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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - No. 2019-172RESOLUTTON NO. 2019-172 A RESOLUTION OF THE LODI CITY COUNCIL RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO. 2016-175 AND APPROVING THE CITY OF LODI TRAVEL POLICY IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 53232 = ================================= =================== =================== WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution 2016-175 on September 21, 2016, approving the revised A81234 Expense Reimbursement Policy; and WHEREAS, staff has revamped the Travel Policy to reflect operational efficiencies since 2016 NOW, THEREFORE, BE lT RESOLVED that the City Council does hereby rescind Resolution No. 2016-175 and approves the City of Lodi Travel Policy, attached hereto as Exhibit A. Dated: August 21,2019 I hereby certify that Resolution No. 2019-172 was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Lodi in a regular meeting held August21, 2019 by the following votes: AYES:COUNCIL MEMBERS - Johnson, Kuehne, Mounce, Nakanishi, and Mayor Chandler NOES:COUNCIL MEMBERS - None COUNCIL MEMBERS - None COUNCIL MEMBERS - None ABSENT: ABSTAIN IFER RRAIOLO City Clerk 2019-172 Exhibit A City of Lodi Travel Policy Adopted by Lodi City Council August 21,20\9 1. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 1.1. Purpose I.2 Scope POLtCtES 2.1, General 2.2 Policy lntent A. Colifornio Government Code 95j2j2 2.3 TravelArrangements A. Trovel Requests and Reimbursement - General Guidelines B. Booking Travel Arrongements 2.4 Approving Authority for Travel 2.2 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 A. Mondotory Trovel B. Long-Term Travel C. Trovel Out of State or Out of Country D. Condidate Travel Expense for Selected Employment lnterviews E. Ent¡t¡es Doing or Seeking to Do Business with the City of Lodi 2,5 TravelAdvances A. Generolly Prescribed Expenses B. Trips Lasting 10-29-Days C. Trips Lasting 30 Calendar Days or More D. Travel Advønce Processing E. Travel Advance Reconciliation F. Delinquent Recovery 2.6 Lodging A. Reimbursement - Generol Guidelines B. Extended Stay Accommodotions C. Additional Allowances D. Trovel with o Componion 1 1 t Table of Contents (Cont'd) E. Requesting Government Rdtes 10 L0 10 tt 1.'1. 1.r 1.1. tt T2 t2 13 13 13 T4 I4 15 L5 1_6 T6 16 16 16 t7 T7 t7 18 18 19 t9 F. Hotel Cancellations G. Pre-Paid Lodging H. Hotel Receipts A. Reimbursement - Generol Guidelines B. Meals Supplied by Common Carriers/Conference/Hotel C. Meals Consumed Within LodiCity Limits D. Meal Reimbursement Rotes E. Meal Reporting Requirements F. Restrictions 2.8 Transportation............... A. Air Travel B. Train Travel C. Cor Rentol D. Travel by City Vehicle E. Travel by Private Vehicle F. Exceptions 2.9 Additional Allowances A. Boggage Hondling, Tips and lncidentals B. Telephone, Focsimile ond lnternet Access C. Reimbursable Expenses with Receipts D. Reimbursable Expenses without Receipts E. Non-Reimbursoble Expenses 2.7 Meals 2.10 2.1.L 2.L2 2.13 2.L4 Frequent Flyer Miles/Hotel lncentives Optional Events at a Conference Extended Travel Based on Cost Savings Extended Personal Travel Contests/Drawing Prizes at Conferences/Events APPENDIX A - Not¡ce of Overdue Travel Reimbursement APPENDIX B - Pre-Paid Lodging Cert¡f¡cate APPENDIX C - Guidelines for Types of Events Resulting in Elected Official Reimbursement.. APPENDIX D - Out of State/Country TravelApproval APPENDIX E - Business Expense and Claim Voucher Form APPENDIX F - POST Reimbursement Request Form APPENDIX G - Mileage Reimbursement Form 20 2t 22 23 24 25 26 ilt INTRODUCTION 1.1 PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to: L.2 . Provide approved travel policy and information needed for the preparation and reconciliation of travel requests; . Provide guidance to travelers and approvers on cost-effective management of travel expenses; . Identiû reimbursable versus non -reimbursable expenses; and . Clarify employee responsibility for controlling and reporting travel expenses. It is impossible to anticipate every situation that may be encountered while traveling on business. Each employee is expected to exercise good judgment in incuning travel expenses and to obtain prior Department Head approval or, in the absence of the Department Head, approval from the person acting in their place, for all foreseeable travel-related expenditures. Expenses which are not approved or which are not in compliance with this policy will be the traveler's personal responsibility. SCOPE These policies and procedures are applicable to all offìcers, employees, elected or appointed officials and persons in the service of the City of Lodi. This policy shall not apply to same day travel of less than 300 miles round trip in a private or City vehicle, regardless of destination, except in regard to meal reimbursement at the discretion of the department. Business mileage reimbursement in a personal vehicle for same day mileage of less than 300 miles shall be requested on a Mileage Reimbursement fonn (Appendix G) on a monthly basis. All private mileage other than that associated with overnight travel shall be reimbursed monthly using the Mileage Reimbursement Form. This also excludes any and all reimbursements for same day travel, other than mileage, bridge tolls parking, and meals. Meal expenses shall be reimbursed at the discretion of the department and within the provisions of Section 2.7. All forms referenced in this policy are available on the Finance division intranet site: http ://intranelfi nance/finance. asp t 2.1. 