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1 Issued: First Revision: Second Revision: 03/01/ /16/ /01/2014 Policy Baptist Theological Seminary will pay employee, and certain non-employees as defined below, travel expenses which are related to MBTS job duties, and are approved by the employee s department Vice President. Employees are expected to travel with reasonable economy, security, comfort and convenience. In general, the quality of travel accommodations, meals, rental care size, etc., should be governed by what is reasonable and appropriate for the venue and business purpose involved. MBTS does not require its staff to sacrifice reasonable comfortt and convenience, but expects good stewardship in spending. The responsibility to observee these guidelines rests with both the staff member who submits, and the Vice President who approves business related travel. Staff should work to obtain the most reasonablee and economical fares available for travel or rental cars. This means that travelers are expected to (1) make reservations as soon as possible as travel plans are known, and (2) use discounted fares whenever reasonable. 1. Employees will be permitted to retain and utilize benefits received from frequent travelers programs. 2. Frequent travelers programs should not determine travel arrangements that are more expensive for the seminary. As a non-profitax. MBTS requests that you always mention this to any vendor to determine if they will honor our tax- organization, we have a tax-exempt status which allows businesses to not collect sales exempt status. A copy of the tax exempt certificate can be requested from the business office. Transportation Personal Auto - If commercial transportation is not reasonably available and a personal auto is used or an employee chooses to use their personal auto for their convenience, the employee will be reimbursed according to the maximum mileagee rate allowed by the Internal Revenue Service. 1. Reimbursement will be paid only for one car wheree two or more staff members travel in the same auto. 2. An employee should compare the cost for a rental car, campus car or personal auto and choose the cheaper alternative. 3. If an employee chooses to drive their personal vehicle, they accept personal liability for any damage and injury which occurs while using their auto. 4. Mileage reimbursements will never be given which exceed the actual round trip cost of coach air fare. It is the responsibility to obtain comparative pricing and maintain documentation (in the

2 department s travel records) showing the prices obtained and forward those as part of the final packet forwarded to the Business Office. 5. Use of an MBTS vehicle, in lieu of use of a personal vehicle, is encouraged whenever a MBTS vehicle is available. To check availability contact thee Executive Secretary for the Vice President of Administration at The mileage rate will not be given when a MBTS vehicle is used, but the employee will be reimbursed for gasoline purchased while using the MBTS vehicle. The employee must submit gasoline payment receipts for reimbursement. Employees may use their MBTS purchasing card to purchase gas for MBTSS vehicles. 6. An employee is responsiblee for any tickets or citations issued to them whether in their personal vehicle or a MBTS vehicle. Air Travel 1. Authorization will be given only for coach airfare. 2. Authorization will be given only for the most cost effective, flight to and from the destination. If attending a conference, authorization will be given only for the most cost effective, flight to and from conference location, using the day immediatelyy prior to the conference (or the first day of the conferencee if the conference begins after 1 p.m. ) and the day immediately following (or the last day of the conference, if it ends by 1 p.m.) as travel days. If significant monetary savings (including airfare, lodging, etc.) can be realized by making Saturday a travel day, employees may be requested to depart earlier then the normally expected travel day. If a request is made for later or earlier departure, documentationn of savings to MBTS must accompany the original travel request. 3. If an employeee is allowed to depart earlier or stay later then the scheduled travel or than the conference for personal purposes, the employee must pay the cost differencee if airfare is more expensive than the cost of traveling on a normal schedule and this must be calculated and approved prior to the scheduled travel. See also #5 under Miscellaneous Costss below. Conference Attendance 1. Arrangements should be made far enough in advance so that payment of conference registrations can be made directly to the sponsoring organizationn according to the MBTS annual Accounts Payable processing calendar or using an MBTS credit card. 2. Authorization will be given for payment of basic conference registration fees and for additional pre-sessions and post-sessions that are clearly a function of the conference and cannot be construed as entertainmen t. Fees for any entertainment activities not related to the conduct of official MBTS business are the responsibility of the employee. 3. Any meals provided as part of the conference registration mustt be subtracted out of the per diem. For example, if lunch is provided as part off the conference registration, the per diem amount for lunch must be subtracted from the total per diem amount provided to the employee. 4. Consideration must be given to the most economical location for conferences or seminars offered in multiple cities.

