Policy 3325 - Conferences/Meals/Travel Expenditures

Conferences/Meals/Travel Expenditures

Special Authority
Expenses may be paid for Board of Education members, employees and representatives of the Board.

A.  Employee Expenses
The actual and necessary expenses incurred by an employee in the course of performing services for the district, under the direction of the Board of Education, shall be paid by the district.

An employee may be authorized to travel on district business with expenses paid partially or totally by the employee, when the employee has requested the authorization to travel at their expense.

The power to authorize the attendance of an employee at a meeting or conference may be delegated to the Superintendent or designee by the Board of Education.

An advance payment may be authorized by the Superintendent or designee.

B.  Board of Education Member Expenses
Board of Education members, by authorization of the Board, may attend conferences or meetings of organizations that the Board has subscribed for membership, or to any convention to which it may pay the expenses of any employee.

Authorization for any or all Board members to attend conferences related to Board memberships may be made a part of an annual approval of memberships.

The payment of expenses for individual Board members to attend conferences unrelated to Board memberships but related to the educational process, shall require specific Board authorization.

An advance payment may be authorized.

C.  Representatives of the Board of Education Expenses

The authority for “representatives of the Board of Education” generally applies to community members, attorneys, parents, or other designated persons directed by the Board of Education to attend conferences or meetings as Board representatives.

No advance payment shall be authorized from district funds.  Federal or other non-district funds may be advanced providing the Board action authorizing the advance indicates the source of the non-district funds.

 

Rule 3325

Conferences/Meals/Travel Expenditures
This policy applies uniformly to employees, Board of Education members, and representatives of the Board of Education.

Travel includes attendance at workshops, seminars, conventions, conferences or other meetings of interest to the district.

If travel is necessary during the normal work day of the employee and involves no cost to the district other than employee salary and/or mileage within the county, the superintendent or employees designated by the superintendent for such purposes may authorize travel, subject to other provisions of this policy.

If travel is to cost the district other than mileage or the employee salary while absent from the work location, a Conference Form shall be prepared by the employee and shall include a detailed cost estimate. Without regard to cost, a Conference Form will be prepared in all instances of non-local travel within the county and only involving mileage and the employee’s regular salary. All costs in conjunction with travel shall have been provided for in the school district budget.

The program manager shall be required to approve the Conference Form.

Mileage

Employees performing authorized travel involving the use of their own vehicles shall be reimbursed for mileage at the rate established by the Chief Business Officer and shall be no less than the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rate for nontaxable, business transportation mileage expense, or a monthly allowance as established by the Board. Whenever a specific conference Form is approved, mileage may be claimed in addition to an authorized monthly allowance. If travel begins from the employee home or ends at the employee home, the mileage reimbursement shall be the lesser of the employee assigned work location or home.

Per Diem Rate for Meals and Incidentals

Reimbursements shall be based upon the current Federal Per Diem Rate for the appropriate area. Per meal limitations will be calculated at 20% breakfast, 30% lunch, and 50% dinner of the published Federal rate.

For pro-rata reimbursement of meals when the employee is on travel status for less than a full 24-hour period

Travel Begins Before	Travel Ends After	Meal Allowances
7:00 AM	9:00 AM	Breakfast (max. 20% area rate)
7:00 AM	2:00 PM	Breakfast and lunch (max. 50% area rate)
11:00 AM	2:00 PM	Lunch (max 30% area rate)
11:00 AM	7:00 PM	Lunch and dinner (max. 80% area rate)
5:00 PM	7:00 PM	Dinner (max. 50% area rate)
7:00 AM	7:00 PM	Breakfast, lunch, and dinner (max 100% area rate)

 

Banquets

A banquet breakfast, luncheon or dinner, which is an official part of a conference and for which there is a prescribed fee, may exceed a meal limitation amount as previously designated and may be reimbursed at actual cost. Per Diem reimbursements will be reduced by paid banquet charges.

