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Travel Procedures

See Also: Travel Request form | Travel Expense Claim form

All Travel Policy and Procedures as outlined on this page have been reviewed and approved for FY2013

1. Travel Request Procedures
2. Lodging and Per Diem
3. Method of Travel
4. Travel Expense Reimbursement Procedure
5. Research or Public Service Personnel Travel
6. Travel Expenses for Applicants for Professional Positions
7. Team or Group Travel
8. Combining College Business and Personal Travel

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a. Travel Request Procedures

TMCC travel procedures apply to all TMCC-related travel, regardless of the funding source.

Exceptions:

• if the funding source requires claim submission directly to them;
• if the funding source has more restrictive guidelines.

TMCC's Travel Accounting office processes all travel requests and travel expense claims after approvals are secured.

To streamline the travel reimbursement process:

• TMCC encourages all travelers that have a TMCC purchase card to use it for all reimbursable travel expenses except per diem meals and incidentals and mileage claims. If you don't have a TMCC purchase card, coordinate your alternatives with the TMCC Travel Accounting office.
• TMCC encourages all travelers to initiate direct deposit/electronic fund transfers for travel expense reimbursements using the Direct Deposit for Traveling and Operating Expense Reimbursement form.

Employee Travel Request

For in-state travel: prior to any travel, the appropriate dean/director (or above) must approve the Employee Travel Request form.

For out-of-state travel: prior to any travel, the appropriate cabinet representative must also approve the Employee Travel Request form.

In the event it is not possible to submit a travel request prior to the trip, a written explanation must be attached to the request.

For all travel, lodging, and per diem claim items: the traveler must attach a copy of the federal (U.S. travel) or State Department (foreign travel) web page denoting the lodging and per diem rates used for the request.

If an exception to the lodging rate is requested: complete the portion of the Travel Request form providing an explanation for the exception and the exception calculation (see the information regarding exception to the lodging rate under Section b: Lodging and Per Diem on this page). Upon approval of the travel and any exceptions, the employee's travel request will be sent to the Travel Accounting office.

For travel to be processed and expensed in the accounting system, a travel expense object of expenditure ("20") must be established in the account to be charged. The requesting department must determine whether the object "20" budget is sufficient to pay for the planned travel; if not, a budget transfer must be implemented to increase the travel budget.

The travel object/subject codes are:

• 20 01 - In-State Travel
• 20 02 - Out of State Travel
• 20 03 - Foreign Travel
• 20 05 - Conference Registration
• 20 06 - Mileage

Travel Advances

Travel advances will not be issued. All employees who travel may obtain a college issued credit card that may be used in lieu of a cash advance. Under no circumstances will an advance be issued for airfare, lodging, or registration fees. A college-issued credit card may be used for reimbursable items for which receipts are required; however, they may not be used for per diem meals or incidentals.

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b. Lodging and Per Diem

Lodging and Per Diem rates adopted by the State of Nevada are the same rate for employees of the federal government established by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). These "federal" rates are updated every October 1 of each year and can be found on the GSA website. The State of Nevada has adopted these federal lodging and per diem rates but has not adopted the federal regulations outlined at the GSA site.

U.S. Travel

Foreign Travel (object code 20 03)

Foreign travel lodging and per diem rates are the same as provided by the United States Department of State (DOS) at the State Department's website.

Reimbursable expenses need to be converted to U.S. dollars on the Travel Expense Claim form.

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c. Method of Travel

Travel should be by the least expensive method available when total travel time, salary of traveler, and cost of transportation are considered. Air coach is recommended to all areas serviced. Use of other than a rental vehicle for trips over 50 miles requires justification.

Remember: When traveling on college business, use seat belts.

Airline Upgrade Charges

When flying, the additional fees to upgrade services (e.g., early boarding pass, Business Select) will not be reimbursed to the traveler unless there is an exception such as there are no other seats available and no alternative flight. Fees for up to two checked baggages will be reimbursed, with receipts attached.

Bonus Flight Points

Some commercial airlines allow the accumulation of free bonus flight points to travelers based on miles flown or as an inducement to travel with that airline. Any flight bonus points received by the college or college employees as a result of college-paid air travel shall, whenever possible, be used by the college to meet college travel needs.

Cancelled Trips

Any airline tickets that are not used and cannot be refunded becomes a credit that can be used on future travel. The credit must be used for future college business travel.

To ensure that the Travel Request form is removed from processing, contact the Travel Accounting office as soon as the trip has been cancelled.