3 Baptist Theological S eminary

4 Rental Cars 1. Use of rental cars at travel destinations is limited to circumstances where other transportation is either more expensive or impractical. Where a rental car is selected over other transportation, the employee must verify the differencee in cost using either web page rates or actual estimates from the vendors. Include in your evaluation incidental expensess such as gas, road tolls, parking fees, etc. 2. All vehicle rentals should be obtained through MBTS preferred vendor. Please contact Executive Secretary for the Vice President of Administration for the name of the preferred vendor. If a preferred vendor is not available, shop for the best price available. 3. Vehicle rentals are not allowed when the sole purpose is for transportationn to and from the airport, or when shuttle and/or taxi services are available. 4. MBTS expects employees to rent a compact or midsize class unless sharing the rental with more than 2 other MBTS travelers. 5. Rental of sport utility vehicles, vans or minivans, or other kinds of specialty vehicles is generally prohibited. Exceptions require prior written authorization from your Vice President. Rental of luxury cars is not permitted. 6. When you rent a vehicle, you SHOULD not purchase the insurance through the rental agency. Lodging 1. Authorization for lodging costs will be approved for standard rooms at the suggested conference hotel(s) unlesss extenuating circumstances prevent staying there. 2. When traveling on official business not related to a conference, lodging choices should be based on economy, including total cost of lodging choice, extra rental car, taxi fees, etc. and reasonable accessibility to the location of purpose for travel. 3. Employees and faculty are encouraged, for safety purposes, to seek accommodations that are equipped with a sprinkler system. 4. Whenever possible, advance arrangements should be made whereby lodgingg costs can be paid by a MBTS credit card or billed directly to MBTS. International Travel The travel policies and procedures stated in this document apply fully to individuals who are traveling internationally, except meals and incidentals will be reimbursed with proper receipts and based on initial travel estimates rather than receiving a per diem. Spouse/Family Members of Exempt Employees 1. With the exception of the President, reimbursementt or payment of travel for employee s family members must be preapproved in advance by the President or Vice President of Administration. A clear written explanation of how the family member s presencee will contribute to the event or

5 to MBTS, as well as the family member s specificc activities must be included in the Travel Authorization Form. 2. When submitting travel expenses for reimbursement, two forms need to be completed one for the employee and one for the family member. Expenses should be separated as follows: a. Airfare: cost of the employees fare on their form and the cost of the family member on the family member form: b. Personal auto: all mileage should be shown on the employee s form; c. Lodging: show the normal room rate for single occupancy on the employees form and the difference between the actual cost and the single occupancy on the family member form; d. Ground transportation, i.e. taxi, shuttle, etc. : show the entire amount on the employee form; e. Rental car: show the entire amount on the employee form; f. Conference fees: fees for employee attendance will be posted to the employee form and fees for the family member on the familyy member form; g. A per diem will be provided for each approved traveler. Travel by Non-Exempt Employees General - On occasion, non-exempt employees may be required to travel on seminary related business. MBTS pays employees when travel time is considered worktime. Listed below are some examples: Traveling during normal work hours on a normal work day; Traveling during normal work hours on a non-working day (i.e., Saturday, Sunday or a holiday) for business related reasons; Traveling from job site to job site during the normal workday; Waiting for a flight that has been delayed to/from a business designation, or layovers that do not include sleeping accommodations; Transporting or delivering materials or equipment too a job site prior to the start of the normal workday; returning materials or equipment after the end of the normal workday; Transporting employees to work sites, the office, orr to their homes, either before or after the paid workday, at management s request or directive; ; Participating in any business related activities at a conference or seminar; Participating in social activities that an employer requires to employee to attend. Proceduree - 1. Travel assignments shall only be planned and approved if such travel is required to accomplish important seminary objectives. Travel assignmentss shall not be consideredd or treated as a reward for performance or tenure with the seminary. 2. All travel by non-exempt employees shall be approved in advance by department heads in writing. The request shall include travel and work schedules which specify tasks to be performed. A copy of the request and approval shall be sent to the business office.

