5-08 Travel by Authorized Personnel

POLICY: 6Hx28:5-08
Responsible Executive: Vice President, Business Operations and Chief Financial Officer
Policy Contacts: Assistant Vice President, Financial Services
Specific Authority: 1001.64, F.S.
Law Implemented: 1001.64, F.S.; 112.061, F.S.;
Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas)
Effective Date: 05-15-2007
Date of Last Policy Review: 03-21-2023

Policy Statement:

The President or designee shall establish a procedure detailing the authorization, reimbursements and processes relating to travel on behalf of the College. Said procedure will comply with all applicable Florida laws and rules.

Policy History:

Adopted 12-11-74; Amended 8-18-76; Amended 8-17-77; Amended 7-18-79; Amended 6-18-80;

Amended 1-19-83; Amended 11-18-92; Amended 2-18-98; Amended 5-15-01; Amended 7-17-01; Amended 06-21-05; Amended 05-15-07; Formerly 6Hx28:7-12; Formerly 6Hx28:07-25

Related Documents:

Authorization for Travel form Mileage Reimbursement form

Per Diem and Local Mileage Voucher

Valencia College Authorization for International Travel form Procurement Transportation Services Website

Related Policies:

College Policy 6Hx28: 3C-07 Employee, Dependent, and Program Development Funds

Procedures:

1. The official headquarters for Valencia College is defined as Orange and Osceola counties, which comprise the Valencia College District. The official headquarters for each College employee will be the campus or center listed in the employee’s official Human Resource record.

    

2. Approval for travel in order to attend a convention or conference, to represent the College at a business or professional meeting, to transact official business of the College, or to carry out professional responsibilities is obtained by forwarding through regular channels for approval the “Authorization for Travel” form for assignment to temporary duty elsewhere.

    

   1. Personnel planning to travel outside of the College district for the College should complete the "Authorization for Travel" form at least five (5) College business days prior to the anticipated departure. This form must be approved by the direct supervisor, budget manager, and/or other designee (if applicable).

       

   2. After completing the trip, reimbursement should be claimed in a timely manner within the fiscal year using the “Per Diem and Local Mileage Voucher” form with receipts attached for each non per diem over $30.00.

       

   3. An employee may request advance payment to cover anticipated costs of travel on the “Authorization for Travel” form. Advance payment requests should be the minimum necessary to cover travel costs that cannot be made with another payment method (i.e. procurement card or check). If an advance payment is requested, the “Authorization for Travel” form must be received in the finance office at least ten (10) College business days prior to the date of travel. Any employee who receives a travel advance must complete a “Per Diem and Local Mileage Voucher” form with receipts attached for each non per diem item over $30.00 no later than thirty (30) calendar days after returning from the trip.

       

   4. Any employee who does not submit their “Per Diem and Local Mileage Voucher” form with supporting documents within 30 calendar days after returning from the trip forfeits the right to any future advances for one year from the date of official notification sent by the Vice President, Business Operations and Chief Financial Officer or designee to the employee and employee’s supervisor. At the conclusion of the one-year suspension, an employee may receive a travel advance. If the employee again fails to submit supporting documentation within the 30 calendar days after the travel advance procedure has been reinstated, the right to receive any future advances will be permanently revoked.

       

   5. For additional questions or guidance on this section, contact Accounts Payable at AccountsPayable@valenciacollege.edu.

       

3. Persons Authorized to Travel:

   1. Any employee of Valencia College

       

   2. Students of Valencia College

       

   3. Consultants or advisors

       

   4. Members of the District Board of Trustees

       

   5. Others as authorized by the District Board of Trustees, the president, or a designee

       

4. Travel Defined:

    

   1. Travel Day - A period of twenty-four (24) hours consisting of four (4) quarters of six (6) hours each

       

   2. Class A Travel - Continuous travel of twenty-four (24) hours or more away from official headquarters

       

   3. Class B Travel - Continuous travel of less than twenty-four (24) hours which involves overnight absence from official headquarters

       

   4. Class C Travel - Travel for short or day trips where the traveler is not away from his or her official headquarters overnight. No allowance shall be made for meals or lodging for Class C Travel.

