5.23 TRAVEL Travel 09/13/12 Page 1

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1 5.23 TRAVEL OBJECTIVE To provide guidelines and reimbursement rates for expenses incurred by employees while in travel status and on official University of Tennessee Foundation (UTFI) business GENERAL POLICY 1. This policy provides the guidelines for reimbursement of expenses related to travel for UTFI. Authorization for travel and reimbursement of expenses must be in accordance with the provisions in this policy. 2. The travel must be necessary to execute official UTFI business. Professional meetings, conferences, or workshops must be directly connected to the individual's duties and role within UTFI. 3. A complete reason must be provided to describe the purpose of the trip. Single words such as "meeting," "research," "conference," do not constitute an adequate reason. When visiting or meeting a donor/prospect, the name should be included. 4. When traveling, employees should be as conservative as circumstances permit. Reimbursement for travel will be based upon the most direct or expeditious route possible. Employees traveling by an indirect route must assume any extra expense incurred. It is the responsibility of the employee to be familiar with and adhere to established travel policies. Deliberate disregard of these regulations while traveling on UTFI business or filing of an intentionally misleading or fraudulent travel claim is grounds for disciplinary action, including termination of employment. 5. A detailed explanation must be provided when travel begins or ends from any location other than the employee's official station. If there is an airport near the employee s official station, the employee should use the official station airport or provide cost savings documentation for the use of an alternate airport. The cost of meals. Lodging and mileage that will be claimed should be included in the determination of any savings. 6. In- route expenses are limited to one day each way. 7. The entry and approval of the request to travel and the request for reimbursement of expenses must be processed in the IRIS system. 8. The chief operating officer or controller must approve any exceptions to this policy. 9. UTFI will use the university s travel reimbursement rate schedule ADVANCES 1. Cash advances may be obtained when UTFI travel would impose a financial burden and are available to the groups or individuals listed below. Employees who request and receive travel advances must be physically present to clear the advance within 30 days following the last day of travel. a. Person responsible for paying expenses and/or distributing cash to team or group members b. Employees traveling outside the continental United States c. Term employees d. Non- exempt employees e. Students traveling on Foundation business 5.23 Travel 09/13/12 Page 1

2 2. Cash advances for travel may be requested via the Travel Advance Form. Advances from UTFI funds constitute a loan to an individual. The advance must be cleared within 30 days upon completion of the travel. 3. If a cash advance is not cleared within 30 days, a deduction in the full amount of the advance may be made from the employee s payroll check. By requesting a travel advance, the traveler is authorizing this deduction. Any person for whom a payroll deduction is made will forfeit future cash advance privileges. 4. A Travel Advance Form must be completed to determine the amount of the advance. The form must include an itemized estimate of expenses. The form must be received by the Controller s Office in enough time to allow for audit, processing, and disbursement of funds. Normally, a cash advance will not be made more than five days before the travel departure date. 5. Advances are limited to a maximum of eighty percent (80%) of estimated reimbursable travel expenses. However, team, tour, and international travel may be advanced at one hundred percent (100%) of estimated travel costs. 6. Upon completion of the trip, the traveler should submit a Travel Expense Report for reimbursement of expenses incurred. The comments section of the report must be used to indicate that an advance has been given, including the amount, for the trip. 7. Travel advances cannot be made for items billed directly to UTFI AIR TRAVEL 1. Reimbursement for airfare will be limited to standard coach fare. There will be no exceptions to this restriction. Employees must purchase their own airlines tickets. One employee cannot be reimbursed for another employee's airfare. 2. Employees are encouraged to participate in the University of Tennessee's Designated Travel Agency Program, World Travel. Internet airfares are available through Cliqbook, the on- line reservation system offered through the Designated Travel Agency Program. University- negotiated vendor discounts are available only through the university's designated travel agency. 3. The cost of the ticket should be supported by the vendor s invoice, receipt or other similar documentation that contains the name of the passenger, dates of travel, complete trip itinerary, amount, and the name of the airline. Additionally, the documentation must show the class of service. Employees may be reimbursed for airline tickets at the time of purchase. 