6 3. Employees shall attend out of town meetings and conferences only to perform servicess that cannot be performed by an exempt staff member scheduled to attend the meeting or conference. 4. Employees will be compensated for all work time during trips on MBTS assignments, but such work time will only include time the employees is doing assigned responsibilities and will not include time spent attending meetings, conferences, worship services, etc. 5. Employees will normally be compensated for all time spent actually traveling to or returning from a work assignment (excluding time while stopped for meals). However, if travel is performed by auto at the employee s discretion, then paid travel time will be limited to the lesser of the actual driving time or one day to and one day from the assigned destination, unless otherwise authorized. 6. Employees shall maintain a travel time report for each work week during which travel occurs, and it shall be approved by the appropriate supervisor and attached to the regular time report of the pay period. 7. Employees who travel on weekend assignments shall, if possible, be given time off on a workday within the same pay period to ensure that overtime pay is not required. Supervisors should plan accordingly. Same Day Travel 1. Same day travel is travel that does not include an overnight stay. For example, you drive to a destination 100 miles away for a meeting and return from the meeting on the same day. 2. All policies and procedures stated in this document apply fully to same day travel expenses, except the per diem, whichh will be provided based on the meals purchased during your trip. For example, if you purchase breakfast and lunch, your per diem will be the amounts approved for breakfast and lunch. Miscellaneous Costs 1. Authorization will be given for payment directly to the employee prior to departure for projected costs for transportation to and from the airport (10 miles -- MBTS to K.C.I.). If prior approval is given for an employee to be dropped off and picked up at the airport by someone using their personal vehicle, the employee may be reimbursed forr actual mileage up to a total of 20 miles. Only actual costs will be reimbursed. Departments are responsible for collecting receipts for all actual costss from employees within ten business days after return (no receipt is necessary for mileage). Employees and faculty are responsible for returning any unused advanced monies (outside of allowed per diem) and will be reimbursed for any business expenses not covered by that advance. Itemized bills/receipts must accompany any claim for reimbursement. 2. Employees receiving a car allowance are not eligible for reimbursement for the costs of transportationn to and from K.C.I. airport. 3. Authorization will be given to reimburse employees for the actual cost of business-related

7 internet accesss while traveling on official business for MBTS. 4. If travel time is extended due to unforeseen circumstances such as flight delays, MBTS will pay for any additional costs incurred. 5. When an employee elects to arrive prior to their authorized travel or extend their stay beyond the authorized travel time, prior written approval must be received prior to any arrangements being made. MBTS will only be responsible for expenses incurred during the authorized travel. No lodging, meals, rental car, etc. will be reimbursedd by MBTS for extending your stay before or after the authorized travel. If airline fares are greater than the authorized travel cost, you must detail the difference and MBTS will only be responsible for the normal airfare. If the airfare is the same or less that the cost would be for authorized travel, MBTS will pay the full cost of the airfare. Personal auto mileage must be detailed and reported for miles driven specifically for authorized travel and for personal use. Only authorized travel miles will be reimbursed. Comparative documentatio on showing the added costt for the extended stay must be attached to the Travel Authorization Form. Comparative detail, for example,, would be showing the cost of lodging for the number of days of normal travel and the total costt with extending your stay. You would need to do this comparison for transportation, lodging, rental car and other expenses. 6. Receipts are necessary for all reimbursements, except mileage. Expenses Not Covered The following expenses are not covered under this Travel Policy: First Class/Business Class upgrades Child Care Costs incurred for failure to cancel air/car rental/lodging reservations Formal wear Newspapers/magazines/books Personal grooming costs (i. e. haircut) Traffic fines Rental car upgrades Laundry/dry cleaning Personal entertainment Travel for Non-Seminary Personnel The travel policies and procedures stated in this document apply fully to individuals who are not seminary faculty or staff, but who are to be reimbursed by the seminary for seminary-approved travel, including transportation, lodging and other travel related costs. These individuals include guest chapel speakers, guest lecturers, adjunct professors, prospective faculty and staff and other official visitors. In order to obtain reimbursement the department arranging the visit is responsible for completing all expense forms along with receipts and submitting to the Business Office. All first time visitors must complete a W9 form, which can be obtained from the Business Office or the IRS website.