       

   5. Foreign Travel - Travel outside the United States

       

5. Rates for In-District (Local Mileage) Reimbursement, Per Diem, and Subsistence Allowance:

    

   1. The rate for in-district reimbursement, per diem, and subsistence allowance shall be in accordance with the limits prescribed by Florida Statutes.

       

   2. The rate of per diem for international travel shall be in accordance with the Federal publication "Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas)" published by the U. S. Department of State.

       

6. Travel Reimbursement is Permitted for:

    

   1. Tourist flight or other common carrier. Travel shall be reimbursed via the most efficient and economical means. Airline or other common carrier tickets shall not be booked until confirmation is received that travel is approved and budgeted funds are available.

       

   2. Hotel/motel bills; hired vehicle fares (taxi, Uber, Lyft, etc.); ferry, bridge, road and tunnel tolls; storage and parking fees, and communication expenses not to include reimbursements for personal cellular telephone charges. Receipts are required for each item over $30.00.

   3. The use of a personal vehicle, requiring joint travel by personnel in a single vehicle whenever feasible, using state map mileage and vicinity mileage related to the specific purpose of the trip. Reimbursement shall be at the rate established by the District Board of Trustees within the limits prescribed by Florida Statutes.

       

   4. When using a rental car for College business, the employee should use one of the College’s contracted providers, Budget (BCD) Car Rental under contract #T137200 or Avis (AWD) Car Rental under contract #B133461. Both vendors provide unlimited mileage, roadside assistance, and insurance coverage as part of the negotiated rate for only College business purposes. In the event that an employee uses a car rental agency other than Budget or Avis, the traveler should obtain the additional insurance coverage, but will only be reimbursed the lesser of the Budget or Avis contracted rate or the actual amount paid. For more information about Valencia’s rental car program, refer to the Procurement Transportation Services website (https://valenciacollege.edu/employees/procurement/transportation-services.php) or contact ValenciaProcurement@valenciacollege.edu.

       

      Mileage is not reimbursed when using a rental car. However, travel reimbursement is permitted for gasoline used with the rental car. (Receipts are required for purchase over

      $30.00). Traveler should be diligent in acquiring the most economical gas rate.

       

7. Travel reimbursement is not permitted for Florida sales tax, valet service, special entertainment, tips, or any item of a personal nature.

    

8. Travel outside the contiguous states with staff and program development funds requires the documentation of the direct contribution and benefit of the travel and requires the approval of the president or designee.

    

9. Employees on approved College travel are not permitted to act as a pilot in a personally owned, rented, leased, or loaned aircraft.

    

10. The registration fee of a convention, conference, or meeting may be allowed if an official receipt is attached to the request for reimbursement. A registration fee may be pre-paid when submitted on an approved general requisition form or paid with a procurement card.

     

11. When a meal or meals is included as a part of the registration fee, the meal allowance authorized will be deducted from the total reimbursement.

     

12. In-District Travel:

     

    1. In-District travel is defined as travel within Orange and Osceola Counties.

        

    2. Records of each trip on College business must be maintained by each employee authorized to claim local mileage allowance. An accurate report must be filed periodically and within the fiscal year in which the travel was commenced on the "Mileage Reimbursement Form". An employee required to use their personal automobile for College business is authorized to claim local mileage. For more

       information, see checklist, instructions, and guidelines on the “Mileage Reimbursement Form”.

        

    3. Reimbursement for local mileage allowance shall be paid in accordance with the limits prescribed by Florida Statutes.

        

    4. All unnecessary travel shall be avoided. Further, joint travel by College personnel in a single vehicle is strongly encouraged whenever feasible. When multiple authorized personnel travel in a single vehicle, mileage reimbursement may only be submitted by either the vehicle owner or driver.

