Procedure 6213 - Travel
Authorization for any district business travel must be given by the budget supervisor PRIOR to any district funds being committed for any part of the district business travel (registration, airfare, lodging, rental car, etc.).
Use of a personal credit card to make any travel arrangements is prohibited.
Every effort will be made to secure the most economical rates available for all travel-related expenditures through the state approved travel agency or a procurement card.
Meal per diem and mileage rates will be changed as the Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) updates these rates.
Travel Days
When conference registration opens and there is not enough time to drive or take a flight to get to the conference, the traveler may leave the day before the conference.
When drive time allows or there is a flight option, the traveler will return home the day the meeting or business ends. The only exception is if it is in the district’s financial interest to extend the travel.
If employee wants to extend the time of the business trip for personal reasons, they will be responsible for any additional cost that may be incurred due to these changes.
Travel Approval Form
- All personnel employed by the district or designees who have reason to travel in connection with the Richland School District must complete and submit a TRAVEL AND EXPENSE CLAIM form ten (10) days prior to the date of travel. This form can be obtained at Employee Online>District Forms>Travel Form. All information requested on the form must be completed and properly authorized by the person’s immediate supervisor and the program manager via the online form.
- The TRAVEL AND EXPENSE CLAIM form consists of two parts; one part of the form calls for an estimate of travel expenses; the other part of the form is to be completed after the travel is concluded and actual expenses are known. Administrators/supervisors are to review both the estimated and actual travel costs for reasonableness.
If significant changes in travel plans are necessary after the approval of the TRAVEL AND EXPENSE CLAIM FORM, these changes must be communicated to the administrator/supervisor who, if approved, will inform the Financial Services Secretary. Failure to do so will result in the traveler being reimbursed only for expenses outlined on the TRAVEL AND EXPENSE CLAIM FORM.
Each building/department has available to all staff a district Procurement Card. It is an account setup for district use to purchase airline tickets, make hotel reservations, pay for conference registrations and reserve car rentals over the phone.
Conference Agenda must be uploaded and attached, as a PDF, to the Travel and Expense Claim form.
Travel Advances
In the case that out of district travel causes an undue financial hardship on the traveler they may contact the Financial Services Department and explain their need to request advance travel funds to help defray the travel costs.
Travel Card
A travel card is available for all district employees at the district office in the Financial Services Department on a check-out check-in system. Mark “Travel Card Required?” on the Travel Form to reserve a card.
District employees must sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the Use of District Travel Card. You will need to travel with your Richland School District Badge for any identification needed.
- Allowable Charges: Hotel/Motel; Car Rentals; Parking; Ride sharing (taxi, Uber, shuttle, etc.) gratuity not to exceed 15%; Telephone, internet & Fax Charges - work related only (actual cost as evidence by original itemized receipts)
- Prohibited Charges: Alcoholic Beverages/Restaurants/Food; Expenses not Approved on the Prior Approval Travel Form; Cash Advances; Entertainment; Fuel for personal vehicle
Upon return from travel, the travel card must be returned the next working day to the Financial Services Department with all receipts. Charges will be paid on the following Procurement Card statement with approved TRAVEL AND EXPENSE CLAIM form. Loss of any receipt will result in signing an Affidavit of Lost Receipt. Repeated incidences of lost receipts constitute “misuse of the travel card” and will result in loss of privileges.
Airfare
Purchase of airfare must be coordinated through the building/department secretary or the district’s designated travel agency. However, employees may research with other travel agencies or airlines to obtain less expensive fares.
Employees shall not purchase airline tickets personally unless given prior approval from the finance department based on extenuating circumstances.
In the event commercial transportation is required, reimbursement shall be for the actual cost of tickets via the most direct route at tourist or economy rates. If the District is paying for airline tickets and a traveler chooses to use a private vehicle, the traveler can be reimbursed for mileage up to the amount the airline ticket would have cost if the district had purchased it. Meals will only be allowed for days and times if the employee has flown.
Lodging
Employees are expected to use good judgement in the selection of accommodations, picking government rates when available. District employees may use conference hotels. The district will not be responsible for additional costs associated with a spouse traveling with a district employee.
Peer to Peer Property Rentals are prohibited.
The building or department that is authorizing the expenditure shall arrange lodging reservations. Employees shall not purchase lodging personally unless given prior approval from the finance department based on extenuating circumstances. People traveling to conferences or meetings requiring overnight stay are to secure purchase orders or travel cards from the administrator/supervisor overseeing the budget being charged.
Meals – Employees & Designees
Reimbursements for meals apply only to trips that include overnight stay. Receipts are not required for meals.