4. A comparison quote must be obtained for airfare when any of the following circumstances prevails: a. Personal travel is combined with business travel and includes additional destinations. If there is not an additional destination, the airfare is reimbursable and a quote is not needed. b. Leaving from a destination other than the official station c. A first or business class ticket has been purchased A comparison quote of the lowest discounted coach price (for the business portion only) must be obtained from the same source using the same carrier and on the same day the original ticket was purchased. A quote obtained after the date the ticket was purchased is not considered sufficient support of savings. If a quote is not obtained at the time the airline ticket is purchased, a quote for the lowest discounted coach fare (from the same carrier and day of the week) for the business portion only with at least a 21 day advance purchase will be used to determine the amount of reimbursement. Instances where a qualifying quote is provided should not be treated as an exception. For example: an employee travels to a conference in Orlando on Monday July 1 and instead of returning on Thursday to his official station they travel to Tampa 5.23 Travel 09/13/12 Page 2

3 and return on Saturday from Tampa. The traveler should get a quote on the day that they purchase their ticket showing the cost of just traveling to the conference and back to their official station. If they fail to obtain this quote, they need to attempt to recreate the cost of just attending the conference by obtaining a quote at least 21 days out, departing on a Monday, returning on Thursday to their official station and using the same airlines. They will be reimbursed the lesser of the cost of their ticket or the quote for the business only flight. 5. Employees will be reimbursed fees for reissuing or revalidating a non- refundable ticket. 6. If the traveler departs from a location other than his or her official station in order to take advantage of discounted airfares, he or she may be reimbursed up to the per diem for meals, lodging and other expenses provided the reimbursement amount does not exceed the airfare savings and the trip does not include additional destinations. To validate the savings, the traveler must obtain a quote in accordance with the guidelines described in above. A detailed explanation of all expenses and savings associated with extending the trip must appear in the Comments section of the Travel Expense Report generated by IRIS. See Example of Personal Time Calculation. 7. Any unused ticket or any portion of an unused ticket must be processed for a refund or the value of the ticket applied to a future trip. The traveler is responsible for managing and controlling this process. 8. Mandatory fees imposed by the airline industry will be reimbursed. A receipt is required for amounts of $50 or more. 9. Direct Bill of Airfare. Departments may purchase airline tickets through a direct billing process for employees, students, and non- employees authorized to travel at UTFI expense. a. An Application for Direct Bill of Airfare (Form T- 25) must be forwarded to the Foundation s business office via before the travel dates. A Travel Request must be processed in IRIS. b. After receipt of the request to purchase airline tickets, the Foundation s business office will issue a transportation request authorization number to the travel agency. The department should call the travel agency to arrange for tickets. c. Upon completion of a trip, departments must enter the amount of the airline ticket in the individual's Travel Expense Report as airfare company- paid. d. Airfare involving additional destinations for personal reasons, business or first class tickets, or departure from a destination other than the traveler s official station may not be purchased through direct bill AUTOMOBILE 1. Use of University Motor Pool Vehicles. UTFI has entered into a Vehicle Usage Agreement with UT that permits UTFI employees to use UT Motor Pool vehicles on a first come, first served basis, subject to UT regulations and at the same charges and fees that UT Motor Pool charges UT departments. UTFI employee use of UT Motor Pool vehicles is governed by UT Fiscal Policy FI0725 ( Use of University Vehicles ). Whenever possible, gasoline and oil should be purchased from university motor pool facilities or state garages. A gasoline credit card is provided with the automobile to use whenever these resources are not available. In the event a gasoline credit card cannot be used and it is necessary to purchase gasoline with personal funds, a request for reimbursement must be made directly to the UT motor pool. This expense cannot be reimbursed with an IRIS generated Travel Expense Report. 2. Personally Owned Automobile. A personally owned automobile may be used for official travel provided UTFI will incur no additional expense above that of other available transportation. The 5.23 Travel 09/13/12 Page 3

4 Travel Expense Report must indicate the traveler's itinerary and show the official business mileage. If an indirect route is used, mileage as indicated in the Rand McNally Road Atlas or a comparable mileage table will be considered official. If the mileage claimed on the Travel Expense Report exceeds the official business mileage, the reason for the excess mileage must be documented (e.g., by providing donor names and addresses or other business- related reason for the Excess). See the Travel Reimbursement Rate Schedule for the standard mileage rate. In lieu of mileage, gasoline purchases can be claimed, as long as the total is not more than the mileage charge. a. When mileage is claimed to attend UTFI business, the travelers will be reimbursed the lesser of: b. Mileage from the official station to the business meeting site; or c. Mileage from the traveler s home to the business meeting site 