Rental Car Companies

Certain rental car agencies have agreed to provide what the Risk Management Division has determined to be minimum acceptable insurance coverage, and State and Business Center Purchasing has developed agreements with each of them.

The preferred college primary vendor is Enterprise Car Rental. Reservations may be made online or by calling 1-800-736-8222. The code number is XZ54080 and PIN number is NSH.

Use of any company not authorized by Purchasing may expose the college to increased liability in the event of an accident and is prohibited. Vehicles must be rented in the name of the individual, and the code and pin should be referenced. Do not obtain insurance coverage. Reservations may be made direct or through your travel agent.

If you have questions, please contact the Travel Accounting office. Other rental car companies should be used only if the traveler's destination city is not serviced by Enterprise Car Rental and justification must be provided on the Travel Expense Claim form.

Collision Deductible Insurance On Rental Cars

It is not necessary to purchase collision damage waivers from state-contracted car rental companies, as these protections are already included in the negotiated agreements. Should it be required to rent a vehicle outside of these agreements, employees should rent the vehicle using the college-provided credit card, which provides coverage for physical damage to the rented vehicle. If a rental vehicle cannot be rented from a contracted company or by using the college-provided credit card, the damage coverage should be accepted and paid for at the time of the rental and submitted for reimbursement.

In the event an employee driving a rental car on college business is involved in a collision, the individual is to submit a Vehicle Accident Report of the accident through the supervisor authorizing the travel. The report is to be sent to the rental car agency and BCN's Risk Management. Any related correspondence is to be attached to the report and a copy sent to TMCC's Vice President of Finance and Administration. Individuals are not to make direct payment and seek reimbursement. Such action may result in the individual absorbing the charge.

Use of State Motor Pools

The state motor pool may be used for Carson City, Reno, and Las Vegas. Reservations for state motor pool cars require a Nevada State Motor Pool Daily Vehicle Approval form, signed by the employee's appointing authority. A copy of the signed form should be faxed to the appropriate motor pool site to reserve a vehicle. The traveler must present the originally signed form at the time of vehicle pickup.

See: State of Nevada Motor Pool for rates and forms.

Private Automobile Usage

The supervisor must determine whether the use of a private automobile is for the College's Convenience or for the Employee's Convenience as outlined below.

• For College's Convenience: An employee using their own personal vehicle at the convenience of the college will be allowed reimbursement at the standard mileage reimbursement rate for which a deduction is allowed for travel under federal income tax laws. Nevada state mileage reimbursement rates are provided by the Nevada State Department of Administration, Budget Division, which periodically announces the current rates to be in effect throughout the year.
• For Employee's Convenience: If a private car is used for the convenience of the employee, the reimbursement rate is one-half the standard mileage rate. If the city is not serviced by an airline, the employee is entitled to reimbursement of meals en route.

Private Automobile Usage Reimbursement

Travel Expense claims that only include mileage reimbursement must be filed within fifteen (15) days after the end of the month. List trip miles by trip, specifying location-to-location miles, times, and dates on the claim form, or on the log attached to the claim form. An accurate way to determine mileage is online documentation by MapQuest, Google Maps, etc. The Travel Expense Claim form must be approved by the supervisor. If filed later than fifteen (15) days, attach an explanation

The college uses a "duty station standard" in determining allowable reimbursable miles. An individual is normally assigned a basic duty station (office, first classroom assignment, etc.). The mileage from home to the duty station during a normal workweek schedule is assumed to be a normal commute to the work place and not allowable as mileage reimbursement. Subsequent mileage from the duty station (office or first classroom assignment) is allowable mileage reimbursement.

Performing business during the initial commute from home to the duty station is considered a part of the normal commute travel and not allowable for mileage reimbursement. If in the extraordinary circumstance that attending a business function during the normal commute travel causes the individual to incur additional miles over the normal home-to-duty station mileage, then the difference in mileage is reimbursable.

If an individual is called out on special assignment or emergency beyond the normal work schedule, mileage from home-to-duty station is reimbursable.

If two employees travel in a private vehicle on college business, only one employee is entitled to mileage reimbursement.

Mileage for transportation to and from the airport will be reimbursed at the lesser of the mileage from the office or from home-to-airport.

Private Aircraft Usage

Use of private aircraft for both travel in-state and out-of-state is discouraged. Before an employee's private aircraft may be used, prior approval must be obtained from the appropriate cabinet representative. Justification should include factors such as total travel time and cost of alternate transportation. Passengers are to be limited to employees only. In these cases, the employee-owner of a private aircraft must show evidence of public liability insurance as required by BCN Risk Management. The approved reimbursement rate for the use of private aircraft is in accordance with the federal GSA rates per air mile traveled

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d. Travel Expense Reimbursement Procedure

Within fifteen (15) days after completion of a trip, a Travel Expense Claim form must be filed with the Travel Accounting office. If filed later than fifteen (15) days, attach an explanation. The account to be charged must be specified. Receipts should be attached to the Travel Expense Claim form, which must be routed for approval by the traveler's supervisor.

