Code No.: 401.4
EMPLOYEE TRAVEL COMPENSATION
Policy: Employees traveling on behalf of the school district and performing approved school district business will be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses. Actual and necessary travel expenses will include, but not be limited to, transportation and/or mileage costs, lodging expenses, meal expenses and registration costs.
Travel outside of the school district must be pre-approved. Pre-approval will include an evaluation of the necessity of the travel, the reason for the travel and an estimate of the cost of the travel to qualify as approved school district business. Travel outside the school district by employees, other than the superintendent, is approved by the superintendent.
Reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses may be allowed for travel outside the school district if the employee received pre-approval for the travel. Prior to reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses, the employee must provide the school district with a detailed receipt, indicating the date, purpose and nature of the expense for each claim item. In exceptional circumstances, the superintendent may allow a claim without proper receipt. Written documentation explaining the exceptional circumstances is maintained as part of the school district’s record of the claim.
Failure to have a detailed receipt will make the expense a personal expense. Personal expenses, including mileage, in excess of that required for the trip are reimbursed by the employee to the school district no later than 10 working days following the date of the expense.
Reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses for travel outside the school district will be limited to the pre-approved expenses. Pre-approved expenses for registration are limited to the actual cost of the registration.
Pre-approved expenses for transportation within three-hundred miles of the school district administrative office will be by automobile. For pre-approved travel greater than three hundred miles, if the individual chooses to go by automobile, the maximum travel cost shall not exceed the cost of economy/coach class air travel. Employees shall use school vehicles to attend workshops, seminars, conferences, meetings or similar events outside of the district. If an employee decides to use his/her own vehicle when school vehicles are available, he/she will not be reimbursed for mileage. However, the employee shall be reimbursed mileage if there are no school vehicles available to attend such an event as described above and the employee has to use his/her own vehicle to attend the event. Superintendent and Principals choosing to use a personal vehicle when a school vehicle may be available will be reimbursed at the district mileage rate.
If a District car is not available on the designated date, an employee shall be reimbursed mileage at a rate that is eight (8) cents below the federal reimbursement rate, with a maximum amount allowed of 300 total miles.
Personnel shall be reimbursed for travel from the building in which they normally begin their day of service. This does not include travel to and from work and home.
Pre-approved expenses for transportation outside of three‑hundred miles of the school district may be by public carrier. Pre-approved expenses for transportation in a rental car is limited to the cost of a Class “C” rental car at a medium priced agency unless the number of people traveling on behalf of the school district warrants a larger vehicle.
All employees of the district and designated drivers of school vehicles are required to read and acknowledge the Procedures and Expectations for using School vehicles (9 passenger and under.) A current copy of their driver’s license is also required on file in the Superintendent’s office.
An itemized account of all expenses, including receipts for lodging and meals shall be submitted for reimbursement. For travel outside the state of Iowa, a guide or reference used for reasonable and customary expenses is the General Services Administration (GSA) web site at www.gsa.gov/perdiem, which provides maximum per diem rates for meals, lodging, etc for federal travelers.
Meal reimbursements are only allowed on occasions of overnight travel. A restaurant receipt or itemized credit card receipt must be submitted along with a completed expense reimbursement form to the Business Office. Failure to submit a detailed receipt will make the expense a personal expense. Reimbursement for meals shall not include costs for alcoholic beverages.
For travel within the state of Iowa, Meals shall be reimbursed at a rate not to exceed $38 per day. When less than three meals per day are subject to reimbursement, the following maximum reimbursement rates will be paid: up to $7.00 for breakfast, up to $11.00 for lunch and up to $20.00 for dinner.
Approved 11/20/00
Reviewed 12/19/02
Revised 7/7/08
Revised 8/18/14