3. Local Mileage. Employees may be reimbursed for the use of their personal automobile for local travel for UTFI business. Local travel is defined as travel within a 75- mile radius of the official station. Reimbursement may not be requested for commuting from the traveler s home to their official station regardless of the frequency of these trips per day or if it occurs after business hours or on weekends. See the Travel Reimbursement Rate Schedule for the standard mileage rate. Requests for the reimbursement must be submitted on the Travel Expense Report along with the UTFI Local Mileage Log that includes the specific origin and destination of each trip, number of miles, and the purpose of the trip. The total mileage from this log should be attached to the Travel Expense Report. Reimbursement requests for local mileage should be submitted no more than once a month, but an employee may make requests on a quarterly basis. At the end of each fiscal year, these requests must be submitted by June 30. Required Log for Local Travel: Date Origin Destination Purpose Odometer Mileage 4. Automobile Rental at Official Station. When it is necessary to rent a vehicle at an employee s official station, actual expenses will be reimbursed 5. Automobile Rental at Domestic Destination. Employees will be reimbursed for a rental automobile at the domestic destination when necessary to conduct UTFI business. Reservations are encouraged through the university of Tennessee- designated travel agency to obtain discounts negotiated with auto rental vendors. 6. Whenever possible, travelers should refuel the automobile prior to returning the automobile to the rental agency. If gasoline convenience fees are incurred, they should be processed as an exception to policy with an explanation. 7. Automobile Rental at International Destination. Employees will be reimbursed for a rental automobile while on international travel status. UTFI recommends that collision waiver insurance be purchased. The cost of this coverage will be reimbursed to the traveler. 8. Personal Accident Insurance. This coverage offered by car rental agencies provides personal benefits and is not reimbursable by UTFI. 9. Collision Damage Insurance. Rental vehicles should be inspected for existing physical damage before rental. In the event of any damage to a rented or leased automobile or other vehicle, the employee must report the damage immediately to the Controller s Office. When physical 5.23 Travel 09/13/12 Page 4

5 damage occurs, the employee's departmental account or other responsible account will be responsible for the first $1,000 of the loss CELLULAR PHONE CHARGES Business- related cellular phone charges while in travel status, including international travel will be reimbursed for airtime, roaming, and applicable tax for individuals who do not have a cell phone allowance or a UTFI phone. The calls must be identified on the Travel Expense Report to include the name and location of each call, date of the call, and purpose of the call. Any purchase of equipment or cell phone plans for international travel must be treated as an exception with documentation and justification provided CHARTERED AIRCRAFT 1. The UT plane is not available to UTFI employees unless UTFI employees are passengers on a flight arranged by university employee and a University employee is a passenger on the flight. 2. Generally, UTFI staff whose duties require travel will use commercial ground and air carriers or a personally- owned automobile CONVERSION TO U.S. DOLLARS 1. All amounts in IRIS are in U.S. dollars. Any currency conversions must be calculated outside of IRIS. The conversion rate and computation must be shown on each receipt, or the conversion can be calculated on a conversion website and attached to each receipt. The conversion rate and date must correspond to the date shown on the receipt (i.e., conversion rate - 9/01/08; receipt date - 9/01/08). Conversions shown on credit card statements are also acceptable if they contain the amount claimed and are attached to each receipt. A credit card charge that combines all hotel charges (lodging, taxes, food, internet, etc.) cannot be used because each of these expenses must be claimed separately. 2. All expenses related to the conversion of U.S. dollars will be reimbursed. 3. Expenses to obtain funds at automated teller machines (ATM) are not reimbursable. 4. The recommended website for conversions is OANDA - The average bid rate should be used DESIGNATED TRAVEL AGENCY UTFI will use the university's designated travel agency. University- negotiated vendor airfare discounts are available only through the university's Designated Travel Agency. Employees are encouraged to participate in the university's Designated Travel Agency program, World Travel Services, Inc. Internet airfares are available through Cliqbook, the on- line reservation system offered by the Designated Travel Agency Program. World Travel service includes rental car and assistance in lodging for CONUS rates (see the section on lodging for additional information) GUEST TRAVEL 1. Guidelines and procedures in this section apply to guests, such as consultants and other individuals who are authorized to travel at UTFI expense. Non- resident alien guests must submit a copy of their visa as a part of reimbursement documentation. 2. Any guest with expenses must be entered into the IRIS HR system as a Guest Traveler and assigned an employee number. An e- form is now available to request the personnel number for a guest traveler. A Record a Guest Traveler Worksheet is available for collecting the guest information for entry into IRIS. A Travel Request is required for all out of state or foreign travel Travel 09/13/12 Page 5

