GAN Travel Expenses
GAN Travel Expenses
GAN
Travel Expenses
The board shall provide reimbursement for expenses incurred in travel related to the duties of the district’s employees when approved in advance by the superintendent. Mode of travel will be based on, but not limited to, the availability of transportation, distance and number of persons traveling together. Air travel will be reimbursed at the coach rate unless coach space is not available.
Requests for reimbursement shall have the following attached: receipts for transportation, parking, hotels or motels, meals and other expenses for which receipts are ordinarily available. For the authorized use of a personal car, including approved travel between buildings, staff members shall be reimbursed at a mileage rate established by the board.
Policy Reference: BBBF
Policy References: CG and CEF
Policy References: GBRC and GCA
Adoption Date: 06/06/2006, Revised: 06/22/2009
Dodge City Public Schools Conference/Travel Approval Guidelines
(Board Policy GAN-Regulation)
Please observe the following guidelines for requesting approval for out-of-district travel so that plans are made well in advance and travel experiences will be the most enjoyable. Conference requests should be initially submitted to the building administrator/supervisor. Once approved the request should be submitted to the appropriate district level administrator at least 30 days in advance of the travel to insure time for approval and the completion of registration, lodging reservations and transportation arrangements. Approval must be obtained prior to sending registration forms, booking hotels, and paying for airline tickets.
- All hotel reservations will be made by the district business office
- All airline tickets will be reserved by the district business office
- Registrations are submitted by the requester or the district business office – see further details in the Registration section
Failure to submit an accurate, complete, and timely Conference/Travel Request form may result in denial of a request. If requests are denied or you later decide not to go, you will be expected to reimburse the district personally for any previously arranged expenses which cannot be refunded. An exception may be considered in the case of an unforeseen emergency over which you had no control. Original, itemized receipts are required for reimbursement except for meal per diem and or mileage.
Out of State Travel (Teachers and Support Staff):
Conference attendance is of benefit to the individual and the district; therefore, teachers may select for attendance out of state travel. The conference should be tied to the requesting individual’s goals or school improvement plan.
Individuals will be required to complete the “Out of State Professional Development Justification Form” and submit to their immediate supervisor to initiate the process outlined in this document.
A rotation of attendees will be determined by administration. For example, a person is not eligible, unless approved by administration, to attend out of state in successive years. There will be administrative consideration in approving the number of person(s) representing their respective content area or grade level at a conference at one time.
Out of state travel, as directed by specific grant or federal programming requirements, are exempt from the number of participant criteria cited above.
Conference Travel Request:
- Planning. The individual making the request should complete all sections of the current online Conference/Travel Request form in Filemaker on your district computer. Indicate the appropriate budget code to which expenses will be charged. Clearly indicate the name of the conference and include names of attendees (legal names as listed on drivers’ licenses) and dates of attendance including any pre- conference sessions. Plans that include travel extensions for personal reasons must be made separately and paid by personal funds. Personal entertainment at conference locations are also the responsibility of each individual. If the travel arrangements include a group, please have a meeting with all group members to discuss plans before filling out the conference/travel request so that everyone knows the travel plans and so that the need to alter confirmed arrangements can be minimized or avoided altogether. Group members should individually request approval from their administrative supervisor and forward their request form to a person designated by the group (ie school/department secretary, grant supervisor) to collect all member travel requests to send to the next approval level in one organized packet for the group. See further details in the Approval section.
- Lodging. Hotel or motel room rates, room and occupant information, reservation number and contact information should be provided on the Conference/Travel Request form. All room reservations will be made by the district business office. The business office will arrange for direct billing whenever possible. The district only pays the lodging establishment for room rate and other taxes. The employee is responsible for providing the hotel/motel a personal credit card to cover incidental charges during their stay. Always provide receipts for lodging arrangements. Itemized hotel receipts are required even if the room is prepaid.
- Registration. Information must include a copy of the conference program or agenda that shows costs, session schedules, meal provisions, and any other pertinent information related to trip expense. Be sure to indicate who is responsible for sending the registration and how it is to be sent. If the registration has been faxed or sent by the requester, be sure to indicate manner of payment expected.