2. POLICIES GENERAL Whenever any person in the service of the City is compelled to travel in the perforrnance of their duties, they shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenditures for transportation, lodging, and meals. This policy shall fix a maximum cost to be paid for such travel, lodging, and meals, which shall be applicable to all such persons alike, including said members of the City Council. These normal maximums have been set forth by the City Council as indicated below. The nonnal maximums may be exceeded, with department head approval, only when a person in the service of the City incurs expenses incidental to attendance at a conference, convention, other City business, or in the transpoftation of wards, inmates, or witnesses when such expenses are necessary and unavoidable. When the cost of travel shall be reimbursed to the employee by another agency, whether state, federal, non-profit, or private, such reimbursement and the intent for same shall be disclosed as a source of funding on the travel reimbursement request. In advance of travel, the employee must decide whether to accept the rates of the City or the other agency. If the travel costs are bome by the City, reimbursement from the other agency shall be paid to the City and deposited as expenditure abatement. If the other agency will reimburse the traveler directly, no City advance shall be made. Travel associated with Peace Officer Standards Training (POST) shall be governed by the rules and regulations determined by POST. Refer to Appendix F for the reimbursement form associated with POST travel. In all instances, approval to incur any travel expenses shall be obtained from the Depaftment Head or, in the absence of the Department Head, the person acting in their place, prior to making travel arrangements. The approved travel request form is required for the protection of the employee while traveling as an agent of the City. POLICY INTENT The travel policy enunciated herewith shall be construed so that no officer or employee shall suffer any undue loss while traveling on official City business. A.California Government Code 553232 In accordance with California Government Code ç53232.2(b), any local agency that reimburses members of a legislative body, including members of the City Council, for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties, is required to adopt a written policy specif,,ing the types of occurrences that qualifu a member of that legislative body to receive payment and or/reimbursement of expenses related to travel, meal, lodging, and other actual and necessary expenses. 2.2 2 City funds, equipment, supplies (including letterhead), titles, and staff time must only be used for authorized City business. Expenses incuned by officials of legislative bodies in connection with the following types of activities generally constitute authorized expenses, as long as other requirements of this policy are met: Official board, council, committee, scheduled subject to the Brown Act; commission meetings ' Attending conferences, seminars, workshops or educational events related to the business or operations ofsuch groups; . Attending legislative and educational seminars, workshops and training, designed to improve legislative body expertise and information levels of City boards, commissions, committees, councils and affiliated City staff providing primary support will be offered in-house ethics training and will not be reimbursed for publicly offered ethics training classes; ' Participating in regional, state and national organizations whose activities affect the City's interests; . Opportunities to meet with city, county, state, or federal officials to discuss legislative body interests and to implement City-approved strategy for attracting or retaining businesses to the City, which typically involve at least one staff member. Expenditures not specifically covered by this list of occunences will require prior approval by the City Council, or other legislative body action, at a public meeting before the expense is incurred. Expense Repofts andlor Travel Reimbursement claims covered by this section will be documented and filed in a timely manner with the Finance Division of the Internal Services Department (Finance Division), as required by this Policy. All documents related to reimbursable agency expenditures are public records subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act (Govemment Code 56250-6270). Use of public resources or falsifiing expense reports in violation of this policy may result in any or all ofthe following: 1) loss of reimbursement privileges; 2) a demand for restitution to the appropriate legislative body; 3) the agency's reporting the expenses as income to the employee or elected official to state and federal tax authorities; 4) civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day and three times the value of the resources used; 5) prosecution for misuse of public resources (Govemment Code 553232.4); and 6) discipline, up to, and including, termination. 3 The guidelines are included as Appendix C In accordance with Government Code 5532323 (d), Council members shall provide a brief report on the meetings attended at City expense at the next available Council meeting. If multiple Councilmembers attended the same meeting, a joint report may be made. 2.3 TRAVELARRANGEMENTS Travel Requests and Reimbursement - GeneralGuidelines Employees should consult with their Department Travel Coordinator, if one has been designated, for guidance with the preparation and submission of travel requests and travel reimbursement requests. The Department Travel Coordinator is responsible for making travel arrangements and can assist employees with these procedures. All travel requests and travel reimbursement requests must be dated and include the signature of the employee and approval of the Department Head or, in the absence of the Department Head, the person acting in their place. Travel reimbursement requests shall be submitted to