6 3. Destination. If a guest traveler's destination is somewhere other than a university location, the benefit to UTFI for the visit must be explained. 4. Meal Allowance. The meal allowance will be reimbursed in accordance with applicable per diems. 5. Lodging. Lodging should be arranged at a hotel or motel that honors State or CONUS rates. If such rates are not available, actual lodging expenses will be reimbursed. 6. Transportation. Transportation expenses may be paid by the guest or billed directly to UTFI. 7. Individuals Accompanying a Guest. These travel expenses must be entered in IRIS as "Other Exceptions to Policy" on the guest's Travel Expense Report with an explanation given in the Comments section. 8. All signatures on the Travel Expense Report should be original. In situations where the guest cannot sign, a faxed, signed copy or an e- mail of the document showing the amount to be reimbursed will be accepted. 9. Any other documentation (for example, a Travel Expense Report (Form T- 3) or a letter from a guest traveler) used to submit documentation to the department for entry into IRIS can be signed by the traveler and attached to the TRAVEL EXPENSE REPORT in lieu of a signature on the expense report INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL 1. Reimbursement rates for lodging, meals, and incidentals will be in accordance with the Federal rates (OCONUS) for the city and country for all international travel. Note: OCONUS rates for lodging include all taxes therefore reimbursements are limited to the OCONUS rates for that city and country. 2. If enroute travel time lasts more than 13 hours, 1 additional day of lodging and meals will be allowed. 3. Reimbursement for upgraded coach airfare that provides additional leg room will be allowed for flights from your official station to destinations outside of North America. This upgrade can t include first or business class. Any comparison quotes that may need to be obtained in accordance with of this policy can include a similar upgraded coach airfare instead of the discounted coach airfare instead of the discounted coach airfare LODGING 1. Non- Conference Lodging: Lodging expenses will be reimbursed subject to the maximum amounts shown in the Travel Reimbursement Rate Schedule. Original receipts are required and must include the name of the individual occupying the room, the daily room charge, applicable tax, and total charges. 2. To expedite reimbursements and minimize staff time in locating rates within the CONUS schedules World Travel (the university's designated travel agency) can assist travelers to secure CONUS rates. In the event World Travel cannot secure a CONUS rate for a trip, a World Travel consultant will document that a CONUS rate is not available and the rate booked is the lowest rate available at the time of the booking. The documentation will be in the form of an e- mail and must be attached to the reimbursement request along with the hotel receipt. Travelers who use this process will not be required to process the lodging as an exception. 3. NOTE: The reimbursement rate for lodging and meals is based upon the city where the employee spends the night. 4. Conference Lodging: Employees attending official meetings (such as a conference, seminar, or workshop, but not just a meeting of several individuals) and lodge in the designated conference 5.23 Travel 09/13/12 Page 6

7 hotel or overflow hotel will be reimbursed for room and tax. A conference brochure/agenda must be attached to the reimbursement request and contain the name of the designated conference and/or overflow hotel(s). The absence of the conference brochure/agenda will limit the reimbursement to the CONUS/OCONUS rate. 5. In the event the employee lodged in a hotel of their choice, the amount of the reimbursement will be limited to the rate of the conference hotel, documented by conference literature, and attached to the expense report. In the event the conference materials do not contain a conference- lodging rate, CONUS/OCONUS rates will be applicable. 6. Employees must pay for their own lodging. However, if two employees share a room and the room rate total for both employees is less than or equal to the allowable lodging per diem for each employee, one employee may pay the entire amount and claim the expenses. The Travel Expense Reports for both employees must identify the other employee. 7. When employees share a room and the amount exceeds the allowable lodging per diem for each employee, each employee must pay for his or her share of the lodging. Both employees should request their own receipt. If it is not possible for both employees to get a receipt, a copy of the original receipt is acceptable. The Travel Expense Reports for both employees must identify the other employee. 8. If a UTFI employee shares a room with a non- employee, the actual cost will be allowed up to the maximum reimbursable amount. The receipt for the entire amount must be submitted with the Travel Expense Report. 9. Early departure and other hotel fees will be reimbursed, provided a receipt is obtained. 10. Deposits or advance payments will be reimbursed prior to a trip if required by the terms in a contract or if deposits or advance payments are standard practice MEAL ALLOWANCES 1. Daily meal allowances are provided in the Travel Reimbursement Rate Schedule. The meal allowance will be in accordance with the per diems for locations of travel and will be based upon the city where the employee spent the night. 2. Reimbursement for meals for the day of departure and the day of return will be calculated based on the number of hours the traveler is in travel status. Day of departure: Time of Departure Hours in Travel Status % of Per Diem 0:00-5:59 18:01-24:00 100% 6:00-11:59 12:01-18:00 75% 12:00-17:59 6:01-12:00 50% 18:00-23:59 0:01-6:00 25% Day of Return: Time of Return Hours in Travel Status % of Per Diem 0:01-6:00 0:01-6:00 25% 6:01-12:00 6:01-12:00 50% 12:01-18:00 12:01-18:00 75% 18:01-24:00 18:01-24:00 100% 5.23 Travel 09/13/12 Page 7

