Travel
The Northeastern State University Travel Policy has been developed in accordance with Oklahoma Statutes. The Policy covers state officials, employees and students who are performing a substantial and necessary service for the State of Oklahoma.
Justification for Travel
Travel must be necessary for the proper execution of official University business or in justifiable pursuit of the University’s educational objectives. Meetings and conferences attended must be of a professional nature that will increase the attending individual’s usefulness to the University.
Limits of Expenses
Reimbursement for University travel is based on actual expenses incurred, subject to the limitations established by the University’s Travel Policies. An expense which is at the official duty station of an employee will not be reimbursed. The “official duty station” is defined as the office headquarters or the designated location of employees established in the field.
Transportation for persons traveling singly should be by common carrier (air, train, bus) wherever practical. Advantage must be taken of round trip rates when available. Travel must be by the most direct route possible, any individual traveling by an indirect route must bear the extra expense. Regardless of the mode of transportation (including privately owned vehicles), reimbursement for out-of-state transportation shall not exceed that of coach airplane fare.
Air Travel
Accommodations should be limited to coach class.
All airline tickets must be purchased from a State Approved Travel Agent Currently they are: Journey House or Nammer Travel.
If a ticket is purchased elsewhere a written quote from the State Approved Travel Agent must be included with the travel claim. This quote must be obtained before the ticket is purchased and if at all possible it should be 21 days before the date of travel. We cannot pay more than the quoted amount from the state approved travel agent.
A cost comparison must be done if the claimant drives a privately owned vehicle outside the state to a conference. The Flying comparison can only include three items:
1. The written quote for the cost of airfare from a state approved travel agent.
2. The cost of the mileage to and from the airport.
3. The cost of the mileage from the airport to the conference/hotel at the destination.
The driving comparison must be documented with a copy of a map showing the miles from the point of entry of travel and the destination.
A cost comparison is not required for use of university owned vehicles.
Automobile Travel
Public TransportationCurrently (as of July 1, 08) mileage is reimbursed at 0.585 per mile.
Travel by a privately owned vehicle shall be reimbursed at the approved rate based on the distance on the latest Department of Transportation data. This program can be found at www.okladot.state.ok.us/The shorter of the distances from the employee’s residence (if leaving from home) or duty station to the destination point of travel will be considered for reimbursement of mileage, except for weekend travel when travel from home is allowed.
This refers to local transportation at the traveler’s destination and includes taxi, limousine, bus, subway, shuttles, etc. If reimbursement for local transportation is being claimed within the State Of Oklahoma, a letter of justification, signed by an Account Sponsor, must accompany the request for reimbursement.
Reimbursement of Leased or Rented Automobiles
The actual cost of leasing or renting an automobile outside of the State of Oklahoma, to be used on official business for the state, shall be reimbursed subject to approval by the Account Sponsor. This will include the liability insurance policy offered by the rental company.
All miscellaneous travel expenses must be itemized on the Travel Reimbursement Summary and receipts attached. Reimbursement may be claimed for the following miscellaneous expenses:
a. Communications. Telephone and internet charges may be reimbursed when incurred while conducting University business; a memo of explanation must be attached.
b. Registration fees. If the claimant paid for the registration please include a copy of the receipt showing a “0” balance or both sides of a canceled check or a copy of the credit card statement. If meals were included in the registration fee, the number of meals provided should be indicated and one-fourth of one day’s meals and incidental expense allowance should be deducted from the per diem for each meal provided.
c. Parking fee charges. Attach receipts.
d. Optional business activities. Attach a paid receipt and itemize any optional business activities. These expenses should be “essential and necessary” activities that are related and connected with the general purposes of the conference, meeting, seminar, etc. A statement signed by the claimant attesting that these activities were essential and necessary expenses and a brief description of their importance must accompany the State of Oklahoma Travel Voucher Form. If the optional business activity included meals, it must be deducted from the per diem total as described with the registration fees.
Reimbursement may not be claimed for the following expenses: Personal services such as hair cuts, shoe shines, etc. Gas, oil and repairs to privately owned vehicles. These expenses are covered in the reimbursement rate allowed.
Per Diem Rates
Per Diem rates will vary depending on the location of travel as identified in the Government Services Administration’s (GSA) continental United States (CONUS) rates for domestic locations. Special rates apply to out of the country trips. A complete listing of these rates can be obtained at www.gsa.gov.
Reimbursement for meals and lodging shall not begin more than twenty-four (24) hours before or continue more than twenty-four (24) hours after the objective of the trip Forty-Eight (48) hours for out of the country trips. A copy of the conference agenda must be included. The agenda must have the beginning and ending dates and times of the conference. The dates and times will be used to figure the amount of the per diem.
Lodging
If the daily room charge is more than the GSA rate it can be paid if you include a copy of the designated hotel information which can be found in the conference literature. The “designated hotel” information is the special discount rate arranged by the conference sponsors with the hotel. The single room rate must be specified.
If the conference is held in the hotel where the participant stayed the daily room charge can be paid by marking the receipt as “Conference Hotel” and furnishing the information showing that the conference was held at that hotel.
Claimants who acquire less expensive lodging shall be reimbursed the actual lodging expense not to exceed the single room rate charged by the designated lodging place. The designated hotel information must be included with the travel claim.
Please examine the hotel receipt:
- a.It must have a -0- balance:
- b. There will be reimbursement for documented meal and incidental expenses only in connection with overnight travel status.
- c. Overnight travel must be a least 60 map miles one-way from claimant’s duty station to qualify for reimbursement of lodging expenses.
- d. If there are no lodging expenses claimed on the travel claim (as in when a claimant stays overnight with family or friends) in Lieu of Subsistence may be claimed. Please write on the travel claim that the claimant stayed with family or friends and increase the basic per diem by $10.00 per day.
Reimbursement for Travel Expenses
After traveling, the claimant should complete and sign a Travel Reimbursement Summary and State of Oklahoma Travel Voucher to obtain reimbursement for expenses.
The following items should be forwarded to the Business Office for auditing and processing:
The completed Travel Reimbursement Summary signed and dated by the Claimant and the Account Sponsor.
One completed original Travel Voucher signed and dated by Claimant and the Account Sponsor.
The original copy of all required receipts (lodging, transportation, rental vehicle charges, gas, oil, and repairs to a University vehicle). If the original receipts are not available, please indicate with an explanation.
The original of any required letters of justification to explain unusual expenses of amounts claimed.
Reimbursement may be expected within approximately fourteen (14) days from the date the Business Office submits the claim to the Office of State Finance. CURRENTLY the travel reimbursement will be mailed to the home address on file.
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