THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, FLORIDA TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION & REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES POLICIES AND PROCEDURES The purpose of this information is to provide guidance as specified in Board Policy No. 7.52. regarding reimbursement for authorized travel expenses. ALL applicable forms and complete information must be supplied and all approvals obtained before claim can be processed for payment. Authorized travel for officers, employees, and other persons acting on behalf of the school board shall be reimbursed as follows: IN-DISTRICT TRAVEL In-district travel by the superintendent or by another authorized employee of the school board shall be reimbursed at the maximum state prescribed rate. (The rate at this time is $.44.5 per mile.) Mileage shall be computed from the official headquarters of the employee to each destination. The official headquarters for each individual shall be the primary work location. No reimbursement shall be made for travel between an employee s home and the official headquarters. OUT-OF-DISTRICT TRAVEL 1. ONE DAY TRIPS Expenses by authorized travelers not requiring travel beyond midnight or beyond 24 hours shall be reimbursed as follows: MILEAGE If the use of a personal vehicle is authorized, mileage should be reimbursed at the maximum state prescribed rate. If travel is by common carrier, the actual cost of travel, based on standard fares shall be reimbursed. (NOTE: NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUBSISTENCE (MEALS) WILL BE MADE FOR ONE-DAY TRIPS.) 2. OVERNIGHT TRIPS Trips in excess of 24 hours or requiring travel beyond midnight shall be reimbursed as follows: MILEAGE If the use of a personal vehicle is authorized, mileage shall be reimbursed at the maximum state prescribed rate. If travel is by common carrier, the actual cost of travel, based on standard fares, shall be reimbursed. PER DIEM OR SUBSISTENCE The traveler shall be entitled to the greater of the following: Per Diem at the maximum state prescribed rate for any portion of each six-hour period of any day. The actual cost of lodging, based on the single occupancy rate, plus an allowance for meals at the maximum state prescribed rate in accordance with the following: BREAKFAST - $6.00 when travel begins before 6:00 a.m. and extends beyond 8:00 a.m. LUNCH - $11.00 when travel begins before noon and extends beyond 2:00 p.m. DINNER - $19.00 when travel begins before 6:00 p.m. and extends beyond 8:00 p.m.
AUTHORIZED TRAVEL IN LOCAL AREA Reimbursement for expenses for attendance at a conference, convention, or other authorized activity held in Osceola, Orange, Polk or Seminole County shall normally be reimbursed as indistrict travel. However, the traveler may be reimbursed as out-of-district travel when the following conditions are met: The travel is approved in advance, in writing, by the superintendent or his designee; and The traveler is required to stay overnight in order to provide supervision for students; or The traveler is scheduled on the conference program after 8:00 p.m.; or The traveler is required to attend a scheduled meeting or official non-social function on the agenda after 8:00 p.m. PER DIEM If you are traveling overnight or longer, you may claim per diem in lieu of hotel and meals stipend. Per Diem shall be computed at one-fourth of authorized rate for each quarter or fraction thereof. Travel over a period of 24 hours or more will be calculated on the basis of 6-hour cycles, beginning at midnight. Less than 24-hour travel will be calculated on the basis of 6-hour cycles, beginning at hour of departure from official headquarters. When claiming per diem a clock is used to figure how much money you are entitled to be reimbursed. Our clock is divided into four quarters: Midnight to 6:00 a.m. ($20.00) 6:00 a.m. to NOON ($20.00) NOON to 6:00 p.m. ($20.00) 6:00 p.m. to MIDNIGHT ($20.00) EXAMPLE; if you travel begins on Monday at 8:00 a.m. and extends until Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., you would claim: Monday $60.00 ($20.00 for each quarter) Tuesday $80.00 Wednesday $80.00 COMPUTATION OF MILEAGE IN-DISTRICT Mileage shall be computed in accordance with the district mileage schedule. If the mileage is not listed on the schedule, the traveler shall use the odometer reading from the point of departure to the destination. OUT-OF-DISTRICT Mileage shall be computed in accordance with the mileage chart established on the official state road map. Any justifiable vicinity mileage may also be claimed. Just because the map mileage is less than the odometer reading does not necessarily warrant a claim for vicinity mileage. Normally, mileage will be computed from the employee s headquarters to the point of destination and return. However, if the traveler either leaves from or returns directly to home, the mileage shall be computed from and/or to the home location, if such distance is less than the computation using the official headquarters.
REIMBURSEMENT FOR INCIDENTAL EXPENSES Incident travel expenses which may be reimbursed include: (a) reasonable taxi fares, (b) ferry fares, bridge and road tolls, (c) storage or parking fees, (d) business related telephone expenses and (e) convention or conference fees. If meals are included in a registration, per diem should be reduced accordingly. Receipts are required for incidental travel expenses. Reasonable tips and gratuities may be reimbursed the traveler as per the following: Actual tips paid to taxi drivers not to exceed 15% of the fare. Actual amount paid for mandatory valet parking, which was incurred in the performance of public business. Actual portage charges paid which shall not exceed $1.00 per bag not to exceed a total of $5.00 per incident. NOTE: We acknowledge that there are times that the traveler will be unable to obtain receipts for some incidental expenses. Therefore, the traveler can be reimbursed up the $3.00 per day for incidental expenses without receipts, at the district s discretion. HOWEVER, we encourage travelers to obtain receipts whenever possible (despite the dollar amount). NON-REIMBURSEABLE EXPENSES Membership fees or dues. Personal phone calls. Gasoline (except when driving a rental car or county vehicle). Actual cost for meals. Any expenses without paid receipts. Meals when travel is for one day only. Expenses paid in advance by the district. BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT TRIP Any time travel performed (vicinity or out of county) a REQUEST FOR TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION (FC-200-0094) form is required to be completed at least 10 days prior to the scheduled activity even if reimbursement for expenses is not requested. If you wish to receive inservice credit, you will need to complete an External PD Request on the MyPGS system at least 10 days prior to the activity. Forms must be complete and legible. A notice, program, agenda, or brochure for the activity must be attached to request. NOTE: Dates & times must be for actual date/time of travel not activity. Budget numbers are required when reimbursement for expenses is requested. Consult your bookkeeper or payroll secretary for assistance with paperwork. If the traveler agrees to accept reimbursement of less than the maximum allowed by statute, this must be indicated. The administrator s signature is required approving your travel request. If another facility is paying for these travel expenses, that Administrator will also need to sign authorizing the travel from their budget.