8 If any meal is provided as part of a sponsored training session, conference, or entertainment, the employee should deduct the cost of that meal(s) from the per diem for that day, using the meal deductions in the Travel Expense Report. If the traveler elects not to eat the conference meal, the deduction should still be taken. Failure to do this would result in UTFI purchasing two meals for one traveler. Deductions are not required for continental breakfasts which are not considered a meal. This also applies to the day of departure and the day of return; however, deductions on day of departure and day of return can cause incorrect reimbursement amounts. The following table provides the percentage of a day's meals deducted from the day's meal per diem based on the type of deduction: Percentage of Full Day's Per Diem Deducted by Meal Type: Breakfast 20% Lunch 30% Dinner 50% Meal Allowance for One- Day Trips. Reimbursement for a single meal (or meals) for employees on one- day travel status with no overnight stay is not permitted NON- IRIS TRAVEL EXPENSE REPORT (FORM T- 6) 1. The Non- IRIS Travel Expense Report (Form T- 6) is to be used when entering travel expenses for the following: a. Employees in IRIS who are in a "withdrawn" status: Anyone who has a personnel number in IRIS but is in a withdrawn status should be reimbursed for travel expenses using Form T- 6. This includes retirees, casual laborers, and persons who have left the UTFI but still have an affiliation that requires UTFI to reimburse their travel. b. When using the Form T- 6, all receipts must be attached to the form and routed for all required approvals before being sent to the business office for audit and processing OFFICIAL STATION 1. All reimbursement should be based upon the traveler's official station. An explanation must be given if the reimbursement is based upon a location other than the official station. 2. The official station of an employee is his or her office headquarters or designated work location. The official station is typically the location from which the employee performs the major portion of his or her assigned duties and should be identified as the employee's "Primary Office" address in their IRIS record. The workstation closest to an employee's residence should be designated as the official station for employees with multiple workstations. 3. In the event that an employee is temporarily reassigned to a work location other than his or her usual official station, that location shall become the employee's official station. The employee will not be eligible for reimbursement unless he or she can demonstrate that by commuting to the temporary location he or she has incurred additional expense over the cost of the commute to his or her usual official station. Expenses incurred at an employee's official station will not be reimbursed by UTFI and are considered personal Travel 09/13/12 Page 8

9 OTHER EXPENSES 1. Personal expenses will not be reimbursed. These include, but are not limited to, laundry, hotel valet service when self parking is available, and other types of personal expenses. 2. Items such as printing, duplication, and promotional materials required for official business are allowable expenses and will be reimbursed. 3. Expenses incurred to obtain funds at automated teller machines (ATMs) are not reimbursable TRAVEL PACKAGES Several Internet sites offer travel packages that are designed to reduce the overall cost of travel. Many of these packages include the cost of the airline ticket, lodging, and/or automobile rentals. UTFI will reimburse employees when a travel package is purchased to obtain the best overall cost for a trip. However, the package must not contain any expenses not covered by fiscal policy, any first- class airfare, or any lodging or meal allowances that exceed the per diem for the location of travel. Either an itemized receipt, statement from the vendor, or Travel Package Itemization (Form T- 40) must be provided for documentation for the expenses covered by the package. 1. The preferred receipt is an itemized receipt or statement from the vendor. The itemized and the beginning and ending dates. 2. In the event an itemized receipt cannot be obtained, a Travel Package Itemization Form and a copy of the online receipt must be completed and attached to the request for reimbursement. The information must represent the traveler's best costs estimate of the cost for each item PARKING FEES 1. Charges for routine parking while on travel status will be reimbursed. Receipts must be furnished for parking fees of $50 or more. Parking sites must be identified on the Travel Expense Report. 2. If travel is by air, the employee can be reimbursed for one of the following: (a) the allowable mileage reimbursement for one round trip and airport parking; or (b) the cost of one round trip taxi fare from the employee's official workstation or residence, or (c) the allowable mileage reimbursement for two round trips from home and short- term parking when driven by a friend or relative. 