It is the Village's policy to pay or reimburse an employee for travel, meal and lodging expenses incurred while on official business of the Village. Permitted travel includes but is not limited to official business, attendance at conferences, symposiums, conventions, meetings, site visits, and continuing education classes.
Travel and training are a privilege and will be determined by the appropriate Village management based upon the needs, financial constraints and legal requirements of the Village. Employees are responsible for exercising good judgment with respect to travel expenses. Village employees are also expected to follow all relevant Village policies and procedures when traveling including those set forth in the employee handbook. Misconduct will result in disciplinary action.
A. Maximum Allowable Reimbursement
The Village will reimburse an employee for travel related expenses in connection with official Village business so long as travel expenses do not exceed the amount approved in the fiscal year budget. Further, meal and lodging expenses shall not exceed the then current per-diem rate set by the General Services Administration (GSA) for the location of the event.
B. Travel Approval
No reimbursement of travel, meal or lodging expenses incurred by an employee shall be authorized or reimbursed unless the "Travel Authorization & Estimated Expense Report" is approved in advance. If total estimated expense submitted on the form are under $1,000 (including the cost of the seminar), approval is needed in advance by the Department Manager for their employees. Travel exceeding $1,000 (including the cost of the seminar) shall be approved in advance by the Village Manager for all Department Managers and employees and by the Village Board for the Village Manager.
Travel Authorization Forms, as provided by the Finance Department, must be attached by the requesting department to the purchase orders before approval. No travel related arrangements may be made prior to the issuance of a fully approved Travel Authorization Form and fully approved Purchase Order. Employees under eighteen (18) years of age will be required to have a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian.
C. Cash Advances
Cash advances to cover approved travel expenses may be made to an employee, after the Travel Authorization Form has been approved. For food and non-alcoholic beverage expenses only, an employee may request to receive a per-diem allowance. The GSA establishes these rates, based on the average cost of food and non-alcoholic beverage for a particular location. Unused cash advances for travel, lodging or other expenses that are not needed during travel must be returned with the completed travel expense report. Unused cash advances for daily meal per diem allowances do not need to be returned unless unanticipated meals were provided at the conference.
D. Village Credit Cards
Village employees who are authorized to use a Village Credit Card and use their card for authorized travel related expenses must submit all receipts, including receipts for meal purchases. If the employee also received a cash advance for a meal per diem and subsequently uses the credit card, the per diem must be returned to the Village.
E. Non-allowable Expenses
1. Spouse/Companion - The Village will not reimburse any expenses associated with a Spouse/Companion who may accompany an employee to a seminar, conference, or any event.
2. Entertainment - The Village will not reimburse entertainment expenses. Entertainment includes but is not limited to shows, amusements, theaters, circuses, sporting events, or any other place of public or private engagement or amusement, unless ancillary to the purpose of the program or event.
3. Alcohol - The Village will not reimburse expenses for alcohol purchases.
F. Permitted Travel, Meals and Lodging
1. Conference/Seminar Registration - Employees must submit a request to attend any conference and/or seminar. The request shall be submitted on the Travel Authorization Form at least four weeks prior to the conference and/or seminar. In the event that an employee is unavailable to attend a conference, any fees associated with the cancellation of such conference will be reimbursed to the Village unless there is an unforeseen circumstance and approved by the Village Manager.
2. Air Travel - All flights will be scheduled by a designee of the Village Manager. Upgrades are permitted only if there is no charge to the Village or prior approval is received from the Village Manager. Effort should be made to submit the flight information timely so that the Village Manager designee can book air travel well in advance to attain maximum cost savings. Except in emergencies, all travel should be scheduled at least seven days in advance to obtain the next best fares. In the event a flight needs to be cancelled, employees should note that the cost of a non-refundable ticket can be applied toward the purchase of a future ticket for the same passenger on the same airline through the Village Manager designee, provided the ticket has been canceled in advance of the scheduled flight time. In the event that an employee is unable to travel on a flight booked as non-refundable, any fees associated with the flight should be reimbursed by the employee, unless caused by an unforeseen circumstance and approved by the Village Manager.