8 Per Diem 1. Per diem allowances are given to cover other necessary expenses associated with business related travel (tips, meals, baggage, personal long distance phone calls). Transportation to and from the hotel, to the business location or conference site, and airport will be reimbursed upon return with proper receipts. Transportation for entertainment activities not related to the conduct of official MBTS business and other personall purposes will not be reimbursed. 2. Current per diem rates are detailed below: a. Breakfast $ 9 b. Lunch $13 c. Dinner $25 d. Miscellaneous $ 5 You would receive the full per day per diem of $52 per day when all three meals were purchased while traveling. 3. No per diem rate shall be granted for days other than conference days, travel days, and days approved for conducting official MBTS business. Travel Authorization and Expense Reimbursem ent Baptist Theological Seminary requires that all business travel be approved by the appropriate Vice President or designee and then forwarded to the Vice President of Administration and then the President of the Seminary prior to the employee leaving for the trip. Without advance approval the Seminary has no obligation to reimburse payments for travel expenses. A separate travel authorization form shall be completed for each employee traveling. Prior approval insuress the employee s supervisor and/or department head approves of the activity, funds are available for reimbursement of expenses, and travel is allowable on the funds. A Travel Authorization Form, whichh can be obtained on the seminary s intranet under Form and Policies, Check Requests/Travel Expense Reimbursement, must be completed and submitted for approval prior to the travel. It is recommended that the Travel Authorization Form be submitted to the Vice President of Administration s office at least two weeks prior to travel. Request forr travel must include a detailed business purpose, benefit to the Seminary and the individuals being visited or the conference being attended. Once approval is granted the employee will be notified of the approval and a copy of the Travel Authorization Form will be maintained in the Business Office. The Business Office will make no reimbursement of travel expenses without having a copy of the form. Reimbursement or payment requests that differ substantially from the original travel authorization will be reviewed by the department Vice President. Unacceptable or unapproved expenses may not be reimbursed.

9 Since employee travel and appropriate approval are an auditable activity, the Business Office will maintain records documenting that appropriate travel approval was obtained. This Documentation consists of the travel authorization form signed by the President and expense reports signed by the appropriate authorities. In order to process advance payments to employees for per diem allowances, mileage, and other costs, a check request form shall be submitted to the Business Office. The check request form shall include the signature of the appropriate Vice President or designeee (or Vice President of Administration, if appropriate). The travel authorization form shall be attached to the check request form. No other supporting documentation is required to process the advancee payments. Check requests for advance payments related to travel will be processed according to the annual Accounts Payable calendar. In-Between Check Requests will not be processed for advance payments related to travel. All payments to employees related to travel will be made through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). It is the responsibility of the employeee to provide the appropriate bank account information to the Office before any payments are processed. Departments are responsible for maintaining appropriate documentation for each travel request and then forwarding the entire packet of final documentation to the Business Office. This documentation includes an Expense Reimbursement Form, a copy of the travel authorization form (with the appropriate approvals by signature or ), a copy of the conference brochure,, mileage documentation, and copies of any other relevant documents (including receipts) which support the travel request. The documentation must be maintained for a period of five (5) years, and willl be maintained in an electronic format.