3. Mandatory parking at lodging locations will be reimbursed with proof of lodging locations parking fees policy PASSPORTS AND VISAS Fees and expenses incurred for the purchase of passports and visas for UTFI business travel will be reimbursed. Expenses, including a receipt for the passport or visas, must be fully documented. Expenses related to passports and visas as a condition of employment are considered a personal expense PERSONAL COMPUTER CONNECT CHARGES Personal computer connect charges to access or connect to UTFI will be reimbursed. An explanation for the charge must be provided on the Travel Expense Report PERSONAL TRAVEL COMBINED WITH BUSINESS TRAVEL When a stay at a business location is extended either prior to or after the business mission for personal reasons, the entire airfare may be reimbursed. Other expenses incurred during the personal portion of the stay such as meals, lodging and other transportation are not reimbursable and the traveler should exercise care not to seek reimbursement for these. If any destinations not pertaining to official UTFI 5.23 Travel 09/13/12 Page 9

10 business are included on the airline ticket, the airline ticket may not be used for reimbursement purposes and the traveler must provide a quote in accordance with of this policy PREPAID EXPENSES The Foundation will prepay conference registrations through a procurement card maintained in the Business Office. The Foundation will also prepay non- refundable and international airfare on a procurement card maintained in the Business Office. These expenses cannot be prepaid or reimbursed more than six months in advance of the date that the expenses will be incurred REGISTRATION FEES 1. Fees Paid Directly by UTFI. UTFI will pay registration fees directly to the vendor by submission of an itemized invoice from a conference, seminar, etc. or via the Conference and Seminar Registration Prepayment (Form T- 30). To initiate the payment, an approved Travel Expense Report must be in the IRIS Travel system with the expense type "Reg/Conf/Train Company Paid" showing the amount of the registration. The department is responsible for making this entry on the Travel Expense Report and for recording the trip number on Form T- 30. To expedite the processing of these fees and to reduce costs, it is suggested that all applicable documents (T- 30, conference material and/or invoices) be scanned and attached to the Travel Expense Report in the IRIS Travel System. These will then be routed through workflow to the applicable business office for approval and processing. Instructions for scanning and attaching travel documents are located on the IRIS website, under training material. a. When an invoice is used, the invoice must be billed to UTFI and contain (1) the name of the individual attending the conference, (2) date and location of the conference, and (3) an itemization of all items included in the fee. If this information is not included on the invoice, then he backup documentation ordinarily sent with Form T- 30 is required. This invoice must be sent to the applicable business office and can be processed either before or after the conference. b. When the Form T- 30 is used, the form will be processed by the appropriate department. The Form T- 30 must be accompanied by documentation (i.e., brochure) to support the cost of a registration fee and must specify the amenities included (for example, lodging, meals, membership fee). The documentation should also include conference dates and location. Registration forms must be in duplicate and attached to the Form T- 30. One copy of the registration form will be attached to UTFI's payment. Additional enclosures that need to be mailed with the check and form should accompany the Form T- 30. c. Registration fees for local training at an employee s official station may be charged to the departmental procurement card using G/L provided that no travel expenses, other than local mileage, will be incurred. 2. Fees Paid by and Reimbursed to the Employee. Employees may pay registration fees with personal funds either in advance or at the conference site. This expense is reimbursed via a Travel Expense Report upon completion of the trip. An itemized receipt for the registration must be attached to the printed Travel Expense Report. 3. Payment of Meals and Lodging. In some instances, lodging and all meals may be included in a registration fee. In these cases, the following criteria must be met: a. The lodging and meals must be part of a package arrangement and listed on the registration form. b. Both the registration fee and lodging/meal fee must be made payable to the same vendor Travel 09/13/12 Page 10

11 c. All meals, banquets, or proceedings to be paid by UTFI must be directly related to the official purpose of the conference. d. If an employee is entitled to be reimbursed for a meal because it occurred during authorized travel times, the actual expense, as supported by conference literature or receipt, will be considered a covered expense. This charge can be paid when the registration fee is paid or reimbursed when the employee files his or her Travel Expense Report. e. Expenses included in the registration fee that are purely of a personal nature are not reimbursable (e.g., golfing fees, bus and/or historical tours, theater and sporting event tickets) REIMBURSEMENT PROCEDURES 1. Employees should submit claims for reimbursement for travel expense no later than thirty (30) days after completion of travel, with the exception of local mileage logs. Departments can more effectively approve travel when timely claims are submitted. 