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Policies and Procedures

6400 Travel

Initial Date of Approval: 9/18/07

Revision Date(s):  6/14/10, 5/11/15, 7/1/18, 12/18/24

Administrative Responsibility: Vice President of Administrative Services

PURPOSE

To ensure compliance with laws and regulations regarding travel for official college business.

REFERENCES

POLICY

Travel on official state business shall be in accordance with Office of Financial Management (OFM) policies and procedures related to travel.

PROCEDURES

In accordance with state regulations, an SVC employee may be reimbursed expenses incurred while in travel status on official state business. Any additional costs incurred for a non-employee (spouse, friend, etc.) accompanying an SVC employee on official state business will not be paid by the college. These additional costs are the responsibility of the traveler.

All travel authorizations, cash advances, and expense reports should be submitted through ctcLink except in the following cases: when an employee is traveling with students, when otherwise advised by the Business Office, or to accommodate a disability.

Prior Authorization

Employees must receive prior authorization in the following circumstances: (1) if a cash advance is requested; (2) for all out-of-state travel; (3) for overnight travel; and (4) for exceptions to the maximum allowable per diem rates.

Approvals are as follows:

  • Out-of-state travel must be approved by the president prior to any travel arrangements being made.
  • Cash advances: must be approved by department managers.
  • Overnight travel: must be approved by the appropriate departmental manager (e.g., dean, director, manager).
  • Exceptions to maximum allowable per diem rates: must be approved by the business office director before travel arrangements are made. Explanations for exceptions must be submitted to the Business Office using the per diem exception form.

Purchases made without required prior approval will not be reimbursed and may be owed back to the college if charged to a college purchasing card. Exceptions will be granted to employees who: attest in detail that the travel was official and necessary for state business, can provide a detailed agenda and expenses, and request and receive written approval from the college president. 

Travel Advance

Employees may request an advance to cover travel expenses as long as the advance is at least $100 and travel is scheduled within the next 30 days. Cash advances are prohibited for mileage reimbursement and the purchase of commercial airfare. Budget managers are responsible for authorizing cash advances charged to their account.

On or before the tenth day of the month following the month in which a cash advance was extended, the employee shall submit to the Business Office a fully itemized and approved Expense Report. Based on the authorized Expense Report, the employee will be reimbursed for expenses incurred above the cash advance amount.

The traveler is responsible for returning any unexpended portion a cash advance to SVC upon their return. When an employee fails to account for or repay an advance, the full unpaid amount shall become immediately due and payable with interest of ten (10) percent per annum from date of default until paid.

Registration

When an event registration fee is required, the options for payment are:

  • Complete a Purchase Requisition with authorizing signatures and submit to Accounts Payable for payment.
  • The employee pays their own registration costs and submits an Expense Report for reimbursement. In this case, the employee should submit the original receipt with the Expense Report for reimbursement.
  • Apply for a travel advance for the registration fee.

Airfare

Use of the state charge card system is mandatory for the purchase of air travel arrangements. An employee may not purchase airfare from personal financial resources. Employees who purchase airfare with their own financial resources will not be reimbursed. Exceptions to the requirement will not be granted.

Employees must make air travel arrangements through a state contracted provider or directly with an airline. 

Employees should follow these procedures to obtain airfare in the most cost effective and efficient way. If purchasing from non-state contracted providers, three (3) quotes must be submitted with any other airfare purchase to document that the most cost effective and efficient fare was purchased. Written justification may also need to be submitted.

The following procedures shall be followed to make airfare reservations:

  • Research airfare provider rates.
  • Obtain three (3) quotes (when booking directly through an airline).
  • Initiate and submit a Travel Authorization (TA) through ctcLink, which includes: vendor, dates of flight, destination, name of traveler, price of ticket, budget to be charged, and required authorizing signature. Include the three (3) quotes, if applicable, with the TA.