        

    5. The employee’s immediate supervisor or supervisor’s designee shall approve the in- district mileage requests.

        

    6. The College will reimburse employees for authorized travel from one campus/site to another during the course of their work day (including any authorized tolls and/or parking expense) based on the College’s official In-District Mileage Chart published on www.valenciacollege.edu/accountspayable/documents/In_district_Mileage.pdf (Local expressway toll charges will be reimbursed at the most economical rate (i.e. SunPass/E- Pass rate).

        

    7. The College does not reimburse employees for commuting mileage from/to home to their official headquarters, regardless of the work location option (i.e., full on-site, primarily on-site, primarily remote, or fully remote). However, when an employee travels directly from/to home to a location other than their official headquarters, they will be reimbursed any additional mileage that is incurred above the normal commute from home to work. If the mileage from home to the non-official headquarters is less than their normal mileage from home to work, no mileage reimbursement is payable.

        

    8. When “home” is listed on a travel report, the employee must list their home address on the face of the report. A map printout (such as from MapQuest or Google Maps) for locations not listed on the In-District Mileage Chart should be attached to the “Mileage Reimbursement Form” to expedite the processing of travel reimbursement published on https://www.valenciacollege.edu/employees/accounts-payable/documents/mileage- reimbursement.pdf or found in Atlas under Valencia Forms.

        

    9. The “Mileage Reimbursement Form” will be used for applying for reimbursement for all local travel including toll charges and parking expenses. Receipts will not be required for meter parking or local expressway toll charges; however, these items must be identified on the “Mileage Reimbursement Form”.

        

    10. Valencia College may reimburse travel expenses for candidates in Faculty and Administrative searches based upon Employment and Onboarding guidelines. Exceptions to the guidelines may be made by the College President or the Vice President, Organizational Development and Human Resources.

         

    11. Student Travel:

         

        1. All authorized student travel will be budgeted and charged to the appropriate

           budget. Travel for advisors accompanying any such group will be charged to the same budget.

            

        2. Mileage or per diem is not normally paid for field trips.

            

        3. Student international travel sponsored by the College (Short-Term or Semester Study Abroad programs) is not covered under this procedure. For additional information on these types of student travel, contact the Study Abroad & Global Experience (SAGE) Office at 407-582-3188 or studyabroad@valenciacollege.edu.

            

        4. For additional information on student travel, contact Student Development at studentdevcw@valenciacollge.edu

            

    12. For additional questions or guidance regarding In-District travel, contact Accounts Payable at AccountsPayable@valenciacollege.edu.

         

13. Employee International Travel

     

    1. Employees Planning to travel outside of the contiguous states must:

        

       1. Complete the “Valencia College Authorization for International Travel” form located on the Accounts Payable website (https://valenciacolelge.edu/employees/accounts-payable/forms/php) and obtain approvals from both their direct supervisor and budget manager.

           

          1. If any portion of international travel is being paid through employee and/or program development funds (EDF), the employee will need to complete appropriate documentation and obtain approval to support the direct contribution and benefit of the travel in accordance with College Policy 6Hx28: 3C-07 Employee, Dependent, and Program Development Funds. Once approval is obtained for EDF, the approved documentation must be forwarded to the Accounts Payable Office.

              

          2. Register with the SAGE Office at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to travel departure. For more information on how to register for travel, visit the SAGE Office’s Non-Study Abroad International Travel Registration webpage at https://valenciacollege.edu/students/study-abroad/faculty-travel-registration.php. As part of the registration process, travel insurance coverage information is provided for employee purchase.

              

    2. For non-study abroad international travel, the employee rate of per diem shall be in accordance with the Federal publication: Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas)” published by the U.S. Department of State.

Procedure History:

Adopted 11-18-92; Amended 5-15-01; Amended 7-17-01; Amended 06-21-05; Amended 05-17-07;

Amended 3-30-09; Amended 12-4-12; Amended 12-1-16; Amended 12-5-16; Amended 03-21-2023; Formerly 6Hx28:07-25

Related Documents:

Related Procedures:

Date of Last Procedure Review: 03-21-2023