2. Reimbursement per diem amounts (meals, lodging, and mileage) can be found in the Travel Reimbursement Rate Schedule. 3. Reimbursement of expenses incurred while on UTFI business is subject to the limitations in this policy. The limits do not indicate the amounts that should be spent but provide maximum amounts that can be reimbursed. 4. An acceptable original, itemized receipt must be submitted for lodging, registration fees, airline tickets, rental cars, or any other allowable expenses of $50 or more. 5. A Travel Expense Report must be processed in IRIS for all employees and guests of UTFI for travel- related expenses. 6. The Travel Expense Report) must be printed and signed by the traveler. All required receipts must be attached to the printed expense report and routed to the appropriate business office for audit. In addition, the approved electronic Travel Expense Report will be electronically routed to the appropriate business office. 7. All signatures on the printed Travel Expense Report should be original. In situations where the employee cannot sign, a faxed or scanned signed copy will be accepted when original signatures are not available provided the amounts to be reimbursed are detailed on the document, required receipts are attached and an explanation is given. 8. Any other documentation (for example, a Form T- 3 or a letter from a guest traveler) used to itemize expenses to the department for entry into IRIS can be signed by the traveler and attached to the Travel Expense Report in lieu of a signature on the Travel Expense Report generated in IRIS. This document must show the amount to be reimbursed. 9. An employee is considered to be on official travel status and eligible for reimbursement at the time of departure from his or her official station or residence, whichever is applicable. 10. Claiming expenses that were not incurred is considered theft. Employees claiming non- incurred expenses will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. See Human Resources Policy 7.2, Disciplinary Action REWARD POINTS Foundation employees are allowed to earn points and miles associated with airline, hotel and rental car frequent travel programs for travel expenses incurred within applicable travel policies and redeem them for personal use. The Foundation will not purchase or reimburse employees for any costs associated with redeeming these points even if the redemption is used for Foundation business Travel 09/13/12 Page 11

12 SCANNED DOCUMENTS To reduce costs, improve efficiencies, improve record retention, and reduce the amount of time that it takes to process travel reimbursements, attaching scanned travel receipts to the reimbursement request in IRIS is required. The documents to be attached include but are not limited to worksheets, conference brochures, receipts, instructional notes, and all other pertinent documents supplied by the traveler. Instructions for attaching these documents can be located under training on the IRIS website at Once the reimbursement request has been processed, the scanned, electronic documents in the IRIS system will serve as the official record for legal and accounting purposes. The department should maintain the paper records in accordance with the Foundation s policy on Records Retention 9.1 and Records Retention Schedule TAXI FARES If an individual travels by common carrier, reasonable taxi, bus, or limousine, charges to and from airports can be reimbursed. Reasonable taxi fares will also be allowed for travel between lodging and meeting sites and to and from restaurants. Receipts are required for expenses of $50 or more for taxis, limousines, and other types of ground transportation. Regardless of the amount of the fare, the destination and reason for each fare reimbursement claimed must be listed on the Travel Expense Report under "Transportation, Ground." Credit card statements showing ground transportation charges may be submitted as reimbursable receipts provided the credit card statement identifies the vendor providing the ground transportation TEAM, GROUP, AND RETREAT TRAVEL 1. The policy for team, group, and retreat travel applies when five or more individuals are traveling together on UTFI business. [See applicable per diems on the Travel Reimbursement Rate Schedule. 2. Nondiscrimination by Facilities Used. The Tennessee Civil Rights Act of 1990 prohibits official university activities in locations, establishments, or commercial facilities that do not grant full access or membership rights and privileges to individuals based on sex, race, creed, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, or disability. No UTFI funds may be paid to such facilities, and employees may not be reimbursed for using these facilities. Before arranging to use a private facility for meetings, retreats, etc., UTFI departments must ascertain that no discriminatory practices exist. 3. Authorization for Official Travel. A single Travel Request must be executed for out- of- state and international travel. All individuals traveling in the group must be listed on the Travel Request in the Comments section or on an attachment to the request. In lieu of a travel authorization for in- state travel, the individuals traveling in the group must be listed in the Comments section of the expense report on or as an attachment to the Travel Expense Report. 4. Transportation. Transportation can be provided by contracted service, university motor pool vehicle, or personal vehicle. a. Ground transportation obtained at the official station must be provided by contracted services or by a vehicle from the university's motor pool. b. Ground transportation obtained at the destination may be secured by contacting the vendor directly. c. When transportation is by a chartered flight, a contract must be executed. d. When it is necessary to rent a vehicle at an official station, actual expenses will be reimbursed, provided a rejection slip is obtained, from the motor pool and submitted with the Travel Expense Report. If a rejection slip is not obtained, reimbursement will be 5.23 Travel 09/13/12 Page 12

