(A) Out-of-Town Travel For Professional Development or Conference Attendance
(1) Authorized County Travel Generally A County Employee shall only be authorized to engage in County-related business travel in accordance with Sections (2) through (5) as noted below. “County Employee” shall exclude County Elected Officials (“County Official”). Hereinafter, “Travel” shall mean County-Related Business Travel. Further, “travel status” shall mean a County employee engaged in County related business as defined below.
(2) Authorized Travel by a County Employee
(a) The Employee's Travel must be approved in advance and in writing by the County Official the employee reports to, if the travel is outside the County and if the travel:
1. Is in excess of one hundred seventy-five miles one way from the person's home or station;
2. Is travel where the lodging selected by the employee includes or offers resort accommodations (i.e., golf, spa, gambling);
3. Involves three (3) or more people from the same Department to the same location and includes an overnight stay; or
4. Is estimated to cost in excess of One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty ($1,250.00) Dollars for total trip per person.
(b) Travel not covered under Section (2)(a), shall be approved by the County official the employee reports to. Travel of a routine nature necessary for employees to fulfill their normal responsibilities may be authorized by policy set by each unit of government (and approved by the respective County elected official). The written policy shall describe in sufficient detail the travel being approved.
(c) At the discretion of the County official, additional approvals may be requested.
(3) County Travel Form An “Authorization for Travel” shall be used to document the approval of the travel taken under paragraph (2)(a). When required by Section (2) above, County employees shall attach to their expense reimbursement requests a properly executed “Authorization for Travel” form. It shall be the duty of the employee's county official and subsequently the County Commissioner's Office to verify the County form “Authorization for Travel” is attached to the employee's expense reimbursement requests.
(4) Criteria for Approval of Travel
(a) Travel is designed to reimburse the expenses of an employee on County business and allowing up to one (1) day of travel time the day before and one (1) day of travel time the day after the meeting, depending on the actual circumstances as approved by the County official.
(b) Travel status should not start prior to, or end after, the normally required periods of time necessary to complete the official County business.
(c) The primary purpose for travel must be County business, but occasionally a person may be approved to take a trip that includes both personal (vacation leave or time off) time and business travel. The County form “Authorization for Travel” must indicate the complete period of time the person will be approved if it encompasses personal leave both before and after the official County business. A County employee shall exercise special care not to seek reimbursement for expenses that could be construed to be personal. If personal time is combined with any trip, the lodging and subsistence for the extra days of travel time are not eligible for reimbursement.
(d) County employees traveling to locations within four (4) hours drive time are generally expected to travel by automobile.
(e) Normally “side-trips” are not allowed in conjunction with County travel. A “side-trip” is defined as when a County employee needs to travel from City “A” to City “B” for county business and the County employees travel to City “C” either before or after going to city “B”. However, if the “side-trip” is previously, the costs associated with the “side-trip” shall not be reimbursed. If travel is by air, the allowable reimbursement would be lower of the commercial carrier fare one-way between cities “A” and “B” times two (2) or the round-trip fare between cities “A” and “B” determined based on the same data and time the County employees departed City “A”. Such reimbursable air fare shall be established and documented on the County form “Authorization for Travel” prior to approval of the form. If driving a personal vehicle, the County employee shall be reimbursed the round-trip map mileage between cities “A” and “B”. If driving a county-owned lease vehicle, the County employee shall declare the mileage in excess of the round-trip mileage as personal mileage. Additional time spent by the employee in traveling to City “C” shall be considered personal leave.
(5) Travel Arrangements
(a) When two (2) or more County employees are traveling the same general route using either a County-owned leased vehicle or private owned vehicle only one (1) vehicle shall be driven if it is administratively feasible.
(b) Prior to submitting the County form “Authorization for Travel”, the authorized County Travel Agency shall be contacted regarding reservations for lodging accommodations and airfare, or other travel arrangements.
(B) Reimbursement for County Travel
(1) Reimbursement for County Travel The county shall only make payment for, or reimburse for travel to or on behalf of a County employee who is entitled to it and in compliance with the terms and provisions of this policy.
