Policy 850 - Travel Payment and Reimbursement
Adopted on October 24, 2019
Effective October 24, 2019
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.
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