the Finance Division, within 10 working days of retuming from travel. Travelers who fail to submit a travel reimbursement request within 12 months of travel will not be eligible for reimbursement pursuant to Section 911.2 of the Govemment Code. For additional information regarding travel reimbursement requests and travel advances, refer to Section 2.5(F) - DelinquenÍ Recovety. B.Booking Travel Arrangements Initialtravel arrangements/reservations should be made by the Department. See Section 2 8(A) Air Travel for additional infonnation on booking airline reservations. APPROVING AUTHORITY FOR TRAVEL All travel requests must be approved in advance by the Department Head or, in the absence of the Department Head, the person acting in their place. Department Head travel, including the Library Director, shall be approved by the City Manager, or the Deputy City Manager in the absence of the City Manager. Council Appointee travel shall be approved by the City Manager or the Deputy City Manager in the absence of the City Manager. City Manager travel shall be approved by the Deputy City Manager. City Council travel shall be approved by the City Clerk, or the City Manager in the absence of the City Clerk. The Finance Division is authorized to reimburse travelers whose expenses are justifiable and in compliance with this policy. Any unresolved disputes A. 2.4 4 between the Finance Division and the traveler's department shall be resolved/approved by the City Manager. Disputes regarding reimbursement of Councilmember travel costs shall be heard by the Council in open session and resolved by a majority vote. A.Mandatory Travel (1) An officer authorized by law to incur necessary travel expenses when transporting prisoners, coufi wards or visiting court wards, dependent children, or conservatees who are in placement, shall be required to obtain approval for such travel from the Department Head or, in the absence of the Department Head, the person acting in their place. (a) The Finance Division is authorized to make travel advances for trips involving the transportation of prisoners or court wards. To request an advance to transport prisoners or couft wards, a regular travel advance request should be submitted directly to the Finance Division. B.Long-Term Travel (1) Long-term travel shall be defined as employee business travel for 30 or more consecutive calendar days outside of the City, notwithstanding any personal return trips home during the course of the extended work period. (2) The Department Head or, in the absence of the Department Head, the person acting in their place is responsible to advise the Finance Division by requesting a meeting with the Finance Manager at least 30 days in advance of any long-term travel. The Finance Division and the department requiring employee long-term travel shall have the authority to negotiate lodging rates, mileage reimbursement rates, and incidental expenses for the traveler that may differ from those designated in this policy. Efforts will be made by the Finance Manager and the Department Head or, in the absence of the Department Head, the person acting in their place to ensure that lodging is adequate for a long-term stay and that the provider will invoice the City, rather than require the traveler to incur the cost of lodging. Employees who choose to make arrangements that differ from the negotiated rates must do so at their own expense. (3) Travel advances will generally not be issued for the entire duration of the long-term travel. The Finance Division will work with the traveler's department to ensure the employee has sufficient funds to mitigate any undue hardship, while ensuring the City is not placed at undue risk for recovery of outstanding firnds. This process will generally result in the issuance of an initial cash advance to cover anticipated expenses for no more than the first 30 days of travel. After that initial 30-day period, the traveler will submit bi-weekly travel reimbursement requests. 5 c Travel Out of State or Out of Gountry i Travel out of state or outside the United States is authorized when it involves apprehension, investigation and transportation of prisoners, dependents or wards oî-the Court and training and conferences. The traveler must first complete a travel request form for the approval of the Department Head or, in the absence of the Department Head, the person acting in their place. All travel out of state or out of country must be pre-approved by the City Manager. See Appendix D for the appropriate approval form. All costs associated with obtaining a passport or immunizations required for out of country travel are not reimbursable' Gandidate Travel Expenses for Selected Employment Applicants The city Manager, or their designee, may approve payment of employment candidate travel expenses for selected employment interviews when the following circumstances exist: (1) Recruiting was done outside the San Joaquin County area. (2) The reimbursement would apply only at a point in the selection process that involves a limited number of candidates. (3) Reimbursement amounts would be subject to the same limitations as apply to City employees. Human Resources will advise the candidate of the City's travel policy limits and receipt requirements. (4) The candidate may book his/her own travel arrangements; however, reimbursement will occur after the fact. Entities Doing or Seeking to Do Business with the City When on offrcial City business, employees/officials will not conduct City business at the expense of persons/companies doing or seeking to do business with the City. Specifically, transportation and related expenses associated with gaining knowledge about goods and services being offered by private persons or private entities doing business with the City shall be borne by the