(2) Reimbursement Terms and Conditions. The County may pay a travel expense to or on behalf of a County employee under the following terms and conditions:
(a) Payment of the travel expense is approved in writing by any person whose approval is required for authorization or ratification of the County employees under Section (A)(2);
(b) The travel giving rise to the travel expense has been authorized or ratified in accordance with this policy;
(c) With respect to a travel expense, the County employee submits an original receipt for the County travel expense along with such supporting documentation as is required by Section E;
(d) Paying the travel expense does not violate any law, statute, ordinance or regulation, or court order; and
(e) The travel expense was incurred in compliance with this policy.
(3) Travel Expense Limitations
(a) The County shall not pay a travel expense where another person or entity other than the authorized County employee pays the expense.
(b) If a travel expense has been approved in advance by the appropriate County official, the actual travel expense incurred by the County employee is payable only to the extent it is less than or equal to the approved travel expense. This requirement may be waived by the County official if its enforcement, under the circumstances, would be unfair, inequitable, impractical, unreasonable, or otherwise not consistent with the policies and principles underlying this policy.
(4) Conference Expenses A County employee may be reimbursed for the cost of registration fees associated with attendance at conferences. Only the County employee's portion of the registration fee, and not fees for any other accompanying the County employee, shall be paid.
(5) Allowable Reimbursements - Legal Required
(a) A Department or County employee may not receive, accept, or retain travel expense, lodging, transportation, meal, or any other good or service with respect to travel that is provided by another person or entity who is not legally obligated to do so unless such receipt, acceptance, or retention is legal, ethical, and does not raise the appearance of impropriety. Any such expense, allowance, good or service that has been improperly paid or accepted shall forthwith be refunded or otherwise paid for by the County employee.
(b) Each person requesting reimbursement for travel expenses shall submit a claim covering only the person's own expense. No reimbursement may be made for the expenses of another person. However, a person may receive reimbursement for the travel expenses of pupils, wards, patients, or offenders of County facilities, schools, agencies or institutions. The request for reimbursement for these expenses must be separately itemized and justified in the request for reimbursement.
(6) Rates of Reimbursement
(a) The rates of reimbursement for travel allowances shall be those established, in accordance with law and adopted by the County Council.
(b) Reimbursement rates for travel allowances, and/or maximum rates, are set and available from the County Auditor's Office.
(c) The rates of reimbursement for actual expenditure items shall be the amounts actually expended subject to any limits per the provisions of Section (B)(7)(b).
(d) All amounts claimed must be converted to United States currency. Proof of conversion rate(s) at the time the expense was incurred must be submitted for expenses paid in any other currency.
(e) A County employee traveling outside the continental United Stated may be reimbursed for the reasonable expenses associated with the travel:
1. Visas, passports and other travel documents;
2. Photographs for travel documents;
3. Inoculations;
4. Currency exchange; or
5. Airport taxes.
(7) Travel Bonuses
(a) It is the policy of the County that any premium, bonus or compensation acquired by any County employee as a result of the travel either paid or reimbursed by the County under this policy is the property of the County. This includes but not limited to bonuses, premiums and compensation for the following:
1. Airline travel;
2. Other common carrier;
3. Hotel or Motel; and
4. Rental vehicles.
(b) A County employee who earns any compensation, premium, or bonus while the County employee is traveling for the County and is governed by this policy shall turn in the compensation, premium or bonus to the County. All such travel bonuses, promotions and the like shall establish procedures to implement this policy and submit a copy of the procedures to the Lake County Board of Commissioners and Lake County Council.
(8) Recovery of Expenses Erroneously Paid The County may recover any expenses of allowance paid to any person or entity:
(a) Which was erroneously paid for any reason;
(b) When paid because of illegality or fraud on the part of any person or entity; or
(c) Which was paid under the mistaken belief, at the time payment was made, that such payment was in accordance with this policy.