- Transportation. Use the current approved mileage rate for calculating vehicle charges for land transportation. Indicate the time and date you will depart from Dodge City and your expected date and time of return. The vehicle and transportation tab should be completed on the Conference/Travel Request form for both the use of a district vehicle or a personal vehicle. If you are requesting use of a district vehicle, the requestor will print off the Vehicle Request form and send it to the transportation department when travel is approved. When more than one employee is traveling to the same event, the district will provide or reimburse mileage for only one type of vehicle transportation (district vehicle or personal vehicle) unless one or more of the group members must attend the conference a day earlier and or later than the rest of the group.
- Air travel costs must be documented regarding dates/time of travel, and ticket charges. Please obtain a printed cost estimate for airline and other transportation needs to submit with your conference request form to indicate dates, times, and anticipated expenses. Such estimates should be available either from local travel agencies or from internet travel sites that you may consult as you search for best prices and arrangements. All airline tickets will be booked by the district business office. A copy of your driver license must be emailed to the district business office in order to purchase the airline tickets.
- If transportation between an airport and hotel is required, make an effort to use the most cost effective means. Round trip shuttle tickets are often the best value unless there is a group that can take advantage of shared rates in a taxi. Otherwise, taxi rates are generally the most expensive and are to be avoided. All transportation expenses for personal business are the responsibility of the individual. Rental car charges will not be reimbursed unless advanced approval is obtained for business purposes.
- Meal Per Diem. Clearly indicate a realistic number of meals that are necessary each day by taking into account the times of your departure from and return to Dodge City and the number of meals that are included in the registration fee. The district will not provide a per diem for meals that are included in the registration fee. Use the following guidelines in applying for meal allowances:
| Prior to: | Departure | Return |
|---|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | 3 Meals | 0 Meals |
| 11 a.m. | 2 Meals | 1 Meal |
| 6 p.m. | 1 Meal | 2 Meals |
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
Maximum Per Diem |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State/Out-of State | $14.00 | $14.00 | $25.00 | $53.00 (or maximum for allowed meals if less than three) |
Per Diem allowance shall not exceed the actual number of meals approved for a particular day (e.g. A breakfast and lunch only: maximum $28.00). An evening meal may be included if a motel stay is required the night before an early morning airline reservation. If a district credit card is used to charge individual meals, reimbursement is expected for meals that exceed the respective Per Diem allowance. Itemized receipts must be provided for all district credit card charged meal expenses.
Approval Process. When the request form is complete, route the form through all necessary budget supervisors so that there is adequate time for it to arrive in the Business Office at least two weeks prior to the registration deadline. Please note directions for submitting a group packet explained in the Planning section. This is essential for your trip request to get the appropriate consideration and still allow for mail delays, employee vacations, or other difficulties. Failure to observe this guideline may result in denial of your request.
Expense Claims. Within five working days following your return from all trips, submit receipts and reimbursement requests on an approved Expense Claim Form also found in Filemaker on your district computer. Receipts are expected to validate all trip expenses for which the district is responsible including any amounts that were provided in advance of the trip. An Expense Claim Form is expected upon return from your trip even if no money needs to be exchanged. Any money that was advanced must be returned to the Business Office if appropriate receipts are not submitted to verify the expense.
Beginning July 1, 2023, the BOE approved the procedural process of paying nine month certified and classified non-exempt employees for travel time incurred outside of the normal work day or contract period when that travel time is incurred due to a mandatory district-initiated request. Nine-month certified travel pay is based on the negotiated amount within the supplemental salary schedule, which is currently set at $18.75 per hour, and classified staff pay will be the employee’s current hourly rate of pay and will allow for overtime as needed. If applicable, the employee will also receive compensation for the seat time incurred while completing the mandatory district-initiated training at the current negotiated rate, which is currently $18.75 per hour for nine-month certified staff, or the current hourly rate of the classified non-exempt employee. For non-exempt employees, overtime will need to be considered. This pay will not include down time or wait times.
Regulation Adoption Date: 06/10/2019; Revised: 11/28/2022; 08/14/2023