Theta Phi Alpha Travel and Expense Policy

Transcription

1 Theta Phi Alpha Travel and Expense Policy The purpose of this policy is to define Theta Phi Alpha s position on air travel, car rental, lodging, meals, and related issues as it applies to traveling on any Theta Phi Alpha business. This policy applies to all Grand Council members, National Officers, volunteers and staff of Theta Phi Alpha. (Leadership Consultants have a modified policy.) It is the desire of Theta Phi Alpha that all staff and volunteers who must travel on Fraternity business do so in a safe and comfortable manner. At the same time, it is the responsibility of each traveler to control and minimize the cost of travel-related expenses. When appropriate, please consult the budget or contact the National Treasurer for authorized spending limits. Where applicable, this policy dated August 2016 supersedes the discussion in the National Officer Manual dated December Reimbursement for expenses It is expected that all expenditures are approved ahead of time by the officer or staff member you report to. If there is a budget, all expenses are expected to stay within that budget. Submit expense reports within two weeks of the expense or event. Expense reports submitted after 90 days will not be reimbursed If possible, accumulate expenses so they total at least $50 and submit in a timely manner Receipts must be included for reimbursement and indicate the specific business purpose and if applicable, the attendees Expenses incurred in August of the fiscal year must be submitted no later than the 15 th of that month so that we may include them in the financials for the fiscal year. Submission of Expense Reports The Expense Report form may be found on the website under august_2016.xls Expense reports should be submitted electronically to National Office. The address is: finances@thetaphialpha.org. If you cannot scan receipts, please submit your expense account via USPS. Please sign the expense account electronically if you can, otherwise type your name on the signature line. Save a copy of your report and receipts for your files, especially if you send the report via USPS. There is always the chance of it getting lost! Please see Appendix A for how to submit credit card receipts.

2 Receipts All receipts must indicate what the business purpose was. Receipt should include: o Vendor Name o Date o Itemized charges o If you have lost a receipt please reconstruct the information including vendor name, date of expense, itemization of expenses, and proof of payment. Meals Hotel Per day allowance for meals is up to $40 unless otherwise approved 15% gratuity is acceptable (Calculated on the meal total, not taxed total) If you are paying for others, include their names on the submitted receipt Alcohol is not a reimbursable item Due to the fact that hotel charges can vary greatly across the country you should discuss the options with the officer you report to or the Executive Director. Typically, we budget $150 per night for a room, including taxes. We assume two sisters in a room, unless you are traveling alone. The use of websites that offer discounted rates is encouraged Always be aware of the cancellation policies. If the best rate is one that offers no refund, please discuss with the officer you report to or the Executive Director. Internet charges are covered if needed to conduct fraternity business. Please contact the National Treasurer or the Executive Director for prior approval. Rental Cars When a rental car is needed, please have this approved by a Grand Council member or the Executive Director. Compact cars should be rented unless more than 2 are traveling Compare refueling cost, select the lower option Insurance is not need: o If using your own card, write Theta Phi Alpha under your signature to ensure insurance coverage o You must contact National Office and get an insurance card.

3 Ground Transportation Check your hotel for free shuttle service Cabs, Uber or other services may also be utilized. Travel to and from your home to the airport in a personal car is also reimbursable at $.25 per mile. Other transportation to and from an airport is also reimbursable Parking Economy/long term airport parking is reimbursable (up to $25/day) Short term parking must be approved prior to using it. Other parking for fraternity events and travel is also reimbursable Air Travel Coach airfare is reimbursable Travel insurance is not covered Checked luggage fees are paid for travel greater than three days Plan your trip in advance in order to shop around for the best rates. Change fees are not covered unless approved by a Grand Council member Early Bird check in fees, upgraded seat fees and the like are not covered. Phone Calls A free conference call service is available from the fraternity We do reimburse for long distance phone calls. A copy of your phone bill is required. You may also purchase a phone card for fraternity use. Baggage and other tips A tip of $1 per bag is acceptable for bags that are checked or handled at the airport, rental car facilities, or hotel facilities. Tips do not require a receipt. Using Your Own Car Mileage is reimbursed at the rate of $.25 cents per mile or reimbursement of gas (start with a full tank of gas and fill up when you return). A copy of the Google Maps summary showing the number of miles should accompany your expense report. The Master Insurance Program doesn t cover any property losses in the event of an accident. You would need to look to your own policy for property damage coverage.

4 If a traveler elects to drive instead of fly, the mileage reimbursement is limited to the lesser of the mileage or airfare and other associated expenses. Supplies, Printing and Postage We reimburse for reasonable costs for supplies purchased for fraternity use. Examples would be a ream of paper to print from your home office, note cards, stamps and other office items. Any large printing jobs should be discussed beforehand with your overseeing officer or the National Treasurer. National Office has a UPS account. Labels can be generated and ed to you if needed to ship items back to National Office when USPS is not a good option. The UPS Store is not to be used except to drop off packages with a preprinted label. For more details on items that need shipping, please call National Office for directions. Unless directed, we do not insure shipped packages. If you are shipping back Installation materials, please refer to the instructions provided as to how to ship the materials back to National Office. Non-reimbursable expenses Alcoholic beverages Entertainment (e.g., in room movies) Travel insurance Parking fines or fees for traffic violations Expenses incurred in traveling by an indirect route for personal reasons Expenses submitted without receipts Personal use/care products Medical Charges Medical expenses incurred while away from home on Fraternity business should be submitted to the traveler s personal health insurance provider. As always, an incident report must be submitted. Loss of/damage to Personal Property The loss of or damage to personal property of the traveler while away from home on Fraternity business should be reported within 24 hours to the Executive Director. Please submit this information with as much detail as possible. The Executive Director will report this claim to the insurance company. If loss or damage does occur, an Incident Report should be submitted to National Office within 48 hours. Incident Reports can be found on the Theta Phi Alpha website at

5 Appendix A Submission of credit card receipts Properly coded and prepared receipts are to be sent to National Office no later than the 25 th of the month, in accordance with the monthly billing cycle. NOTE: If you did not already set up an account for your credit card upon its receipt, you need to do so at If you need assistance, contact customer service at Citizens Bank, the number is on the back of your card. Submission Instructions: 1. Sign on to view your credit card account at 2. View your transactions for the billing cycle. 3. Create a document with your transactions by downloading a file with your transactions or by copying and pasting the transaction summary into a word document. 4. To ensure you include all receipts for the billing cycle, match your receipts with each transaction listed on your account. 5. Tape receipts to an 8 ½ x 11 piece of paper in date order (as listed on the transaction page). 6. On each receipt, indicate what the purpose of the purchase was. a. Refer to the budget to select the appropriate language for labeling receipts. We will be posting the budget on the website after it is approved. b. For meals, indicate the business purpose of the meal as well as the names of those in attendance. 7. Submissions should include the complete list of transactions and copies of receipts for the billing cycle, and they can be submitted via: a. Mail in hard copy to National Office, ATTN: Bookkeeper b. Fax to National Office, ATTN: Bookkeeper c. to the National Office Bookkeeper at Finances@thetaphialpha,org. Please ensure that scanned receipts are readable prior to submission. 8. Keep a copy of your submission (transactions and receipts) for at least one year. Questions about credit card receipt submissions should be directed to the National Office Bookkeeper or the Grand Council member you report to.