ARTICLE 12
ALLOWANCES AND REIMBURSEMENTS
12.1 Business and Travel Expense
a. The State agrees to reimburse employees for appropriate expenses
incurred on or after the date of ratification by the Legislature
and the Union, in accordance with existing DPA rules AND as set
forth below:
(1) For continuous short-term travel of more than 24
hours, the employee will be reimbursed for actual
costs up to the maximum allowance for each meal,
incidental, and lodging expense for each complete 24
hours of travel, beginning with the traveler's time
of departure. Each item of expense of $25.00 or
more must be substantiated by providing a receipt.
The maximum reimbursement allowance for meals shall
be at the following rates:
Breakfast $ 5.50
Lunch 9.50
Dinner 17.00
Incidentals 5.00 (Every full 24 hours of
travel)
Total $37.00
The reimbursement allowance for lodging shall be at
thefollowing rates:
(a) Statewide, without a Up to $24.99
lodging receipt:
(b) Statewide, with a Actual lodging
lodging receipt: up to $79.00
plus taxes*
(c) State sponsored confer- Actual lodging,
ences, conventions, up to $110.00
business meetings, and plus taxes*
training. Requires prior
appointing authority
approval (with a lodging
receipt)
(d) Non-State sponsored Actual lodging
conferences, conventions, up to $150.00
business meetings and plus taxes*
training. Requires prior
appointing authority
approval (with a lodging
receipt)
*Reimbursement of lodging expenses in excess of specified amounts,
excluding taxes, requires prior written approval from DPA.
(2) For travel which is the last fractional part of a
period of short-term travel of more than 24 hours,
the actual costs up to the maximum allowance for
meals or lodging will be paid provided the travel
time meets the following requirements. Each item of
expense of $25.00 or more must be substantiated by
providing a receipt.
Breakfast: Breakfast may be claimed if travel began at or prior to 6:00
a.m. and terminated at or after 9:00 a.m.
Lunch: Lunch may be claimed if travel began at or prior to 11:00 a.m.
and terminated at or after 2:00 p.m.
Dinner: Dinner may be claimed if travel began at or prior to 4:00 p.m.
and terminated at or after 7:00 p.m.
Lodging: Lodging may be claimed if travel is extended overnight.
If the 24-hour allowance provides a reimbursement for a meal,
the application of this paragraph shall not result in a
duplicate meal allowance for a meal that has already been
reimbursed.
(3) For continuous travel of less than 24 hours, the
employee will be reimbursed for actual costs up to
the maximum allowance as set forth in section a.(1)
above for breakfast, dinner, and lodging if the
employee's travel time meets the criteria as set
forth in Section a.(2) above for each individual
item. Each item of expense of $25.00 or more must
be substantiated by providing a receipt. No
reimbursement will be allowed for lunch or
incidentals.
(4) An employee may not claim meal, incidental or
lodging expenses within 50 miles of his/her
headquarters. An employee may not claim lodging
expenses within 50 miles of his/her primary
residence. Meal expenses may be claimed in
accordance with sections a.(1) through (3) above,
if expenses are incurred and the department
approves the necessity and reasonableness of such
expense.
(5) An employee may claim noncommercial subsistence
rates of $24.00 for meals and incidentals and $23.00
for lodging for travel of 12 hours up to 24 hours;
either $23.50 for meals or $23.50 for lodging for
travel less than 12 hours if expenses are incurred
when the employee uses noncommercial facilities such
as, but not limited to, house trailers, camping
equipment or when staying with friends or relatives.
(6) An employee on long-term field assignment who
maintains a separate residence in the headquarters
area may claim long-term subsistence rates of $24.00
for meals and incidentals and $23.00 for lodging for
travel of 12 hours up to 24 hours; either $23.50 for
meals or $23.50 for lodging for travel less than 12
hours when the employee incurs expenses in one
location comparable to those arising from the use of
establishments catering to the long-term visitor.
Subsistence shall be paid in accordance with
procedures prescribed by the Department of Personnel
Administration.
(7) An employee on long-term field assignment who does
not maintain a separate residence in the
headquarters area may claim long-term subsistence
rates of $12.00 for meals and incidentals and $11.50
for lodging for travel of 12 hours up to 24 hours;
either $12.00 for meals or $12.00 for lodging for
travel less than 12 hours when the employee incurs
expenses in one location comparable to those arising
from the use of establishments catering to the
long-term visitor. Subsistence shall be paid in
accordance with procedures prescribed by the
Department of Personnel Administration.