Transportation

Economy, standard, tourist, or similar airfare rates are allowed. First class fare will be allowed only in emergency situations with prior approval of the superintendent. The option for use of a private vehicle or air transportation or other mode may be allowed except that the district shall make reimbursement for transportation resulting in the least cost to the district, considering all other costs. The amount allowed for subsistence expenses will be no more than the amount per diem that would have been allowed had the trip been made by public transportation.

Registration

Registration fees are authorized.

Conference Fees

Conference fees for specific events shall be reimbursed, excepting that costs of conference-sponsored or unsponsored activities which are essentially entertainment or non-business shall not be reimbursed. 

If conference fees include meals and/or lodging, the per diem reimbursement will be reduced by the meals provided, and no duplicate reimbursement will be made for lodging.

Advances

District funds may be issued in advance of travel for official business trips, for employees and Board members, as follows:

1. If estimated costs exceed $100 for meals and incidentals.
2. If the employee would suffer a financial hardship without the advance.
3. If the request is made in writing and approved by the Chief Business Officer and/or the Superintendent.
4. Advances determined to be over the approved reimbursement days will be treated as regular revenue to the employee, subject to statutory deductions.

Out-of-State Travel

All out-of-state or out-of-country travel shall be approved by the Superintendent prior to the proposed trip. Those requesting an out-of-state or out-of-country trip are required to submit an explanation of the purpose to be served and the funding source. All approved out-of-state and out-of-country trip information will be available to the Board through the Business Office.

Delegation of Authority to Superintendent

The authority to authorize employee travel is hereby delegated to the Superintendent or designee. All restrictions and limitations within this policy shall apply.

Delegation Limitations

The superintendent or designee shall approve employee, Board members, or nonemployee claims as being in accordance with this policy.

Claims for Reimbursement

All claims for reimbursement must be submitted within 30 days of travel.

1. Information required – Travel reimbursement claims shall include who, why, where, when, the claimant’s signature, and an approval signature.
2. Receipts required – Documentation of expenses for hotel, transportation, registration, etc., shall be by actual receipt unless included in a per diem amount authorized by Board policy.

Conferences/Meetings

1. Copy of brochure, pre-registration form, or agenda shall be required. If the claim is for expenses of an informational meeting without an agenda, it shall be so noted on the claim form. Expenses for activities that are not required by the conference are not reimbursable.
2. Name/s of employees attending the conference or meeting shall be required. Expenses for spouses, dependents, friends and employees of other agencies are not reimbursable.
3. Authorized district signature approving expenditure.
4. Proof of payment.

Lodging

1. Vendor name and address.
2. Name/s of employees
3. Room rate. If the lodging receipt is at the double rate and the second person is a spouse, dependent or friend, the single rate shall be shown on the reimbursement claim.
4. Dates of stay.
5. Telephone charges – Business calls are reimbursable.
6. Must be over 60 miles of employee assigned work location or employee home. An exception may be made by the Superintendent based on the nature of the conference.

Meals

1. Invoice (if applicable).
2. List of people in attendance. If several persons are involved, position titles or other definable terms, such as “Board of Education members,” or “management staff” may be used. Persons eligible for per diem must be listed separately.
3. Agenda. If an agenda is not included, the purpose of the meeting shall be stated on the claim.

Car Rental

1. Car rental originating from the District area must have prior approval from the Director of Transportation or designee.
2. Properly itemized invoice with names of employee using rental service, title of conference or purpose of the meeting.

Travel Agency

1. Airline tickets and billings – documentation must include a copy of the ticket, destination, names of employees, title of conference or purpose of meeting.

Minimum approved advance documentation shall include

1. Copy of brochure, pre-registration form, agenda or letter of notification.
2. Authorization to attend.
3. Authorization for advance with itemized estimated expenses. Note: Estimated expenses shall not include costs for spouses, dependents, friends or employees of other agencies.