(9) Preferred Travel Expense Method The County shall make payment when travel is by the preferred traveling method. The preferred traveling method is the least expensive or most effective means of travel which is also:
(a) Available at the time and place where it is needed;
(b) Necessary for the County travel involved;
(c) Appropriate, sufficient, and timely for the County travel involved;
(d) Reasonably safe; and
(e) Reasonably comfortable.
(10) Preferred Transportation
(a) When the County travel is within the County or two hundred fifty (250) miles of the County employee's station, the preferred traveling method is first by County owned/leased vehicle, and second by personal vehicle.
(b) When the County travel is greater than two hundred fifty (250) miles from the County employee's station, the preferred traveling methods rank as follows:
1. By commercial air;
2. By other commercial transportation;
3. By state owned/leased vehicle; or
4. By personal vehicle.
(11) Reimbursement for Vehicle Use
(a) If the travel of a County employee will be by vehicle, County owned/leased vehicles shall be used when available and practical.
(b) A county employee in a personal vehicle will be paid allowance for the lesser of the distance actually traveled of the distance between the destination and the County employee's station, and as provided by Section (B)(12).
(12) Mileage Payment of mileage with respect to County travel shall be made in compliance with this mileage section. A County employee is entitled to payment of mileage under the following terms and conditions:
(a) The mileage is incurred through the use of a private vehicle in accordance with the policy;
(b) The route or routes taken to and from the destination are the shortest and most cost effective and use the appropriate points of departure and return;
(c) Additional mileage, not to exceed ten percent (10%) of the “Shortest Route” mileage may be claimed when the usually traveled route entails the use of an interstate highway which is not the “Shortest Route”.
1. The ten percent (10%) additional mileage is a maximum deviation and not as automatic additional charge.
2. In no case shall the allowable mileage exceed the actual map mileage.
(d) For in-state travel, the mileage is computed from the current official State of Indiana Highway Map, but adjusted where appropriate.
(e) For out-of-state travel, the mileage is computed from a current reliable atlas;
(f) Additional travel within a city or town must be listed separately from travel between cities and towns.
(13) Parking and Tolls A County employee is travel status may be reimbursed for the cost of parking and tolls when using either a personal vehicle or a County owned/leased vehicle. Valet parking will only be reimbursed if “self-parking” is not available. Receipts satisfying the requirements of Section C.1. must be included with the claim for reimbursement. (For parking at public transportation terminals see Section C.8.).
(14) Travel by Air
(a) The coach class of travel by commercial air carrier will be reimbursed. “Super Saver” or other airfares carrying cancellation penalties shall be used in extreme caution. The penalty fee may be reimbursed only if legitimate County business prohibits the County employee from traveling.
(b) Occasionally, it may be cost effective for a County employee to travel on a weekend to obtain a less expensive airline fare. Lodging and meals for the weekend travel will be reimbursed to the employee if the net savings to the County exceeds One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars.
(c) Departments are encouraged to make all out-of-state travel arrangements through the County's Travel Agent to help reduce costs.
(d) The Board of Commissioners has the authority to adopt and enforce specific policies for air travel. For example, County employees could be required to travel to a particular airport or on a particular airline to avail the County of a reduced group airfare.
(15) Non-Commercial Air Transportation Written approval from the Board of Commissioners is required before making arrangements for non-commercial or charter air transportation.
(16) Other Main Travel Modes The cost of travel by railroad or bus may be reimbursed. To be reimbursed a County employee must submit acceptable receipts with the travel claim. The costs of sleeping cars are not allowable for reimbursement. The travel time provisions of Section A.5., apply to railroad or bus travel.
(17) Transportation to Terminal
(a) The cost of tax and other public transportation is reimbursable between a County employee's hotel and between the station and/or terminal.
(b) The cost of transportation between the terminal, the place of lodging and other places of business may be reimbursed. The County employee must either itemize such trips on the travel voucher or submit a log of such trips with the travel voucher stating the nature of the trips.