Meals (including tax & tips):
- Inside Washington state per diem rates will be paid as indicated on the Per Diem map found on the Washington State OFM website.
- For Outside Washington State per diem rates refer to www.gsa.gov website. Locate the total Meal and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) for the destination. Take the M&IE total and use the meal breakdown from the Washington State per diem map.
Meals offered as part of the conference or extra banquet fees will be paid by the district. These costs shall be submitted on the travel form as part of the registration fee. These fees shall be deducted from the daily per diem.
To be reimbursed for a full day of meals an employee must leave the district prior to 8:00 AM and return after 6:00 PM and must include an overnight stay. These meals are not taxable to the employee.
The following is the only exception to the above:
The superintendent or designee may be reimbursed for actual meal costs (receipts are required) when traveling with Board members on official District business. These meals are not taxable to the employee.
Mileage
In-District 50 mile radius: The In-District mileage form shall be used for any travel that is within a 50 mile radius of the District Office. Reimbursement is allowed only when approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor and program manager. No “Prior Approval of Travel and Expense Claim Form” needs to be filled out when traveling within the fifty (50) mile radius. When travel is a necessary part of performing one’s work, the employee may receive blanket approval for the school year. Special exceptions may be granted by the individual’s supervisor based upon duration of the event and location of the traveler’s residence. If a staff member is acting in a custodial or supervisory role for students who will be staying overnight, and it is part of their official duties, the fifty (50) mile rule does not apply. All “In-District Mileage Forms” must be turned in each month.
Reimbursement of private automobile mileage shall be computed from the employee’s assigned work location unless the employee begins to travel at a point nearer the destination. Travel on non-workdays shall be reimbursed from point of origin.
Private automobile mileage is not reimbursed from an employee’s home to their primary work location except for required, non-compensated assignments outside the regular workday that have prior approval. In such cases, mileage reimbursement from the employee’s home to their primary work location is taxable per IRS rules and must be reported on employee’s W-2.
Out of District: Reimbursement allowed only in connection with an approved travel request. Reimbursement shall be at the Washington State OFM mileage rate.
If a private vehicle is used, reimbursement will be made at the current prevailing rate as specified by Washington State OFM. Mileage will be determined using roundtrip MapQuest or Google Maps miles.
Employees who do not desire to pool their travel cannot claim any transportation expenses. Exceptions to this regulation must have prior approval from the supervisor.
Receipts are not required for mileage. Reimbursement shall not exceed the Washington State OFM rate per mile, as described above.
Rental Car
The district will not reimburse employees for any optional insurance coverage on rental cars. District insurance covers rental cars.
Travel Related Expenses
Miscellaneous travel-related expenses essential to the transaction of official business are reimbursable to the traveler.
Receipts are required for all travel-related expenses.
Reimbursable expenses include, but are not limited to:
- Ride sharing (taxi, Uber, shuttle, etc.) gratuity not to exceed 15%, Car Rentals, Parking Fees (excludes valet parking unless that is the only parking option), and Ferry and Bridge Tolls for business purposes.
- Charges for work related internet or Facsimile Services.
Non-Reimbursable Expenses
The following expenses are not reimbursable:
- Alcoholic beverages, meals of snacks other than regular meals.
- Personal: telephone calls or internet.
- Mileage to and from home.
- Mileage for school levy or bond promotions and other non-official school functions.
- Entertainment.
Reimbursement of Travel Expenses
- Upon completion of travel, the traveler shall list the actual expenses incurred on the TRAVEL AND EXPENSE CLAIM FORM. Receipts are required for all expenses except for meals. It is the intent of the district to reimburse reasonable costs incurred while in service as approved representatives of the district. It is not the intent of the district to dictate a standard for away-from-home living for representatives of the district; however, the expenditure of public funds can be justified only on the basis of minimum reasonable costs.
- The traveler’s immediate supervisor will review the actual expenses. If the supervisor and Budget Authority approve the form the Financial Services office will issue payment to the traveler.
- Reimbursements will be made for only those expenses incurred by the person completing the TRAVEL AND EXPENSE CLAIM FORM travel form.
- If there were no personal travel expenses the traveler must still complete the form after travel. It will then be routed, through the workflow, to the Financial Services Office for auditing purposes.
Travel forms must be completed within ten days after completion of the trip. Allowable Expenses incurred will be reimbursed to the employee. If the employee does not complete their travel task within 10 business days from return date, then Financial Services will close out the travel form and the employee will forfeit any reimbursements. Any funds owed to the district will still be due.
Adoption: