TRAVEL/EXPENSE REGULATIONS

Transcription

1 TRAVEL/EXPENSE REGULATIONS Nicholas County File: DG-A Purpose: The Nicholas County Board of Education considers professional development an integral part of an effective, efficient school system. It is essential for the school system to be represented in meetings at the state and national level which are designed to: (1) improve the teaching learning process in our schools; (2) make the school system aware of the latest developments in local, state, and federal policies, legislation, and regulations; and (3) improve the supervision and management of all facets of the school system. Rationale: Educational conferences, meetings, and professional learning communities serve as means of providing professional development education, as well as providing the necessary input required in making prudent and well-advised decisions which generally affect the total school community. Selected participants have the responsibility of sharing with associates all information gained from these events. The number of employees attending such activities shall be limited to as few in number as can effectively cover the information offered and is fiscally responsible for the county. The Board of Education recognizes that attendance is requested and sometimes required at national, regional, and state meetings called by state and federal or other authorities. They also recognize that responsibilities of many employees sometimes require frequent travel outside the school district, and that daily travel within the school district is necessary for certain employees to carry out their duties and assigned responsibilities. The policies contained herein are made in accordance with sound business practices and under the following reference of the State Code of West Virginia Board of Education Members shall also be paid, upon the presentation of an itemized sworn statement, for all necessary traveling expenses, including all authorized meetings, incurred on official business, at the order of the board Superintendent of Schools The board may reimburse the superintendent from the current expense fund for all reasonable and necessary travel expenses actually incurred in the performance of his official duties. But no allowance shall be made except upon sworn itemized statements Assistant Superintendents, Directors/Supervisors of Educational Activities The county board of education is authorized to reimburse the employees for their necessary traveling expenses upon presentation of a monthly itemized, sworn statement approved by the county superintendent Attendance Director The county board of education shall reimburse the attendance director or 1

2 18A A-5-4a assistant attendance director for their necessary traveling expenses upon presentation of a monthly, itemized, sworn statement approved by the county superintendent. Educational meetings... Further, the board is authorized to pay all or any part of expenses of any personnel whom it may designate to represent the board at any such professional or educational meetings or in visitation to another school system.... Professional educators serving as mentor teachers, serving on state and county professional staff development councils, serving on school curriculum teams and serving on professional support teams will be granted... reimbursement for necessary expenses actually incurred in attending meetings of the bodies upon which they serve upon... Educational or service meetings Further, the board is authorized to pay all or any part of expenses of any personnel whom it may designate to represent the board at any such educational conventions, conferences or school service meetings or in visitation to another school system. In accordance with State Code (2007), West Virginia Attorney General interpretation, and State Superintendent of Schools opinion (1965), the prevailing rule for determining whether a travel expense is reimbursable will be that: 1. Out of state trips have prior approval of the board of education. 2. Out of county trips have prior approval of the superintendent. Factors to be considered for reimbursement by the board of education and superintendent may include funds available, reasonable total expense, travel associated with the performance of the duty, benefits commensurate with the cost, and benefits primarily accrued to the function (job) rather than the person. General Instructions: All travel outside the employee s normal work day duties or contract period, or which requires a substitute employee for which reimbursement is requested and/or considered must be pre-approved by completing a Request to Attend Educational Meeting form. All professional meeting requests requiring Board approval must be submitted at least one week before the regular scheduled Board meeting. All other requests require submission to the superintendent for approval at least one week prior to the requested meeting. No travel plans (e.g. hotel, airfare) should be made by the employee until approval by the superintendent or board as stated above. The standard form Traveling Expense Account will be used for all claims for traveling expenses. All expenses shall be itemized in detail and no items shall be designated as miscellaneous. The purpose of the travel, mode of travel, date of travel, and name of the person submitting travel shall be noted on the form. Expense accounts must be signed by the employee before submission to the Finance Office for payment. State law requires travel to be filed at the end of each month. The county may prepay some travel expenses at the discretion of the superintendent or treasurer. 2