(c) The cost of parking at a terminal may be reimbursed at long-term rates. A County employee may use a personal vehicle for transportation to a terminal instead of using public transportation and may be reimbursed for the cost of round-trip mileage between the station and the terminal.
(d) Reimbursement for a second round-trip instead of reimbursement for parking at the terminal is allowable; however reimbursement for a second round-trip may not exceed the avoided long-term parking fees.
(18) Vehicle Rental
(a) Vehicle rental expense is reimbursable for Out-of-State travel when it is efficient and cost effective and when approved in advance by the County official. The least expensive practical vehicle shall be rented.
(b) The cost of renting a vehicle, in connection with travel by other modes of transportation, may be reimbursed if suitable local public transportation is not available or when rental is considered more advantageous to the County than the use of public transportation due to routing or scheduling considerations.
(c) The Department requesting the rental of a vehicle must submit a written request to the County official justifying the need for the rental of a vehicle prior to making arrangements for renting the vehicle. If the County official approves the request, the County Travel Agent or County employee shall make reservations for the most economical vehicle.
(d) Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), or Liability Damage Waiver (LDW), insurance covering use of the vehicle is a reimbursable expense. The cost of any other insurance will not be reimbursed and such costs must be deducted from the claim for reimbursement.
(e) Initial payment of the cost of renting a vehicle is the responsibility of the County employee. The County employee may be reimbursed for:
1. The cost of renting the vehicle;
2. The cost of additional fuel;
3. The cost of Collision, or Liability Damage Waiver (CDW) or (LDW) Insurance; and
4. Parking tolls.
(f) Each item of cost must be supported by receipts as required by Section E.1. The claim for reimbursement must itemize the business usage of the vehicle, showing point-to-point travel, the same as for a personal vehicle. The County employee may be reimbursed for vehicle rental, excluding any personal usage, according to the following formula:
Reimbursement = E x Ms
Mt
Mt
Where: Ms is the mileage traveled on County business
Mt is the total mileage traveled; and
E is the total expense for rental of the vehicle.
(g) It is the responsibility of the County employee to make sure both the beginning and ending mileage are on the receipt.
(C) Lodging
(1) Preferred Lodging
(a) Lodging arrangements with respect to travel shall be made in compliance with this Preferred Lodging Section.
(b) Reimbursement for In-State lodging is limited to the In-State Lodging Rate as set in Section D.5., without the prior written approval of the County Official.
(c) Reservations for Out-of-State lodging shall be made by the County official or the County's Travel Agent, if available.
(2) Reimbursement for Lodging A County employee in travel status may claim reimbursement for actual lodging expenses not exceeding the single occupancy room charge, including taxes, for overnight stays only. It is the County employee's responsibility to check out the accommodations in sufficient time to not be required to pay additional expenses for late checkout.
(3) Shared Accommodations
(a) If accommodations are shared by County employees:
1. The total room charge cannot be claimed by either traveler.
2. Each traveler shall request a hotel bill in the traveler's name.
3. Each traveler shall claim a pro-rata share of the total room charge as listed on the traveler's individual bill.
(b) If accommodations are shared by non-County employees:
1. A separate bill need not be issued if the expense of lodging is being shared with another person:
a. The County employee can claim the total bill divided by the number of occupants, if applicable, or
b. The County employee can claim the single occupancy rate.
(4) Lodging Provider-Limitation A County employee may not claim reimbursement for lodging when the lodging was provided by another individual who is not in the business of providing lodging.
(5) Lodging Rates-Limitation All individuals, including County employees and County officials, are urged to stay in hotels/motels offering reasonable government rates. These reduced rates usually must be requested of the hotel/motel in advance. To receive reasonable government rates, lodging establishments may require government identification. County employees who prefer accommodations at unreasonable rates will not receive full reimbursement. County employees should pay special heed to this policy when selecting anything other than modest accommodations. Staying in the “conference hotel/motel” is not necessarily required; conference hotels/motels should not be utilized as lower cost accommodations are available and practical.