5.15.1 Employee Travel
Revised: August 6, 2007; October 1, 2022
The College follows all state guidelines in reimbursing employees for college-related travel.
Reimbursement may not be made for commuting between an employee鈥檚 home and their duty station except for temporary or part-time Workforce Continuing Education instructors. The College requires that all over-night, college-related, reimbursable travel be approved at least two weeks in advance by the employee鈥檚 dean or supervisor and authorized by the appropriate Vice President or Chief Operating Officer.
Students who travel on official institutional business must be paid from funds supporting the particular organization or activity in which their participation requires travel.
Reimbursement for Transportation:鈥疪eimbursement for transportation expenses should be submitted on the Travel Reimbursement Request located in Etrieve. When completing the form, the employee should include their name as it appears on the Social Security card. Expenses for travel on official college business by employees and trustees shall be reimbursed at the rates set forth by legislation.
Reimbursement for Subsistence: Lodging and food reimbursement applies, generally, to full days of travel on college business. Reimbursement for subsistence should be submitted on the Travel Reimbursement Request located on the SCC Intranet. When completing the form, the employee must include his or her name as it appears on the Social Security card. Employees may receive an allowance for meals on partial days of travel when the partial day is the day of departure or the day of return. To be eligible for such reimbursement for a partial day, the employee must depart duty station prior to 6 a.m. [for breakfast] and/or return to duty station after 8 p.m. [dinner]. Note: For such reimbursement, the time of departure and/or arrival must be stated on the travel reimbursement request.
Job-related Meals: An employee whose job requires that he or she attend a meeting at which lunch is a preplanned part of the occasion may be reimbursed for the meal if the travel to the meeting does not involve an overnight stay. Under this provision, employees are allowed the actual cost of the meal and are limited to statutory rates. Reimbursement for meals should be submitted on the Travel Reimbursement Request located on the SCC Intranet. When completing the form, the employee should include his or her name as it appears on the Social Security card.
Reimbursement for Registration Fees: Registration fees for the actual amount expended as shown by a valid receipt or invoice can be reimbursed. Individual membership fees included on the registration receipt are not reimbursed through the travel reimbursement process. Employees should request reimbursement for these expenses by memorandum to the appropriate supervisor. Documentation of the expense should be attached to the memorandum. Employees should not purchase products or supplies for the College while on travel unless a purchase order has been processed for the purchase.
Reimbursement in Excess of State Allowance for Subsistence:鈥疪eimbursement in excess of State allowance for subsistence may be requested and received from local funds for travel expenses which exceed the maximum allowances from State funds. When an employee has no reasonable choice but to exceed maximum State travel allowances, he or she may request reimbursement from local funds for hotel expense in excess of established State allowance.
No excess subsistence will be allowed for meals. Reimbursement for employees sharing a room with a member of their family will be limited to the single occupancy rate. Requests for reimbursement should be submitted on the Travel Reimbursement Request.
Miscellaneous Reimbursable Items: Reimbursement for miscellaneous reimbursable items should be submitted on the Travel Reimbursement Request.
Office Telephone Calls: Calls are reimbursable as 鈥渙ther expenses.鈥� Calls over $3 must be identified as to point of origin and destination.
Tips: Gratuities for baggage handling at the place of lodging and/or at common carrier terminals are reimbursable as 鈥渙ther expenses鈥� if itemized. Tips for room service, valet, and other hotel services, and taxis, are not reimbursable.
Room Service, etc.:鈥疨ersonal expenses for room service, laundry, entertainment, set-ups, refreshments, etc., are not reimbursable.
Travel Advances:鈥疉n advance of funds of $150 minimum may be issued with the approval of the Chief Operating Officer or the President. Travel advances will not be issued in the month of June due to year-end budgetary requirements. The Travel Advance Forms is available on Etrieve.
Travel Authorizations:鈥疉n employee should submit travel authorization forms and related documentation (conference brochures, etc.) for approval via Etrieve. This includes authorizations that do not require an advance. The employee should retain a completely signed copy for his or her records.
Filing for Travel Reimbursement:鈥�Reimbursement for approved reimbursable travel should be submitted on the Travel Reimbursement Request. When completing the form, an employee should include their name as it appears on the Social Security card.
Employees are urged to maintain records and receipts from all travel.
Employees should submit reimbursement requests on a monthly basis (i.e., rather than filing per activity, requests should be filed no more than once per month).
All reimbursement requests must be submitted approval and payment within 30 days after the travel period has ended. (Travel period is defined as the calendar month during which the travel occurred.)
In the case of Workforce Continuing Education instructors who are paid at the end of a quarter, the travel period may be considered the end of the contract.
Documents Needed for Travel Reimbursement
The following receipts and documents must be submitted via Etrieve for reimbursement
to proceed:
- travel authorization form;
- a travel reimbursement form with name as it appears on the Social Security card;
- receipts for each of the items for which employees request reimbursement, including:
- airline ticket
- hotel
- parking [excess of $3]
- registration
- rental car
- taxi
- airport shuttles
- tolls [excess of $3]