State of California M E M O R A N D U M REFERENCE CODE: 2002-018 DATE: March 29, 2002 TO: Accounting Officers Employee Relations Officers Personnel Officers Travel and Relocation Liaisons FROM: Department of Personnel Administration Policy Development Office SUBJECT: Travel, Mileage, and Relocation Reimbursements - Represented Employees in Bargaining Units 1, 3, 4, 11, 15, and 21 CONTACT: Terrie Jordan, Personnel Management Analyst (916) 324-9377 FAX: (916) 324-9393 Email: TerrieJordan@dpa.ca.gov This memo provides a summary of the provisions of the travel and relocation reimbursement programs for REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES IN BARGAINING UNITS 1, 3, 4, 11, 15 AND 21 EFFECTIVE JANUARY 31, 2002. Not all items listed include a change of benefit. Provisions for other bargaining units will be announced as they become effective at later dates. Each State department should provide a departmental contact to respond to travel questions from their respective employees. TRAVEL PROGRAM The travel reimbursement program continues to be subject to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requirements for an accountable plan. There are no flat rate reimbursements. All items claimed are to be for the ACTUAL AMOUNT OF EXPENSE, up to the maximum allowed. If the provisions below do not require submission of a receipt for a given item of expense, it is the employee's responsibility to retain receipts and other records of the expense and have them available for audit. Lodging and meals that are provided by the State; included in hotel expenses, conference fees, or transportation costs such as airline tickets; or otherwise provided shall not be claimed for reimbursement. MEALS AND INCIDENTALS - SHORT-TERM TRAVEL - NO CHANGE There is NO CHANGE in the meal and incidental rates. Employees may be reimbursed for their ACTUAL EXPENSES for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and incidentals for each 24 hours of travel, as follows: Breakfast up to $ 6.00 Lunch up to 10.00 Dinner up to 18.00 Incidentals up to 6.00 Note: Incidental expenses include, but are not limited to, expenses for laundering and pressing of clothing and tips for services such as porters and baggage handlers. Incidentals do not include taxicab fares, lodging taxes, or the costs of telegrams or telephone calls. LODGING RECEIPTS - NO CHANGE All lodging reimbursements require a receipt from a commercial lodging establishment such as a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast inn, or public campground that caters to the general public. No lodging will be reimbursed without a valid receipt. Employees who stay with friends or relatives are not eligible for lodging reimbursement, but may claim their actual expenses for meals and incidentals. SHORT-TERM TRAVEL TIME FRAMES - NO CHANGE A. For continuous short-term travel of MORE than 24 hours but less than 31 days, the employee will be reimbursed for actual costs up to the maximum for each meal, incidental, and lodging expense for each completed 24 hours of travel, beginning with the traveler's time of departure and return as follows: 1. On the first day of travel at the beginning of a trip of more than 24 hours: Trip begins at or before 6 a.m. - Breakfast may be claimed Trip begins at or before 11 a.m. - Lunch may be claimed Trip begins at or before 5 p.m. - Dinner may be claimed 2. On the fractional day of travel at the end of a trip of more than 24 hours: Trip ends at or after 8 a.m. - Breakfast may be claimed Trip ends at or after 2 p.m. - Lunch may be claimed Trip ends at or after 7 p.m. - Dinner may be claimed If the fractional day includes an overnight stay, receipted lodging may be claimed. No meal or lodging expenses may be claimed or reimbursed more than once on any given date or during any 24-hour period. B. For continuous travel of LESS than 24 hours, the employee will be reimbursed for actual expenses, up to the maximum, as follows: Travel begins at or Breakfast may be claimed. before 6 a.m. and ends at or after 9 a.m. Travel begins at or Dinner may be claimed. before 4 p.m. and ends at or after 7 p.m. If the trip extends overnight, receipted lodging may be claimed. No lunch or incidentals may be claimed on a trip of less than 24 hours. SHORT-TERM TRAVEL MAXIMUM LODGING REIMBURSEMENT RATE - SEE CHANGES BELOW The following changes are EFFECTIVE JANUARY 31, 2002 FOR REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES IN UNITS 1, 3, 4, 11, 15, AND 21 A. Statewide, except as