(A) Generally. Expenses incurred by a city employee who must travel to carry out that employee’s official city duties, responsibilities or activities, or to obtain approved training, are reimbursable within the limits stated below.
(B) Definitions.
EMPLOYEE. Any person who is paid a wage or salary by the city. This term shall include, but is not limited to, persons employed in any city department, the Common Council, the city executive and staff, a member of a city board, commission, or any other elected city official. This term shall not include an independent contractor or any person, whether employed or not, who is incurring such expense as a result of a separate contractual relation with the city, which contractual relation provides for or includes such expense.
TRAVEL. To commute from the city to locations outside the city, including the two-mile fringe, by means of automobile, taxi cab, bus, train, airplane, truck, or other conventional and accepted means of transportation. Locations outside the city shall not include TRAVEL to the employee or official’s home from their office in the city.
(C) Per diems and meal expenses.
(1) A per diem is a flat rate reimbursement for expenses incurred in a certain reimbursable travel category. The city will pay per diems for meal expenses only. No receipts are required for a per diem payment, which shall be made only after the employee completes travel and submits a claim for reimbursement. However, the employee must provide a copy of their travel itinerary to document actual time of travel. Per diem rates shall be:
(a) Forty-six dollars, including tips, if traveling outside the State of Indiana; and
(b) Forty dollars, including tips, if traveling within the State of Indiana.
(c) Overnight travel is not required for employees to receive per diem for meal expenses, however, per diem rates shall be prorated for partial day travel. (Travel that ends after midnight will not qualify an employee for an additional partial-day per diem. Eligible expenses incurred after midnight on a return trip will be reimbursed only if receipts are provided.) Twenty- five dollars per diem for day of travel.
(2) If a meal is provided by an outside party, there shall be a proportionate reduction in the per diem rate.
(3) The city must not pay for an employee’s meal more than once. This includes, but is not limited to, meals included in registration fees or by hotels in the room charge. If a person in travel status received a meal without charge, then the subsistence allowance must be reduced. However, no deductions from subsistence shall be taken for continental breakfasts or meals served on airplanes.
(Ord. 26, 2020, passed 9-28-2020)