13 the lesser of the actual rental expense or the amount determined by using the standard mileage rate and the number of official miles driven. 5. Lodging. Lodging expenses should be billed directly to UTFI. When these expenses cannot be billed directly, the person responsible for the trip may obtain a cash advance to pay for the lodging. 6. Meals. Expenses for group meals should be billed directly to UTFI whenever possible. a. Whenever possible, group meals should be billed directly to UTFI. The invoice or receipt for such expenses must identify the group for which the charges are made, number of meals served, cost per meal, and total amount. b. The person responsible for the trip may pay the group meal expenses personally and request reimbursement by filing a travel expense report. An invoice or receipt must be attached which identifies the group for which the charges are made, number of meals served, cost per meal, and total amount. The person responsible for the trip may obtain a cash advance to pay for such expenses. c. The person responsible for the trip may obtain a cash advance and distribute cash to members of the group. The amount distributed may not exceed the amounts shown for meal allowances in the Travel Reimbursement Rate Schedule. The distribution of cash must be documented by obtaining a receipt from each participant or by completing a roster. The roster must contain participants' names, employee numbers, and the amount distributed for each meal. (See example below.) Each individual receiving cash must sign the roster. The person responsible for the trip must submit all individual receipts or the signed roster with their travel expense report in order to be reimbursed by UTFI. The one- day guideline does not apply to group travel. Sample Roster: Meal Expenses Name Student ID or Per No B L D Total Signature Date $ $ $ TELEPHONE CALLS Charges for business- related local and long distance telephone calls made on official travel are allowed. The Travel Expense Report must list the name and location of each party called, date of the call, and purpose of the call. An explanation for the charge must be provided on the Travel Expense Report TIPS 1.Tips are a reimbursable expense and should be based upon the level of service, but should not exceed twenty percent of the total. Special situations or contractual requirements exceeding twenty percent should be processed as an exception. The addition of a tip on a receipt does not constitute an alteration of the receipt. 2. Tips to valets at lodging locations that have mandatory valet parking can be reimbursed at a rate of $5/day. Proof the the lodging locations mandatory valet parking is required TOLLS Tolls will be allowed when necessary Travel 09/13/12 Page 13

14 TRAVEL EXPENSE REPORT 1. For convenience, a Travel Expense Report (Form T- 3) is available for employee use. This form is strictly for intra- departmental communication and is NOT to be submitted for approval or processing. 2. For non- employees in a withdrawn status in IRIS, there is a Non- IRIS Travel Expense (Form T- 6). This form is only to be used in the situations mentioned above TRAVEL REQUEST 1. Employees and guests who engage in official UTFI travel must secure proper approval(s) before a trip. The Travel Request processed in IRIS is the official authorization for travel. 2. In- State Travel. For most employees, a Travel Request is not required for in- state travel. However, departments have the option to require a travel request for all travel. 3. If an employee travels into another state and back in the same day and such travel is less than 75 miles one- way, such travel will be considered in- state for approval and reimbursement purposes. 4. Out- of- State Travel. A Travel Request is required for out- of- state travel and must be approved by the department head (i.e., individual responsible for all cost objects to be charged) or designee and the department head of the traveler's responsible cost center or designee. If the traveler is the department head, his or her supervisor must approve the travel. 5. International Travel. A Travel Request is required for all international travel and must be approved by the department head or designee, and chief operating officer TRAVELER'S CHECKS Fees for the purchase of traveler's checks for UTFI business will be reimbursed. Forms T- 3 Travel Expense Worksheet T- 6 Travel Expense Report (Non- IRIS) T- 18 Travel Request Worksheet T- 25 Application for Direct Bill of Airfare T- 30 Conference and Seminar Registration Prepayment Form T- 40 Travel Package Itemization Record a Friend/Rehire as a Friend Worksheet T- 24 Record a Guest Traveler Worksheet Travel Advance Schedules Per Diems for Travel in Continental U.S. (CONUS) Per Diems for Travel Outside Continental U.S. (OCONUS) Example of Personal Time Calculation Explanation of Travel Forms Record a Friend/Pending Employee/Guest Traveler Documentation Travel Supplements 5.23 Travel 09/13/12 Page 14