(A) (1) An employee in travel status is entitled to reimbursement for the actual itemized cost of meals and incidental expenses (defined below) at the stated times up to the maximum rate as allowed by the published Federal Government Meals and Incidental Expense (M&IE). The TDY (Temporary Duty Location) determines the maximum M&IE rate. If employee travels to more than one location in one day, the maximum M&IE rate will be the rate in effect for the area the employee stops to sleep or rest. The Mayor's Office will provide the Federal Government M&IE rates each time a Travel Approval form is submitted for approval.
(a) Breakfast (1:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.).
(b) Lunch (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.).
(c) Dinner (5:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.).
(2) An employee is only eligible for 75% of the total published Federal Government M&IE rate on the first and last day of travel.
(3) Tips for meals are reimbursable up to a maximum of 15%, but must be included in the total maximum allowed for M&IE.
(4) INCIDENTAL EXPENSES are: a) fees and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, bellhops, hotel maids, stewards or stewardesses and others on ships, and hotel servants in foreign countries; b) transportation between places of lodging or business and places where meals are taken, if suitable meals cannot be obtained at the temporary duty site.
(B) (1) A department head must inform an employee in advance of travel that receipts must be submitted to the department head upon completion of travel, and that reimbursement shall be for the actual amount expended, subject to the maximum published Federal Government M&IE Rate.
(2) Employees will only be allowed reimbursement for the actual cost of meals consumed up to the published federal government rate in the time periods listed, and will not be allowed to carry over any unused amounts of the maximum allowance from one time period to the next. The published federal government rates are the maximum amounts allowed for actual itemized reimbursement, and an employee who spends any amount above the limits stated is personally responsible for the overage except as stated below.
(C) The brochure or other written documentation on the event that the employee attends must be attached before any reimbursement will be made. Make sure to make enough copies for each claim to be reimbursed.
(D) Alcohol, tobacco and personal items will not be reimbursed.
(E) Other.
(1) There will be no actual meal cost reimbursement if meal(s) are provided as a part of registration fees. If a continental breakfast is all that is offered, the employee has the option of using actual meal reimbursement up to the stated limit. The city will not pay for a person's meal more than once other than the breakfast exception above.
(2) If lodging is provided to an employee in travel status at no cost to the employee, a statement explaining that the person was in travel status, signed by the department head, may be submitted as documentation to justify claiming the actual cost of meals not to exceed the stated limit.
(3) An employee may claim reimbursable itemized meals for Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays (even though he or she is not conducting city business on those days) in order to reduce the total cost of travel. The savings must be documented and approved in advance by the department head. Reimbursed meals may not be claimed if the employee is using vacation, unused holiday, or personal leave time during a part of the travel status. (Employee's time sheet will need to be turned in before any reimbursement is made.)
(Ord. 15-2005, passed 4-12-05; Am. Ord. 52-2005, passed 11-8-05; Am. Ord. 10-2011, passed 7-12-11)