3. Lodging - The Village will pay for lodging accommodations for reasonably priced single occupancy rooms at moderate hotels. Employees are expected to use sound judgment in selecting accommodations. Lodging will not be provided for events, conferences, or business trips that are within 50 miles of Village Hall, excluding multi-day events in Chicago, unless authorized by the Village Manager. In locations where the conference or event has negotiated preferred rates with certain hotels, the Village will offer accommodations at these properties first. Alternate hotels will be allotted, including tax, up to the lesser of the per night GSA lodging rate for the location or the per night on-site conference/event rate. Receipts for lodging must be turned in.
4. Transportation - It may be necessary for employees to travel by either the use Village vehicles, personal automobiles, or other transportation such as car rentals, taxi rides, limousine services, and public transportation. In each situation, the most economical and efficient method should be selected when possible. If it is not possible to use the most economical and efficient method, approval must be obtained by the Village Manager.
a. Village Vehicles - Individuals who are provided with or use a company car will be reimbursed for gasoline, oil, repairs and maintenance (tires, batteries, tune-ups, etc.), insurance, parking and tolls incurred when the car is used for business related trips. Employees with company cars are not eligible for a standard mileage rate reimbursement. Tolls, parking, and gas expenses incurred when the car is used for personal reasons or for normal commutation will not be reimbursed. Village Employees transporting participants to an event must use a Village vehicle and be at least twenty-one (21) years of age. The Village Manager or Department Managers can mandate an employee use a village vehicle for business related travel, as well as mandating employees travel together in a Village vehicle.
b. Use of Personal Vehicle for Village Business - When a Village vehicle is not available, employees will be reimbursed for mileage at the current IRS rate, tolls, and parking when using their personal vehicle for business purposes. Mileage reimbursement will be based on mileage from the employee's work location to the off-site location of the official business, not from the employee's residence. When attending a training event or other off-site official business directly from an employee's residence, no reimbursement will be made if the distance is less than the mileage of a normal commute to the workplace. If the distance is higher than the normal commute, reimbursement will be paid based on the differential of the actual distance driven less the mileage of a normal commute to the workplace. An employee will only be reimbursed up to the price of a coach airfare ticket if they drive to a location for which airfare would have been less expenses.
c. Automobile Rentals - Travelers will be reimbursed for the cost of renting an automobile for official business, including gasoline expense only as provided in this section. Travelers should decline the Collision Damage Insurance as this would be covered by the Village's insurance. In addition, employees should decline the fuel purchase option and should always refuel rental cars before returning. Rental cars will not be reimbursed if used for personal business during travel.
d. Public Transportation - In the case of local training or official business where an employee chooses to use public transportation, reimbursement for use of public transportation shall be the cost of the public transportation.
e. Other Transportation - For out-of-town travel, employees should utilize hotel shuttle service or other shuttle services that are the most affordable. Employees should always choose the most economical transportation. If it is most affordable, employees are permitted to use their personal vehicle and be reimbursed mileage plus daily parking up to $30 per day at the airport. Receipts must be provided.
f. Parking - Parking fees at a hotel or incidental to other travel will be reimbursed only with a receipt.
5. Meals - Meal expenses and reimbursements are limited to the current U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) per diem rate for the location of travel at the time expense is incurred. Meals provided by a conference or seminar should be deducted from the per diem allowance. The per diem allowance should be used to cover all employee expense (meals, snacks, tips). Partial reimbursement may be made for the departure and return days based on the time of day. No receipts need to be kept or turned in for meal per diem allowances.
G. Expense Reporting Requirements
Expense reimbursement request should be prepared promptly. In general, expenses must be submitted within thirty (30) days of when they were incurred.
1. Documentation - An original receipt must be submitted for any expense, excluding meal per diem allowance and mileage reimbursement.
2. Expense Report Processing - The following audit checks of an expense report must be performed by the approving Manager and reviewed by Accounts Payable before reimbursement is processed
a. Business purpose is valid and fully explained.
b. All required receipts have been submitted, and properly support the reported expenditures/ evidence proof of payment.
c. The expense report has been properly completed and approved.
d. The expenses qualify for reimbursement in accordance with this policy.
e. If actual expenses exceed the approved estimate approved on the Travel Authorization Form, a written explanation must be provided and approved by the Village Manager.
H. Seminar Write Up
Every employee who attends a seminar or conference will turn in a Seminar Write-up Form that will provide brief but in-depth detail of what seminar and/or conference sessions the employee attended, what the employee learned and what benefit it will bring to the Village and/or employee. A form must be filled out for each session attended and turned into the employee's Department Manager.
(Ord. 23-1853, passed 5-3-23)