in (B) and (C) below, actual receipted lodging up to $84 plus tax. B. When required to conduct State business and obtain lodging in the Counties of Los Angeles and San Diego, reimbursement will be for actual receipted lodging, to a maximum of $110 plus tax. C. When required to conduct State business and obtain lodging in the counties of Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara, reimbursement will be for actual receipted lodging, to a maximum of $140 plus tax. LONG-TERM TRAVEL - NO CHANGE Actual expenses for long-term meals and receipted lodging will be reimbursed when the employee incurs expenses in one location comparable to those arising from the use of establishments catering to the long-term visitor. A. Full Long-Term Travel - To qualify for full long-term travel reimbursement, the employee on long-term field assignment must meet the following criteria: - The employee continues to maintain a permanent residence at the primary headquarters, and either - The permanent residence is occupied by the employee's dependents, or - The permanent residence is maintained at a net expense to the employee exceeding $200 per month. The employee who is living at the long-term location may claim either: 1. Reimbursement for actual individual expense, substantiated by receipts, for lodging, water, sewer, gas, and electricity, up to a maximum of $1,130 per calendar month while on the long-term assignment, and actual expenses up to $10 for meals and incidentals, for each period of 12 to 24 hours and up to $5 for actual meals and incidentals for each period of less than 12 hours at the long-term location, or 2. Long-term subsistence rates of $24 for actual meals and incidentals and $24 for receipted lodging for travel of 12 hours up to 24 hours, and either $24 for actual meals or $24 for receipted 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. B. Partial Long-Term Travel - 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 up to $12 for actual meals and incidentals and $12 for receipted lodging for travel of 12 hours up to 24 hours at the long-term location, and either $12 for actual meals or $12 for receipted lodging for travel less than 12 hours at the long-term location. RECEIPTS - NO CHANGE Receipts or vouchers shall be submitted for every item of expense of $25 or more. A. Receipts are required for every item of transportation and business expense incurred as a result of conducting State business except for ACTUAL EXPENSES as follows: 1. Railroad and bus fares of less than $25, when travel is wholly within the State of California. 2. Street car, ferry fares, bridge and road tolls, local rapid transit system, taxi, shuttle or hotel bus fares, and parking fees of $10 or less for each continuous period of parking or each separate transportation expense noted in this item. 3. Telephone, telegraph, tax, or other business charges related to State business of $5 or less. 4. In the absence of a receipt, reimbursement will be limited to the non-receipted amount above. B. Reimbursement will be claimed only for the actual and necessary expenses noted above. Regardless of the above exceptions, the approving officer may require additional certification and/or explanation in order to determine that an expense was actually and reasonably incurred. In the absence of a satisfactory explanation, the expense shall not be allowed. MILEAGE - SEE CHANGE BELOW THE FOLLOWING CHANGE IS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 31, 2002 FOR REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES IN BARGAINING UNITS 1, 3, 4, 11, 15, AND 21 When an employee is authorized by his/her appointing authority or designee to operate a privately owned vehicle on State business the employee will be allowed to claim and be reimbursed 34 cents per mile. An employee who is required to use a specialized vehicle that has been modified to accommodate disabilities may claim 37 cents per mile. NOTE: EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE ADDITIONAL REIMBURSEMENT DUE FOR EXPENSES INCURRED RETROACTIVE TO JANUARY 31, 2002 MAY SUBMIT AMENDED CLAIMS. DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PULL CLAIMS AND MAKE CORRECTIONS. RELOCATION PROGRAM Represented employees in UNITS 1, 3, 4, 11, AND 15 shall continue to be subject to the relocation rules for excluded employees. Represented employees in UNIT 21 shall be subject to the relocation rules for excluded employees effective January 31, 2002. Bob Painter, Chief Policy Development Office