COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT

DEE (R)

 

Employees of the District shall be reimbursed in whole or in part for appropriate reasonable business expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Mileage, airfare, meals and lodging will be reimbursed in accordance with the Texas General Appropriations Act, Education Code, Government Code, and IRS regulations unless otherwise identified as an exception within this regulation.

Reimbursement shall be received by completing the on-line Travel Reimbursement request or the on-line NEISD Professional System Local Mileage Reimbursement request.  On-line approval by the budget manager is required. The employee must use his/her legal name as listed with the Personnel Department.

When receipts are required they should be itemized, and failure to provide receipts or other reasonable proof (determined on a case by case basis) shall result in the employee being responsible for paying these costs.

Air travel arrangements shall be made with the District's approved travel agent. No employee shall receive a travel advance in accordance with the TEA Financial Accountability System Resource Guide (FASRG).

The District will reimburse additional nights travel expenses when traveling to a conference earlier than necessary if:

  1. taking an earlier flight and incurring additional travel expenses results in a cost savings to the District, and
  2. the savings (generally for airfare) is documented via a written quote from the District's bid-awarded travel vendor. The quote shall provide the earlier and later costs of the travel.

IN-DISTRICT EXPENSES DEFINITION (LOCAL EXPENSES)

In-district shall be defined as the San Antonio metropolitan area and 25 miles beyond that area.

MILEAGE ALLOWANCES

A monthly travel allowance shall be included in paychecks for positions identified as requiring consistent use of their personal vehicle in order to perform one or more essential duties or responsibilities for their job.  Eligible positions will be determined by Human Resources and will be submitted to Executive Staff for approval on an annual basis.  Rates will be determined by position, and may vary from position to position based on differences in the job requirements.  Approved positions and rates will be identified in Exhibit 1.

OTHER EMPLOYEES MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT

All other employees shall be reimbursed at the allowable rate.   Effective July 1, 2006, the allowable rate for mileage reimbursement is 44.5 cents per mile. An on-line NEISD Professional System Local Mileage Reimbursement request approved by the employee's supervisor must be submitted for expense reimbursement. When it shall be necessary for the employee to travel for school business purposes between District facilities, the mileage chart calculator on the on-line NEISD Professional Local Mileage Reimbursement system must be used for mileage claimed and shall be actual mileage when business travel is to other non-District facilities.

LIMITATIONS

Mileage shall not be claimed for driving between the employee's home and the main or regular place of work. Such mileage costs are considered personal commuting expenses by the IRS. When employees must commute between their residence and a location other than their regular place of business for school business purposes, then mileage that exceeds the distance between the employee's residence and the regular place of business can be claimed.

 

IN-DISTRICT EXPENSES FOR MEALS, PARKING AND MILEAGE

Parking shall be reimbursed according to a receipt or other reasonable evidence. Meals shall be reimbursed at actual cost (not to exceed the per diem established for state and federal employees) only when authorized by the Superintendent or an Associate Superintendent and when:

  1. business is conducted during the meal, or
  2. the meal is required as a part of a group activity, or
  3. business extends the work day beyond the dinner hour.

On-line travel reimbursement requirements:

  1. Itemized receipts for meals (not to exceed the per diem established for state and federal employees) and parking should be processed through the on-line travel reimbursement application.  Documentation should indicate who attended the meeting and what business was discussed.
  2. Local mileage must be included on the on-line NEISD Professional System Local Mileage Reimbursement request.

TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF A 25-MILE RADIUS OF SAN ANTONIO

A district employee may be eligible to be reimbursed for travel outside a 25-mile radius of San Antonio that includes an overnight stay. Employees must receive approval, in advance of travel using the on-line NEISD Professional Travel System. All requests to travel outside of state shall be approved in advance by the Superintendent of Schools or designee.

Reimbursement for meals and lodging may not exceed actual cost or the maximum allowable rates (plus applicable taxes), which ever is less, unless otherwise identified as an exception within this regulation.

Allowable rates for traveling within the State of Texas are determined using the State Travel Allowance Guide. Allowable rates for traveling outside the State of Texas, but within the continental United States are determined using the federal travel regulations for the location to which the employee travels.

The federal travel regulations contain rates for selected municipalities and counties in each state. If a municipality is not specifically listed in the regulations, the rates for the county in which the municipality is located shall apply. If neither a municipality nor the county in which the municipality is located is listed, then the lowest meals and lodging rate for the state shall apply when traveling to the municipality or county.

The rates shall apply on a per day, per location basis for meal and lodging expenses. Contact the Accounting Department for clarification on rates.

On-line travel reimbursement requirements:

  1. Original itemized receipts for lodging, airline tickets, leasing of vehicles and other high cost items must be electronically attached to the on-line NEISD Travel Reimbursement Request.  Supporting documentation should be maintained by the Campus or Department Bookkeeper/Secretary.  The retention period is 7 years.
  2. A daily itemization of travel expenses must be included on the on-line NEISD Travel Reimbursement Request.
  3. Itemized meal receipts are always required if travel       expenditures are being paid from a state or federal grant.  Reimbursements are limited to the per diem amounts identified by the State Travel Allowance Guide for travel within the State of Texas, and by the federal travel regulations for travel outside of the state.
  4. Meal receipts are not required if travel expenditures are being paid from local funds and if the per diem amount for travel within the State of Texas is requested.  If traveling outside the State of Texas, but within the continental United States, itemized meal receipts are required if the claim exceeds the per diem established for the travel within the State of Texas.   

TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES

An employee may be reimbursed for actual meal and lodging cost when traveling outside the continental United States. The Superintendent's prior approval shall be required for travel to these areas.

On-line travel reimbursement requirements:

  1. Original itemized receipts for lodging, airline tickets, leasing of vehicles and other high cost items must be electronically attached to the on-line NEISD Travel Reimbursement Request.  Supporting documentation should be maintained by the Campus or Department Bookkeeper/Secretary.  The retention period is 7 years.
  2.  Itemized meal receipts shall be required and be should electronically attached to the on-line travel reimbursement request.
  3. A daily itemization of the travel expenses must be included on the on-line NEISD Travel Reimbursement Request.  

EXCEPTIONS

Employees staying at hotels officially affiliated with conferences are eligible to be reimbursed the conference room rate even if it is in excess of the maximum per diem lodging rate for state and federal employees. Employees must have the prior approval of their Budget Manager in order for the higher rate to be reimbursed. Failure to notify the Budget Manager in advance of the applicable higher rates will result in the employee being responsible for paying amounts above the approved rates. The Superintendent, Chief Financial Officer or appropriate Associate Superintendent may authorize on an individual basis, other exceptions allowing reimbursement of actual expenses which exceed the dollar limitation if special circumstances exist. Local funds must be available for any expenses that exceed the maximum per diems established for state and federal employees

USE OF STUDENT CAMPUS/STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS

If Student Activity Funds (Agency) funds are used, the dollar limitations on use of Agency Funds shall be set by the appropriate club or student group.

Campus Activity Funds (CAF) are subject to all constitutional and statutory guidelines of the general fund. Therefore, the use of CAF funds to reimburse employees or pay for travel expenses shall be subject to all guidelines and supporting documentation requirements set out in this administrative regulation.

ISSUED DATE: 05/11/99

REVISED: 07/24/06