Policy Details Page - Tacoma Public Schools

6213R - Travel Authorization and Expense Reimbursement

Regulation 6213R
Management Support

This regulation applies to employees, Board members, and approved non-employees of the District who participate in local or extended travel. Regulatory guidance is provided for travel authorization, expenses, reimbursement, travel cards, airfare, hotel, registration, receipts, and documentation. This regulation does not apply to students.

Authorization

Approval is required prior to making arrangements for extended travel and must be completed on the District’s Travel Authorization Form. Once travel is complete, a Travel Expense Worksheet must be complete and submitted. Travel requests and expense reimbursement claims, regardless of the amount, are subject to the authorizations designated below.

	Local Travel	Extended Travel
	In-State Not Overnight	In-State Overnight	Out-of-State	International
Employee	X	X	X	X
Supervisor	X	X	X	X
BRC Authority	X	X	X	X
Cabinet Review		X	X	X
Superintendent				X
Board				X

Extended Travel

Extended travel is defined as travel that requires a justified overnight stay as defined by IRS regulatory guidance.

Travel Authorization Forms

A Travel Authorization Form should be completed and approved 30 days in advance of the departure date.
The Travel Authorization Form should identify any portion of costs to be paid/funded by an outside party and identify whether it is to be reimbursement to the District.

Registration

Registration fees may be charged to the District travel card.
When the registration fee includes one or more meal functions, the Travel Authorization Form and Travel Expense Worksheet shall carry a notation of that fact. The employee cannot receive per diem for these meals.

Hotel

Hotel reservations should be made on the District travel card. Out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed via the Travel Expense Worksheet upon return from travel when accompanied by an itemized hotel receipt.

Mode of Travel

District reimbursement shall be based upon the most economical mode of travel. Exceptions may be granted by the Superintendent or designee when determined appropriate.
Purchase of airfare must be coordinated through the District’s designated travel agency and paid directly by the District to the vendor. However, employees may research with other travel agencies or airlines to obtain less expensive fares. The District designated travel agency must be given an opportunity to match the lower fare or provide a written release to purchase from another vendor. The District shall not be liable for air tickets purchased from a non-designated travel agency without a prior written release from the District’s designated travel agency.
Employees shall not purchase airline tickets directly unless a waiver has been obtained from the District approved travel agency and is based on extenuating circumstances.
The use of a rental car requires prior approval by submitting it on the Travel Authorization Form. For group travel, carpooling or car-share (ex. Uber) is preferred.
District employees are covered by District liability and automobile insurance while on authorized District travel business. The District shall not reimburse or pay for insurance provided by rental car companies.

Advanced Travel Funds

Advance travel funds are available from the finance department upon request and are to be requested on the Travel Authorization Form at the time of submission. Travel advances shall be given for meal per diem at the current GSA rates for the travel destination. Advance travel checks shall be available at least three working days before departure, provided that the Travel Authorization Form is completed timely (30 days in advance of travel).
An employee, Board member or agent of the District shall submit a completed Travel Expense Worksheet to the finance department within fifteen working days after completion of the travel.
In the event the Travel Expense Worksheet is not received by the fifteenth workday, immediate action shall be initiated to set up a payroll deduction for the employee or to withhold any accounts payable to non-employees up to the amount of the travel advance, plus ten percent interest per annum.
Advances that were issued for a cancelled trip shall be repaid to the District within 15 workdays. Employees with delinquent accounts will not be provided additional advances until a prior advance has been repaid.
Travelers receiving a travel advance may receive more funds than needed to fulfill their travel arrangements through the standard calculation of per diem. Any meals provided at no cost to the traveler should be repaid to the District through the completion of the Travel Expense Worksheet on or before the fifteenth day following the close of the authorized travel period for which expenses have been advanced to employee or payroll deduction will be initiated to collect monies owed to the District. The District does not have the right to loan funds beyond the fifteenth workday and travelers not in compliance shall bear interest at the rate of ten percent per annum from the date of default until paid (RCW 42.24.150).

District Procurement Cards for Travel (Travel Cards)

With advance notice and request, the District may issue District travel cards to employees for the sole purpose of paying hotel costs, car rentals, registration and any other travel related expenses (except for airline tickets) for which the vendors shall accept a credit card in accordance with Regulation 6212R, Issuance of Procurement Cards.
Travel cards should be checked out for travel use and employees shall return the travel card immediately upon returning to work. Employees who use District travel cards and Board members who use District procurement cards shall submit a detail Travel Expense Worksheet to the finance department within fifteen working days of returning to work.
Any charges against the travel card not properly identified on the Travel Expense Worksheet or disallowed following the audit required under RCW 42.24.080 shall be repaid to the District by the Board employee. If for any reason disallowed travel card charges are not repaid, the District shall withhold any or all funds payable or to become payable to the Board employee up to the amount of the disallowed charges and interest at the same rate as charged by the company which issued the card. Entertainment-related costs and alcoholic beverages shall not be charged to a District travel card.
No Board employee shall use the travel/procurement card if any disallowed charges are outstanding and shall surrender the travel/procurement card upon demand by the Superintendent or designee; provided, however, in the event the employee is the superintendent, then the card shall be surrendered to the chief financial officer. The District has the unlimited authority to revoke use of any travel card if use becomes other than for which it was originally intended (as per RCW 42.24.115)