AFTER YOU RETURN FROM YOUR TRIP If reimbursement for expenses is requested, the traveler will need to submit a properly completed VOUCHER FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVELING EXPENSES form to the Finance Department with appropriate backup. Forms must be complete and legible. Note: Dates on travel authorization and voucher must match. Your Administrator s signature is required. If funds are coming from another facility, that Administrator will also need to sign the voucher. Attach the following to your voucher and submit to Finance for processing: an agenda from the activity; paid receipts for incidental expenses; the white copy of your travel authorization. If you are claiming actual expense, a paid hotel bill is required. Under actual expenses, meals are paid according to approved maximum allowances and mileage may also be included. The hour of departure and hour of return must be shown for all travel. When traveling to an unfamiliar place such as a student s home, you must state the address and identify the student. Each travel authorization requires a voucher when requesting reimbursement. DO NOT COMBINE TRAVEL AUTHORIZATIONS ON ONE VOUCHER. If you are attending two different activities back-to-back, you may combine them on one Travel Authorization and then you will only need to do one voucher. (For example: You are attending a workshop on 3/1/14 and leaving from there to attend a conference that begins 3/2/14.) HOWEVER, if you have two (2) travel requests, one for each activity, you will need to complete two (2) vouchers indicating that you attended another activity prior to or after. OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL School Board Rules 2.4.8A No travel outside the state may be undertaken until recommended by the Superintendent of Schools or his designated representative to the Board and approved by them. Appropriate paperwork must be submitted to the office of the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services to be reviewed by the travel committee by 4:30 p.m. on the appropriate deadline for approval on the Out-of-State Travel Committee Calendar. Please refer to the Employee Out-of-State Travel & Field Trip Procedures manual issued from the office of the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services. PLEASE DO NOT HOLD VOUCHERS FOR REIMBURSEMENT. SUBMIT THEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UPON YOUR RETURN FROM THE CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP/ETC. SUBMIT VICINITY MILEAGE VOUCHERS PERIODICALLY. DO NOT HOLD UNTIL THE DEADLINE FOR THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. ANY FRADULENT CLAIM FOR MILEAGE, PER DIEM, OR OTHER TRAVEL EXPENSES IS SUBJECT TO PROSECUTION AS A MISDEMEANOR.
ROUTING FOR TRAVEL AUTHORIZATIONS & VOUCHERS TDE AND VICINITY Travel Authorization completed by traveler. Travel Authorization given to bookkeeper for account coding. Travel Authorization submitted to Principal or Administrator for his/her approval and signature. Paperwork returned to traveler. If TDE, the traveler will hold until submitting voucher to Finance. At that time he/she will attach to the voucher with all other documentation. However, if no reimbursement is requested the white copy of the authorization should be maintained by the payroll secretary at your facility. Finance only needs the authorization if you are requesting reimbursement. If Vicinity, the traveler will submit original with first voucher and a copy with all subsequent vouchers. Traveler completes Voucher for Reimbursement for Expenses after the activity, attaching all required paperwork. Traveler submits Voucher for Reimbursement for Expenses to Principal/ Administrator for signature. The Voucher for Reimbursement is then submitted to the Finance Department, making sure that all information is completed properly and that all receipts, an agenda, and the white copy of the approved Travel Authorization is attached. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT My Professional Growth System (MyPGS) For Travel Reimbursement: Obtain pre-approval from your Site Administrator for travel reimbursement. After participation in External PD activity, please submit a printed copy of your External PD Request, agenda, certificate of completion and a completed Voucher for Reimbursement of Travel Expenses (FC- 200-0095) to the Finance Dept. Note: The copy of your External PD Request will be your Travel Authorization. See the instructions below for the External Professional Development Process. PART ONE: Log in to Homeroom https://homeroom.edplan.com/1201470/account/login Use your Active Directory log-in information. Click on the My Professional Growth System (MyPGS) locker.
Click on the External PD Tab. Click on box next to External PD Request. Complete all fields and attach activity agenda. Submit request. Select your Site Administrator. Only Workshops and Conferences will be sent to Site Administrator approval. NOTE: Out of State Requests will be submitted for School Board approval prior to continuing process. An email notification will be sent once approved by the School Board. Request will then be electronically sent to Professional Development for approval. After approval has been granted and you have participated in the External Professional Development Activity, please complete Part Two to earn inservice credit and add activity to your transcript. PART TWO: Log in to Homeroom https://homeroom.edplan.com/1201470/account/login Use your Active Directory log-in information. Click on the My Professional Growth System (MyPGS) locker. Click on the External PD Tab. Click on the Action box next to the completed activity, select Open. Complete Attendance information by clicking on Add. Attach agenda, indicating dates and times, and certificates earned, if applicable. NOTE: College Courses require a copy of the transcript with grade to be uploaded. Complete Course Survey and submit for approval. Request will then be electronically sent to Professional Development for approval of inservice hours earned.