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Administrative Procedures 4000 - Personnel
Administrative Procedure 4133 - Local Reimbursable Travel

Administrative Procedure 4133 - Local Reimbursable Travel

I. Purpose

To provide procedures for authorizing and reimbursing employees for official travel on school system business.

II. Information

All official business travel funded through appropriated sources is subject to the requirements of this regulation. Travel guidelines are intended to facilitate travel arrangements; to provide information regarding allowable reimbursement for travel expenses; and to protect employees against the risk of loss, while simultaneously maintaining the necessary controls for accountability.

III. Definitions

The following definitions apply to the content of this Administrative Procedure:

  1. Local Business Travel: Travel by school system employees on official business matters within the metropolitan area as may be authorized by the appropriate primary account manager and does not require an overnight stay. Mileage reimbursement will be made in accordance with procedures described in the unit member’s appropriate negotiated contract. Employees are NOT entitled to compensation for normal commuting miles.
    1. Travel for central or area office personnel required on any day to report to a duty station other than the regularly assigned duty station and authorized by the appropriate primary account manager. Normal roundtrip commuting mileage must be deducted from the traveler’s gross miles for each day (Gross Miles = ONLY actual miles traveled on a given day).
    2. Travel for school based personnel connected with attending central office meetings or other events. Travel by school based personnel who are regularly required to travel between schools as part of their duties. School based personnel may also be required at times to attend official business meetings away from their assigned schools at the request of central office. Normal roundtrip commuting mileage must be deducted from the traveler’s gross miles for each day.
    3. Travel for Home & Hospital Teachers (HHTs) required to use their automobiles in the performance of their duties shall be reimbursed for all travel between students on a given day and to pick up required student assignments. Mileage shall be calculated from the designated service location. The designated service location is the place where the student receives the educational services (i.e. student’s home, hospital, or school) to the next designated service location. Mileage is calculated from one student’s service location to the next. Commuting miles to and from the HHTs home to the designated service location is disallowed. If a HHT has only one assigned student, then the HHT is not entitled to compensation to and from their home to the student’s designated service location, as these miles are considered commuting miles.
  2. Approving Authority: Principals, Directors, Associate Superintendents, Chiefs, and the Chief Executive Officer (or his/her respective delegate) serve as approving authorities for travel. Refer to the annual Signature Authority Bulletin authorizing approval levels.
  3. Base Location: Base location is defined by the PGCPS Department of Human Resources.
  4. Standard Mileage Rate: The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) establishes a standard mileage rate to calculate reimbursement for operating a personal vehicle for business miles driven. IRS rate change notification will be communicated by bulletin. I-Expense mileage templates will be updated to calculate the current IRS mileage rates.
  5. Reimbursement Calculation: In i-Expense list all duty stations visited each day (in order visited), gross mileage for each day, and then deduct employee’s normal commuting miles for each day. Net reimbursable mileage each day is the gross mileage less the employee’s normal commuting miles. Normal commuting miles are defined as two (2) times the distance between the unit member’s home and location of regular assignment.

IV. Responsibilities

  1. Travelers must:
    1. Ensure that expenses are reasonable and necessary.
    2. Use sound judgment and advance planning to minimize expenses and timely processing of travel request.
    3. Report mileage and related expenses on a monthly basis, or risk denial of reimbursement.
    4. List all locations visited each day in the order visited, if location(s) is other than a PGCPS school or office site, include the address of the site visited.
    5. Utilize online mapping software to calculate the most efficient route option.
    6. In i-Expense, attach scanned receipts for parking, tolls, etc. and forward to approver.
  2. Department and school staff members must:
    1. Ensure compliance with the provisions of this regulation by confirming the availability of funding.
    2. Verify expenses are allowed.
    3. Ensure the completeness and accuracy of the information provided and receipts submitted as documentation of expenses.
    4. Retain all mileage related financial records for audit purposes, including copies of all receipts, according to document retention schedules.
  3. Approving authorities must:
    1. Ensure compliance with the provisions of this regulation by determining whether travel for which approval is sought is essential to the effective operation of PGCPS and whether expenses are reasonable and necessary.
    2. Verify the allowable expenses, and the availability of funds.
    3. Review/Verify using online mapping program to determine accurate mileage is calculated.
    4. Verify receipts for all requests for reimbursement.
    5. Verify that travel reimbursement does not cross fiscal years. (June mileage must be submitted and approved within the first six days of July.)
  4. Department of Financial Services must:
    1. Ensure compliance with the provisions of this regulation.
    2. Ensure prompt payment of authorized official travel expenses.

V. Local Business Travel

  1. General:
    1. Travel by school system employees on official business matters within the metropolitan area as authorized by the appropriate primary account manager.
    2. All requests for local travel reimbursement must be submitted via Oracle i-Expense for reimbursement. Registration fees for trainings, seminars, etc., must be paid by preparing a pre-paid Purchase Order.
    3. PGCPS does NOT reimburse employees for meals while on local travel/local conference.
    4. Requests for local travel reimbursement must be approved by an authorized approving authority.
  2. Allowable and Other Expenses:
    1. Mileage: Mileage reimbursement is allowed for employees who use personal vehicles for official business travel. Mileage will be reimbursed at the prevailing IRS standard mileage rate for miles traveled in excess of the round-trip daily commute between the traveler’s residence and base location or designated service location. Distances must be calculated/verified using online mapping programs using the most efficient route option. All mileage must be submitted on a monthly basis. Travel reimbursement will not be processed by the Finance Department if it crosses fiscal years. All such requests will be returned to traveler.
    2. Parking, Tolls, Taxi Fares and Public Transportation Costs: Reimbursement is allowed for employees who incur parking fees, tolls, taxi fares, and public transportation costs while on official business travel. Obtain receipts for parking, tolls, taxi fares and public transportation (Metro).
    3. Other Expenses: Food per diems are NOT permitted under Local Travel Reimbursement, only Non Local Travel (overnight stays) qualify for food per diems.

VI. Related Policies and Procedures

VII. Maintenance and Update of these Procedures

These procedures originate with the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Human Resources Officer and will be updated as needed.

VIII. Cancellations and Supersedures

This Administrative Procedure cancels and supersedes Administrative Procedure 4133, dated May 15, 2015.

XI. Effective Date

Last Revised: October 31, 2019

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