If travelers use their personal funds for the purchase of airline tickets or the payment of conference/workshop registration fees, reimbursement cannot be made until completion of the travel.

An Employee Travel Request form should be prepared and submitted before airline tickets are ordered from travel agencies. Special arrangements can be made to pay for tickets in advance of the trip; using the p-card is the preferred option. The Travel Accounting office must be notified of any cancellations or changes in flight plans.

Conference registration fees

• For conferences held locally (Reno, Sparks, Carson City area), conference registration fees must be charged as an operating expense, not travel expense.
• Local registration fees should be coded as object code 3026 (Conference/Registration).
• Conferences held outside of the local area are considered travel expenses and should be coded as object code 2005 (Conference/Registration).
• Registration fees may be paid in advance directly to the conference.
• Registration fees may be charged to a college credit card or a DPO.

Receipts must be attached to the Travel Expense Claim form. If documentation is not available, a letter of explanation signed by the employee's supervisor must be attached to the claim form.

If a purchasing card was used to pay for any portion of the trip, the claimant must attach a copy of the purchasing card statement of account denoting payment. The p-card statement does not need to be the signed report; just run a report for the days that include the trip charges. If a personal MasterCard is used to pay for any portion of the trip, coordinate with the Travel Accounting office to differentiate purchasing card charges from personal MasterCard charges.

Duplication Of Per Diem Items

Claims for per diem allowance must take into consideration meals or lodging included in conference registration fees and for meals served on public transportation without additional cost to the traveler.

Non Per Diem Items

Parking or storage fees will be allowed when considered necessary for college or private cars. Charges should be itemized in the detail column of the Travel Expense Claim form and the amount entered in the transportation cost column. Receipts are required.

Other non per diem items that are reimbursed if receipts are attached include: taxi, airport shuttle, and internet services.

Tips on transportation are per diem incidentals, and are not reimbursed separately. For a list of expenses considered per diem incidentals, refer to the Incidental Per Diem section (under Section b) of this web page.

Non-Travel Items

Travel claims filed in conformity with these regulations shall be considered full compensation for all meals and lodging, including tips, and for minor miscellaneous expenses such as local telephone calls. Toll calls may be itemized to claim reimbursement, if college related. The person and place called must be identified and a receipt is required.

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e. Research or Public Service Personnel Travel

Personnel on research or public service assignments may be reimbursed for travel.

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f. Travel Expenses for Applicants For Professional Positions

Travel expenses for applicants for professional positions are reimbursed for documented reimbursable interview costs, up to a maximum of $750.00 per vacant .5 FTE (or more) professional position.

An exemption to the maximum may be granted by the President based on pool availability, affirmative action, and level of position.

Reimbursable costs include all costs associated with transportation, housing and dining costs paid by the interviewee to travel to Reno, Nevada for a personal interview.

Non-reimbursable expenses would include any personal entertainment, clothing or tourist costs.

Reimbursing a Candidate's Interview Expenses

1. The interview candidate will complete a HR Candidate Interview Reimbursement Costs form, provided by the search committee chair, attaching all receipts and mailing it to the search committee chair.
2. The search committee chair will then complete a DPO, and submit the Candidate Interview Reimbursement Costs form, DPO and receipts to the Human Resources office for final processing.

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g. Team Or Group Travel

College employees on trips accompanying a team or group follow the same procedures outlined in Section b.: Lodging and Per Diem, as appropriate.

If a TMCC employee is paying for all reimbursable expenses for the group's travel, attach a list of trip participants to the Travel Expense Claim form. Reimbursement will be for actual expenses. Employee may use a purchasing card, since reimbursement is based on actual expense, not per diem; however, reimbursement may not exceed per diem and lodging rates.

Individual students traveling on TMCC-related activities should use the Travel Request and Travel Expense Claim procedures.

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h. Combining College Business and Personal Travel

Employees who incorporate private and college travel must demonstrate the costs borne by the college are not increased by the personal travel. The employee must clearly delineate the private and college charges when submitting a Travel Expense Claim form.

When college and private travel is not clearly delineated, the travel processor will determine the reimbursement due to the employee. For questions about this calculation, contact the Travel Accounting office.

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