exceed the established mileage
rate for private vehicles for the official mileage between origin and
destination and return.
State
employees may not be reimbursed for expenses incurred on behalf of any other
person except as follows:
1. Staff members may be reimbursed for
the travel expenses of students they sponsor. Receipts are required for all
student expenses. The amount reimbursed for students shall not exceed the
established limitations for state employees. Claims for reimbursement must be
included in the "Misc. Non subsistence Expense" section of the
travel voucher. Students' names must be listed on the voucher except that, if
the group numbers more than 10, the group is to be identified. A student who
has a payroll appointment and is traveling in connection with his duties as
an employee is expected to submit his own travel voucher.
2. State employees sharing a room. One
employee may claim the entire room charge, however the two payment vouchers
must be cross-referenced.
Original
receipts are required for all items not covered by the per diem allowance.
Photocopies of receipts are not acceptable except when the original receipt
has been lost or destroyed or had to be turned over to the federal government
for partial payment. Although "other suitable evidential matter"
may be substituted in limited exceptional circumstances, when it becomes
absolutely necessary to use the "other evidential matter"
provision, it must be in the form of a letter setting forth the circumstances
(including efforts to obtain the required receipts) and a statement that the
claim represents a true and actual claim in accordance with the travel
regulations. Receipts are required for transportation, registration fees, and
all expenses of students; airline receipts; the lodging establishment
receipt; and a receipt for meals when a state employee is claiming
reimbursement for the expenses of students. Credit card receipts and canceled
checks cannot be used to claim reimbursements. Registration fees can be paid
by the traveler and reimbursement claimed by the submission of a receipt and
a travel voucher. Registration fees can also be paid in advance by the use of
an APO. It is inappropriate for the state agency to pay directly for travel
expenses other than registration fees and commercial carrier accommodations.
Travelers
must indicate for any registration fee or conference fee whether or not meals
or lodging are included. If meals or lodging are included and an amount is
shown on the receipt for these items, this amount must be deducted. If an
amount is not shown on the receipt, the meal allowance must be deducted for
meals provided to an employee at no cost as follows:
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FY 2010
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Location
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Breakfast
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Lunch
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Dinner
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In-state
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$9.00
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$10.00
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$19.00
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Out-of-state, regular
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$9.00
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$10.00
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$19.00
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Out-of-state, high-cost
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$9.50
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$11.00
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$20.50
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Boroughs of Manhattan / D.C.
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$12.50
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$14.00
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$26.50
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International
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$13.50
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$14.50
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$28.00
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Certain
cities in neighboring states have been designated as "Border
Cities" by the State Division of Accounts and Reports. Travel may be
made to these border cities at in-state rates without an out-of-state travel
authorization, but object coded 125X2 the same as out-of-state travel.
However, under the border city principle, subsistence may be claimed at the
in-state rate only if the traveler was required to remain overnight. To claim
subsistence at the out-of-state rate, an out-of-state travel authorization
must be on record. Conference registration fees will be paid under either
situation, provided receipts are obtained.
Reimbursement
for air travel is limited to tourist or economy class. The traveler must
enter a statement on the reimbursement voucher identifying the class of
travel used and if the class is other than tourist or coach air fare the
traveler must deduct an amount equal to the excess over the cost of these
fares. However, if a trip to be undertaken is by a route or on a flight where
tourist or coach class is not available, the traveler can submit a statement,
signed by the travel agent, certifying that no "regular"
accommodations were available. This statement must accompany the travel
voucher upon which the fare is claimed.
All
fares for travel by air will be subject to the U.S. Transportation Tax.
University travelers cannot claim exemption from this tax. Airfares,
including the tax, will be reimbursed upon submission of the passenger coupon
and the appropriate travel voucher forms. A claim based on the equivalent
tourist air fare in lieu of mileage for use of a privately owned vehicle may
include the applicable tax.
Future
University employees traveling before their start date, should be reimbursed
following employee reimbursement procedures. Travel Expense Detail forms are used, not Contractual
Services forms.
Local Transportation Receipts Not Required
Receipt
requirements for local transportation have historically been determined based
on what the company providing the service chooses to call their business. For
example, a shuttle in Seattle might be the equivalent of a taxi in Houston.
Often when travelers ask for a receipt for local transportation, they are
given a “blank” receipt with the driver’s signature or the company's rubber
stamp. The traveler completes the receipt by filling in the amount of the
fare. Since the traveler often completes these receipts rather than the
driver, and the traveler is ultimately responsible for claiming only true and
actual expenses, the receipt requirement for local transportation will be
eliminated. This is intended to eliminate confusion for the traveler
regarding receipt requirements for local transportation.
Airfare in lieu of mileage calculation - what should be used as the
“airfare” comparison rate?
See
travel handbook #3101 (http://da.state.ks.us/ar/employee/travel/travbk.htm).
Mileage to KCI (RT) airfare available at time out-of-state travel request
is signed mileage fro airport to hotel or meeting site. Take the lesser of
the two when reimbursing an employee driving a privately owned vehicle rather
than using the fastest public transportation.
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