Determination of Travel Reimbursement

A daily per diem allowance based on the IRS Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses Regulation shall be used to cover reasonable and necessary expenses (i.e., meals, including applicable sales tax, and all tips. Receipts charged to the District travel card are required for per diem reimbursement. If meals are provided for by some other source (i.e., included in conference or airline), it must be disclosed on the Travel Expense Worksheet.
Meal expenses incurred by non-employees (i.e., agents of the District, parents, chaperones and students) shall be reimbursed at the lesser of cost or per diem. Non-employees must provide receipts for all other expenses claimed regardless of cost.
Reimbursement for hotel expenses shall be at an actual rate for single occupancy standard accommodations. Hotel expenses may be charged using District travel cards. Receipts are required for out-of-pocket hotel costs and should be included on the Travel Expense Worksheet. The District shall not reimburse or pay for deluxe or premium accommodations without justification.
Internet access and Wi-Fi fees may be reimbursed based upon actual cost when purchased for District business.
The District travel card shall not be used to purchase airline tickets. For items charged to the District travel card, original, itemized receipts shall be submitted for all purchases such as lodging fees, registration fees, hotel room telephone charges, shuttle expenses, airport parking, car rental, train tickets, bus tickets, conference materials, meal charges etc.
The District cannot be responsible for entertainment-related costs and alcoholic beverages. These items will not be reimbursed or charged to the District travel card.
Reimbursable expenses (i.e., transportation, lodging, etc.) shall be itemized separately on Travel Expense Worksheet so they are readily identifiable.
An employee shall not claim expenses incurred by another person or that duplicate the same expense that is being claimed by another person or are for family members accompanying employee.

Receipts

Original receipts or vendor invoices must be provided for any single out-of-pocket item in excess of $50.00 in order to obtain reimbursement (use Travel Expense Worksheet ). Students and non-employee chaperones must provide receipts for all expenses claimed regardless of cost. When using a District travel card, all itemized receipts and travel card receipts from vendors must be provided. Original receipts or vendor invoices must be provided for any “single” out-of-pocket travel-related item in excess of $50.00 (i.e. shuttle service, airport parking, conference materials).
All items billed directly to the District shall be disclosed and itemized on the Travel Expense Worksheet.

Travel Expense	Travel Card Allowable Expense	Receipt Required with Travel Expense Worksheet
Airline Tickets	No – Purchased through Travel Leaders
Registration	Yes	Yes
Hotel	Yes	Yes
Rental Car	Yes	Yes
Per Diem – Meals and tips	Yes	Itemized receipts required for all charged meals
Other Travel Related Items - transportation, fuel, conference materials, parking	Yes	Itemized receipts required
Out of Pocket – Items paid in cash	NA	Receipts required for items over $50.00

Local Travel

Local travel is defined as travel that does not require a justified overnight stay as defined by IRS guidelines. Generally, this includes local mileage reimbursement or conferences that occur within 50 miles of the workplace.

Registration

Registration fees may be charged to the District travel card, paid through accounts payable, or be reimbursed.

Reimbursement

Reimbursement of private automobile mileage shall be computed from the employee’s assigned work location unless the employee begins travel at a point nearer the destination. (For example, an employee leaving from home in Olympia to attend a meeting in Seattle shall claim reimbursement from the District work location to Seattle. An employee living in Fife shall claim reimbursement from Fife to Seattle.) Travel on non-work days shall be reimbursed from point of origin.
District employees are authorized to travel for District-related business. Reimbursement for private automobile mileage will follow IRS guidelines and applicable employee Collective Bargaining Agreements. Registration and meals for conferences or conventions shall be reimbursed only with prior approval.
Employees assigned to two or more in-District locations are authorized travel in accordance with the required schedule and shall be reimbursed based on the miles established on the District mileage chart for locations listed. Otherwise, odometer readings of the most direct routes shall be used.
Reimbursement for private automobile mileage shall not exceed the current Internal Revenue Service rate per mile.
Meal expenses may be reimbursed to Board employees who are required to work through breakfast, lunch or dinner times while attending District business meetings that are held outside the District and that include participants who are not Tacoma School District employees. Information required for reimbursement shall include original receipts, the purpose (agenda) and location of the meeting, a list of attendees and the date and time of the meeting. Board Meetings will not intentionally be scheduled over meals or for the purpose of having a meal.
An employee shall not claim expenses incurred by another person or that duplicate the same expense that is being claimed by another person.

Receipts

Original receipts or vendor invoices must be provided for any single out-of-pocket item in excess of $50.00 in order to obtain reimbursement; however, students and non-employee chaperones must provide receipts for all expenses claimed regardless of cost. When using a District travel card, all itemized receipts and travel card receipts from vendors must be provided.

Schedule for Processing Claims/Return of District Travel Cards

Reimbursement claims for travel requiring justified overnight lodging must be submitted to the finance department within fifteen working days of return to work. All travel claims, regardless of the amount, must be submitted no later than thirteen working days after August 31 of each year or reimbursement shall not be made.
All travel cards must be returned to the card custodian immediately after return to work.
Non-adherence to travel policy, regulation, and procedure may result in future travel requests being denied.
If reimbursable costs exceed estimated expenses as shown on the Travel Authorization Form by ten percent, then approval by the appropriate administrator must be obtained prior to submitting the Travel Expense Worksheet form to the finance department.

Compensable Travel

Employees considered non-exempt employees under Washington Law definition shall be compensated for all hours worked during the period of travel. This includes any hours worked when enroute to their travel destination from the time the employee leaves their home until they have reached the lodging in their travel destination and have ceased “working”; and any hours worked on the return travel through the time the employee has reached their residence or have ceased “working”. Employees are responsible for documenting all travel time on their respective timecard.

Approval Date: 5/07/2002

Revised Date: 8/23/2022

6213R
authorization
expense
reimbursement
travel