Lodging Reservations and Payment

The following options are available for lodging payments and reimbursements:

  • Employees make their own lodging reservations using a personal credit card, a state charge card, or state-issued corporate travel card. Submit the original receipt with the Expense Report for reimbursement.
  • Reservation and payment of lodging may also be made using an SVC VISA business travel card upon request to the Business Office. An authorized Purchase Requisition must be submitted with this request. Original receipt must also be submitted to the Business Office upon return from travel for support of the credit card payment.

Lodging expenses may not exceed the maximum allowable lodging rates (per diem). For maximum allowable lodging rates, visit the OFM Travel Rates Policy. Per diem rates are also posted in the Business Office section of the SVC portal.

OFM allows exceptions to the maximum allowable lodging rates in certain situations. These situations may be reviewed in the OFM Lodging Policy. The Business Office must approve any exceptions to the maximum rate in advance of any travel arrangements being made. When any exception to the maximum allowable lodging rate is used, OFM requires the traveler to provide an explanation describing why an exception was necessary. Also, the traveler is required to provide documentation to support their explanation.

Travelers who do not provide an exception form in advance of travel will not be issued the amount over per diem unless a detailed explanation of the circumstances and written approval from the president is received.

Meals

An employee may be reimbursed for meal expenses if the eleven hour rule (see below) is met. Reimbursement for meal expenses is on a per diem basis (see OFM Travel Rates Policy or Business Office section of the SVC portal). 

Reimbursement for meals will not be authorized when a traveler does not incur expenses for meals because they are furnished.

According to OFM, travelers must be in travel status during the entire agency-defined meal period(s) in order to qualify to collect meal payments for meal(s). The traveler may not stop for a meal just to meet the eleven hour rule. Agency-defined meal periods are as follows:

  • Breakfast: 6am – 8am
  • Lunch: 12pm – 2pm
  • Dinner: 5pm – 7pm

Non-Travel Related Meals. The college may serve coffee and light refreshments, or meals, for certain business meetings regardless of travel status. The Business Office approves requests for these meals in advance of the meeting and/or purchase of food items. Contact the Business Office for the request form. The Business Office must approve requests for coffee and light refreshments or a meal served with a meeting, in compliance with SAAM 70.10 and 70.15.

Eleven Hour Rule

If a trip does not involve an overnight stay, meals may only be reimbursed if the traveler has been in travel status for at least eleven hours. The traveler must also be in travel status during the entire agency-determined meal periods (see Meal section above) in order to qualify to collect meal per diem payments. The traveler may not stop for a meal just to meet the eleven hour rule.

Rental Car

The state has a mandatory-use contract which ensures a government rate and insurance. Please contact the purchasing manager in the Business Office to identify the state contract vendor. An authorized Purchase Requisition must be generated listing the daily rate multiplied by the number of days to be used. Car rental reservations may be made through the state contracted travel agent, or the Business Office will make the reservation. If the destination is not accommodated by the state contract, the rental car company of choice may be used. Upon return, the original rental car receipt is submitted with the Expense Report.

Expense Report

Expense Reports must be submitted within 90 days of return from travel. Expense Reports submitted 90 or more days after return from travel will not be reimbursed. Exceptions will only be granted with a detailed explanation of the circumstance and written approval from the president.

If an Expense Report is unable to be completed through ctcLink, travel expense reimbursement should be requested using the Expense Report form found in the SVC portal under "Travel Forms and Info." Forms must be printed out for authorizing original signatures. The following information must be included in the preparation of an Expense Report:

  • Name of claimant
  • Employee ID number
  • Month/year of travel
  • Official station/residence
  • Departure and return time and date.
  • Purpose of trip
  • Mileage if use of privately owned vehicle
  • Original, detailed receipts for parking, lodging, and other miscellaneous expenses over $50.
  • Signatures of traveler, supervisor and budget manager.

The original Expense Report is submitted to the Business Office for payments.

Travel Rates
Lodging, meals, and private vehicle mileage rates for the continental United States may be found at OFM Travel Rates. For locations outside of Washington State, refer to the U.S. General Services Administration Per Diem Rates website. Per diem allowances for foreign locations, Alaska, and Hawaii are revised monthly and can be accessed at the U.S. Department of State Office of Allowances website.