HomeMy WebLinkAboutTravel and Meeting Guidelines-2/24/2014TRAVEL AND MEETING GUIDELINES —
Amendment # 1— Dated February 24, 2014
Travel Requiring Stays of More than One Week
On occasions when employees are attending training or traveling on city business for
more than a five-day period, accommodations with cooking facilities should be used
whenever possible. In that event, meal reimbursements will be paid using a flat fee of $25
per day.
In cases where an employee's travel is longer than a five-day period and includes days
that are not either work or class days, the city reimbursement shall follow these
guidelines. If it's more economical to pay any additional lodging costs and additional
meal costs than to pay travel expenses to return home for those days (typically the
weekend), the city will pay the additional costs if the employee chooses to remain at the
travel site. If it's more economical to return home for those days, the city will not
reimburse the employee for the additional lodging and meals for the non work/class days.
Meal Allowances
In lieu of turning in actual expenses, a per diem of $30 per day (including beverages,
taxes and gratuities) is allowed for meals.
IRS regulations require that the employee be traveling for a full 24-hour period in order
to receive the full daily per diem. Therefore, for the day that the employee leaves, the per
diem will be reduced to the portion of the day needed for travel (typically reduced to 75%
of the daily per diem amount). For the day that the employee returns home, the per diem
will be reduced to the portion of the day spent in class or in route (typically reduced to
60% of the daily per diem amount).
Because of reimbursement limitations by other agencies or other budget constraints,
department heads may authorize lower meal allowances. Any reimbursements exceeding
departmental allowances require approval by the department head. In any event,
reimbursements cannot exceed amounts established by city policy.
General
• If meals are provided without charge at a meeting or while in transit (meals served on a
plane, for example), appropriate deductions must be made from the per diem meal
allowance.
Approved by the City Council 3
Travel and Meetings Policy Amendment # 1