3 Specific Instructions: A. Traveling within the county The distance traveled to and from work is not an allowable reimbursement. Mileage will begin and/or end at the central office or designated location with the following exceptions. 1. If the employee starts the day by visiting a school or schools and the distance from the employee s home to the school or schools visited is greater than the distance from the employee s home to the county office, the employee may count the difference in/as mileage. 2. If the employee ends the day by visiting a school or schools and the distance from the county office to the school or schools visited is greater than the distance from the county office to the employee s home the employee may count the difference as mileage. 3. If the employee is attending an activity relating to school or Board of Education business that is scheduled after the normal working day or on a weekend, then mileage will begin and/or end at the employee s home. 4. Employees attending in-county meetings during the normal school day will not be eligible for mileage reimbursement if it involves the entire day. This will be considered their assigned work location for the day. Central office employees may claim mileage for such meetings only if it requires departing from or returning to the central office before or after the meeting and only the difference for actual miles traveled to/from meeting site to the central office. Distance table to all schools in Nicholas County from the Central Office, 400 Old Main Drive, Summersville, WV, shall be as follows. (Round-trip figures) Birch River 36 Cherry River 50 Gauley River 30 Dixie 55 Glade Creek 12 Mt. Lookout 26 Mt. Nebo 12 NCCTC 31 Nicholas County High 8 Panther Creek 26 Richwood High 52 Richwood Middle 52 Summersville Elem. 1 Summersville Middle 8 Zela 16 B. Traveling by School Level Personnel School level personnel (principals, teachers, support staff) will be permitted travel reimbursement subject to all other regulations in this policy and in accordance with the following. 1. During the personnel absence, adequate supervision and/or work replacement is provided. 2. The trip is associated with the performance of duties. 3. The benefits primarily accrue to the function (job) rather than the person. 3

4 4. The benefits are commensurate with the cost. 5. Appropriate permission is granted and all applicable parts of this policy are followed. 6. Cash advances of school funds for such approved travel expenses will not be permitted. B. Transportation Reimbursement for transportation will be limited to the actual cost supported by ticket receipts or other appropriate documentation based on the most direct and practical route possible. Mode of transportation shall be that which is most efficient and economical to the school district. Federal Excise Tax As a government unit, the county is not exempt from federal excise tax on transportation. Privately-Owned Vehicles Mileage allowance for use of privately owned vehicles engaged in county business will be allowed the current per diem amount allowed by the Internal Revenue Service. Cost of parking and garage fees, as well as turnpike and bridge tolls, will be allowed on out of county trips. C. Subsistence 1. Lodging All persons traveling on county business will be reimbursed to an amount equal to their actual hotel bill (excluding personal items). A receipt for the amount paid for hotel room must be submitted with the expense account. Reimbursement for hotel expenses shall not be made for an employee s spouse. In case of double occupancy with spouse, hotel reimbursement will be on the basis of single occupancy rate. Where single occupancy rate has not been definitely established, reimbursement will be made at 80% of double occupancy rates. 2. Meals Cost of meals is to be shown separately on the expense form. Meal reimbursement shall be at the State of West Virginia meal rate for in state travel and the federal government rate for travel outside of West Virginia. Meal reimbursement will be limited to 75% of the allowable rate on the day traveling to and the day traveling from overnight trips. There will be no meal reimbursement for single day trips. Itemized receipts are required for meal reimbursement. Meal gratuity is permitted but limited to 15%. D. Other Expense Related to Travel: 1. All expenses are to be itemized daily. 2. Registration fees are only allowable upon approval of the superintendent. 3. Expense claims must be signed by the superintendent. 4. The following expenses must be substantiated by receipts. Hotel Airline or other public conveyance ticket Registration fees Toll road tickets Parking tickets if parking is required and exceeds $2.00 per day 5. Association dues are generally not allowable expenses. 6. Any and all other expenses incurred in the line of duty and not listed above must be accompanied by a receipt and are subject to the approval of the superintendent. 4

5 7. No employee shall be permitted to receive reimbursement from the Nicholas County Board of Education for any expenses that have been paid or are to be paid by a third party (dual payment). Severability: If any provision of this rule or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this rule. Repeals Nicholas County School Policies: DLC, DLCA, DLCA-R, GCBBD Approved: May 4, 2009, Revised September 8,