(8) Mileage Reimbursement
(a) When an employee is authorized by his/her
department head or designee to operate a
privately owned vehicle on state business,
even though a state vehicle is available, the
employee will be allowed to claim and be
reimbursed for vehicle expenses up to 24 cents
per mile without certification, or up to 30
cents per mile with certification.
(b) Specialized Vehicles - An employee who must
operate a motor vehicle on official state
business and who, because of a physical
disability, may operate only a specially
equipped or modified vehicle may claim and
be reimbursed for vehicle expenses up to 24
cents per mile without certification, or up
to 37 cents per mile with certification.
Supervisors who approve claims pursuant to
this subsection have the responsibility of
determining the need for the use of such
vehicles.
(c) Private Aircraft Mileage - Reimbursement for
the use of the employee's privately-owned
aircraft on state business shall be made at
the rate of 50 cents per statute mile.
(d) Mileage to/from a common carrier - When the
employee's use of a privately owned vehicle
is authorized for travel to or from a common
carrier terminal, and the employee's vehicle
is not parked at the terminal during the
period of absence, the employee may claim
double the number of miles between the
terminal and the employee's headquarters or
residence, whichever is less, while the
employee occupies the vehicle. Exception to
"whichever is less": If the employee
begins travel one hour before his/her
regularly scheduled work day, or on a
regularly schedule day off, mileage may be
computed from his/her residence to the common
carrier. If the employee ends travel one hour
after his/her regularly scheduled work day,
or on a regularly scheduled day off, mileage
may be computed from the common carrier to
his/her residence. Employees may claim and
be reimbursed for vehicle expenses up to 24
cents per mile without certification, or up
to 30 cents per mile with certification.
(9) An overtime meal allowance of up to $7.50 will only
be provided when an employee is required to work two
(2) consecutive hours prior to or two (2)
consecutive hours after the regular work shift. To
be eligible for an overtime meal allowance on a
holiday or regular day off, employees must work the
total number of hours of their regular work shift
and work either two consecutive hours prior to or
two consecutive hours after the start or end of
their regular work shift.
(10) Out-of-State Subsistence Allowance - For short-term
out-of-state or out-of-country travel, State
employees will be reimbursed actual lodging,
supported by voucher or receipt, and will be
reimbursed for meal and incidental expenses in
accordance with Section a.(1) through (4) above.
Failure to furnish lodging receipts will limit
reimbursement to the statewide lodging rate in
accordance with Section a.(1)(a) above.
Noncommercial out-of-state travel will be reimbursed
according to Section a.(5) above. Long-term
out-of-state travel will be reimbursed according to
Section a.(6) and a.(7) above. Long-term
out-of-country travel will be reimbursed in
accordance with Section a.(1) through (7) above.
(11) Parking Fees - The State agrees to increase the
reimbursement of parking fees, without a receipt as
provided in DPA Rule 599.625, from $3.50 or less to
$6.00 or less, for any one continuous period of
parking.
(12) The Director of the Department of Personnel
Administration or designee may grant exceptions to
these provisions.
(13) Premiums - An employee who receives premiums,
credits or bonuses from airlines or hotels/motels
must use them on State business. If premiums cannot
be used on State business they must be surrendered
to the employee's accounting office.
b. During the term of this agreement, the State agrees to
apply any future changes in the method of payment and
future increases to business and travel expenses to Unit 2
employees at the same time the changes are effective for
excluded employees.
12.2 Commute program
a. Employees working in facilities served by congested
commute routes as identified by the State shall be
eligible for a 50% discount on monthly public transit
passes sold by State agencies up to a maximum of $21 per
month. Departments may, as an alternative, reimburse
employees on the State's Travel Expense Claim form up to
a maximum of $21 per month for monthly public transit
passes. Each reimbursement must be substantiated with a
receipt. This shall not be considered compensation for
purposes of retirement contributions.
b. The State shall provide $50 per month to each State
employee who is the primary driver of a van pool and works
in a facility served by one or more congested commute
routes as identified by the State. This shall not be
considered compensation for purposes of retirement
contributions.
c. The State may establish and implement procedures and
eligibility criteria for the administration of this
program.
d. The State may discontinue this program with 30 calendar
days' notice to the Union. This section is not subject to
the grievance and arbitration article of this contract.
12.3 Transportation Incentives
a. Both the State and ACSA agree that employees should be
encouraged to use alternate means of transportation to
reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in the
state.
b. Notwithstanding any other provision of this agreement,
ACSA agrees that the State may implement new policies or
change existing ones in areas such as transit subsidies,
vanpool/carpool incentives, walking/biking incentives,
parking, parking fees, and other actions to meet the goals
or directives of Air Quality Management Districts. The
State agrees to notice and meet and confer regarding the
impact of such new or changed policies.