Roane County Schools

850 - Travel Payment and Reimbursement

Travel expenses incurred for official business travel on behalf of the Board shall be limited to those expenses necessarily incurred by the employee in the performance of a public purpose authorized, in advance, in accordance with administrative guidelines.

Payment and reimbursement rates for per diem, meals, lodging, and mileage shall be established and approved by the Board along with guidelines for when such expenses may be requested for reimbursement. The Board shall establish mileage rates in accordance with the West Virginia Department of Administration rate.

Employees are expected to exercise the same care incurring travel expenses that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business and expending personal funds. Unauthorized costs and additional expenses incurred for personal preference or convenience will not be reimbursed.

Unauthorized expenses include but are not limited to alcohol, movies, fines for traffic violations, and the entertainment/meals/lodging of spouses or guests.

The Board may reserve lodging, pay registration or other fees, or incur other expenses for goods or services associated with authorized travel of an employee or Board member in advance of such travel. Should an employee or Board member not participate in the function for which such travel was authorized, reasonable effort shall be made to cancel and obtain a refund of such expenses by the Board. However, should the Board be unable to obtain such a refund, for reasons including but not limited to the timing of the cancellation notice from the employee or Board member or a policy of the vendor from which the goods or services were purchased, the employee or Board member shall reimburse the Board for all such expenses within 60 days of the function.

Commercial airfare costs in excess of the basic least expensive unrestricted accommodations class offered by commercial airlines are unallowable except when such accommodations would 1) require circuitous routing; 2) require travel during unreasonable hours; 3) excessively prolong travel; 4) result in additional costs that would offset the transportation savings; or 5) offer accommodations not reasonably adequate for the traveler's medical needs. Instances of commercial airfare cost in excess of the basic least expensive unrestricted accommodations class must be justified and documented on a case-by-case basis.

An employee may use and/or accrue bonus points acquired through participation in frequent traveler programs, hotel "bonus points," credit card "rewards," or any other reward under similar affinity programs while traveling on official School business, only if his/her participation would result in no additional cost to the Board.

Travel payment and reimbursement provided from Federal funds must be authorized in advance and must be reasonable and consistent with the Board's policies and administrative guidelines. For travel paid with Federal funds, the travel authorization must include documentation that demonstrates that 1) the participation in the event by the individual traveling is necessary to the Federal award; and 2) the costs are reasonable and consistent with the Board's policies.

All travel shall comply with the travel procedures and rates established in the administrative guidelines. All costs incurred with Federal funds must meet the cost allowability standards within Board Policy 815.

To the extent that the Board's policies does not establish the allowability of a particular type of travel cost, the rates and amounts established under 5 U.S.C. 5701-11, ("Travel and Subsistence Expenses; Mileage Allowances"), or by the Administrator of General Services, or by the President (or his/her designee), must apply to travel under Federal awards.

The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines detailing the procedures by which travel shall be authorized and reimbursement requested and paid for such travel.

850 - Travel Payment and Reimbursement

Travel expenses incurred for official business travel on behalf of the Board shall be limited to those expenses necessarily incurred by the employee in the performance of a public purpose authorized, in advance, in accordance with administrative guidelines.

Payment and reimbursement rates for per diem, meals, lodging, and mileage shall be established and approved by the Board along with guidelines for when such expenses may be requested for reimbursement. The Board shall establish mileage rates in accordance with the West Virginia Department of Administration rate.

Employees are expected to exercise the same care incurring travel expenses that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business and expending personal funds. Unauthorized costs and additional expenses incurred for personal preference or convenience will not be reimbursed.

Unauthorized expenses include but are not limited to alcohol, movies, fines for traffic violations, and the entertainment/meals/lodging of spouses or guests.

The Board may reserve lodging, pay registration or other fees, or incur other expenses for goods or services associated with authorized travel of an employee or Board member in advance of such travel. Should an employee or Board member not participate in the function for which such travel was authorized, reasonable effort shall be made to cancel and obtain a refund of such expenses by the Board. However, should the Board be unable to obtain such a refund, for reasons including but not limited to the timing of the cancellation notice from the employee or Board member or a policy of the vendor from which the goods or services were purchased, the employee or Board member shall reimburse the Board for all such expenses within 60 days of the function.

Commercial airfare costs in excess of the basic least expensive unrestricted accommodations class offered by commercial airlines are unallowable except when such accommodations would 1) require circuitous routing; 2) require travel during unreasonable hours; 3) excessively prolong travel; 4) result in additional costs that would offset the transportation savings; or 5) offer accommodations not reasonably adequate for the traveler's medical needs. Instances of commercial airfare cost in excess of the basic least expensive unrestricted accommodations class must be justified and documented on a case-by-case basis.

An employee may use and/or accrue bonus points acquired through participation in frequent traveler programs, hotel "bonus points," credit card "rewards," or any other reward under similar affinity programs while traveling on official School business, only if his/her participation would result in no additional cost to the Board.

Travel payment and reimbursement provided from Federal funds must be authorized in advance and must be reasonable and consistent with the Board's policies and administrative guidelines. For travel paid with Federal funds, the travel authorization must include documentation that demonstrates that 1) the participation in the event by the individual traveling is necessary to the Federal award; and 2) the costs are reasonable and consistent with the Board's policies.

All travel shall comply with the travel procedures and rates established in the administrative guidelines. All costs incurred with Federal funds must meet the cost allowability standards within Board Policy 815.

To the extent that the Board's policies does not establish the allowability of a particular type of travel cost, the rates and amounts established under 5 U.S.C. 5701-11, ("Travel and Subsistence Expenses; Mileage Allowances"), or by the Administrator of General Services, or by the President (or his/her designee), must apply to travel under Federal awards.

The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines detailing the procedures by which travel shall be authorized and reimbursement requested and paid for such travel.

Official headquarters is defined as: 

a. Employee's assigned school

b. Board of Education Office for all County Office administrators, supervisory personnel and other county office staff.

c. A Board of Education Member's official headquarters shall be his/her residence

Employees who plan to claim reimbursement for out-of-county travel expenses will submit a request online through Nexis at least one week prior to the departure date. Employee travel will not be paid without prior approval. . The employee shall travel by the most direct and practical route. After travel, reimbursement will be completed in Nexis with mileage listed and all receipts including registration, oarking. tolls, meals and actual lodging cost being claimed attached. The emoloyee must submit their travel reimbursement request with 60 days from the date of travel. Travel claims for any fiscal year should be received before June 30 of such fiscal year. Claims received after June 30 (for travel prior to June 30) will only be paid pending the availability of appropriate funding source. 

Reimbursement for meals are not to exceed the established daily rates of th·e US General Services Administration (GSA) when there is an overnight stay. Meal cost may include gratuities limited to 15% of the meal cost not to exceed the maximum GSA daily rate. Meal expenses for single day travel are not reimbursable.