City. However, this provision may be waived by the City Manager if it is determined to be in the best interest of the City. This provision shall not apply to transportation and related expenses paid as a normal part of a City contract for goods or services. D. E 6 2.5 TRAVEL ADVANCES B. Generally Prescribed Expenses The Finance Division is authorized to pay 100 percent of registration or conference fees to the conference provider and issue an advance to the traveler for up to 90 percent of the estimated lodging and meal expenses for official travel, unless such expenses are expected to be paid with a City-issued credit card. In addition, travel advances may include up to 50 percent of the estimated personal private mileage reimbursement, pursuant to existing employee agreements, when personal vehicles are approved for use for official travel. (Generally this rate will be the current mileage rate authorized by the Intemal Revenue Service). Additionally, $5.00 per day for incidental expenses may be requested as part of the travel advance. Generally, airfarc,lodging and car rental expenses are paid via City-issued credit cards and are not advanced to the traveler. When the lodging provider requires pre-payment, see Section 2.6(G) - Pre-Paid Lodging, which details this process. Trips Lasting 10-29 Calendar Days On trips lasting 10 'to 29 calendar days, the Finance Division is authorized to advance up to 100 percent of the estimated lodging and meal expenses for official travel and other expenses as deemed appropriate by the traveler's Department Head. c.Trips Lasting 30 Galendar Days or More For trips lasting 30 calendar days or longer, please refer to Sectíon 2.4(C) - Long- TermTratel. Travel Advance Processing Travel advance requests shall be received by the Finance Division for processing a minimum of twenty (20) working days prior to any required action on the request. Requests to attend meetings, conferences, or training must include a copy of documentation which indicates the meeting place, time and agenda, if available. Generally, travel advances will not be issued prior to five (5) working days before expected travel and shall not be made for amounts less than $100.00 unless adequate justification is submitted to show that undue hardship to the individual will result in the event the smaller advance is not made. Travel advances will be mailed to the address of record of the employee. The Finance Division has the option of withholding advances if a previous advance is unsettled or if the traveler has been notified of ineligibility for an extended period of time pursuant to Section 2.5(F)(4). A. D 7 E.Travel Advance Reconci liation Within 10 working days after return from a trip, or within 10 working days of receipt of reimbursement from a third party, a traveler must account for all advances pertaining to that trip by submitting all necessary receipts and a travel reimbursement request form to the Department Head. Any excess of advances over expenses must be refunded immediately by check from the traveler made payable to the City of Lodi. A travel reimbursement request in the amount of the actual travel expense incuned by the traveler must be forwarded to the Finance Division. A check in the amount indicated on the Amounl Ou,ed by Employee line of the reimbursement form must be forwarded immediately to the Finance Division. Advances must be returned to the Finance Division when an event is canceled, postponed indefinitely, or another individual will be traveling on the City's behalf. Travelers are, @ to transfer a travel advance to another employee. If necessary, the Finance Division can issue a replacement travel advance with 24 hours notice. Delinquent Recovery (1) Each Department is responsible for monitoring outstanding travel advances for its employees. The Department Travel Coordinator should contact the traveler within 10 working days of return, or within 10 working days of receipt of reimbursement from a third party, if the traveler has not submitted the necessary receipts and a completed travel reimbursement request form. (2) Failure to settle outstanding cash advances in a timely manner may result in a delay in reimbursement, and the traveler may be required to pay his/her personal credit card bill prior to reimbursement. (3) The Finance Division will send a written memorandum to the Department Head for distribution to the traveler (a sample memo is included as Appendix l) when the traveler has not completed the travel reimbursement request form within l1 working days. (4) If an outstanding travel advance has not been recovered within 30 calendar days, the Finance Division will notifu the traveler's Department Head to advise the employee that travel advance privileges have been revoked and send a copy of this revocation to the employee. (5) The Finance Division will create a joumal entry and transfer the cost of any outstanding advances that are 60 calendar days delinquent to the traveler's department. Notification of the joumal entry will be sent to the traveler's Department Travel Coordinator. Any inaccuracies regarding organ ization units or general ledger accounts will be the responsibility of the traveler's department. Any collection of funds after F 8 the joumal entry has been issued shall be deposited by the traveler's department. (6) If an outstanding travel advance has not been recovered within 60 calendar days from the date the accounting for the event was due, the Finance Division may initiate formal collection procedures. These collection procedures will include refenal of the full amount outstanding to a collection agency. (7) Unrecovered outstanding advances andlor proceeds from discount, rebate, or premium coupons on transportation tickets, which are considered as being a monetary benefit to the employee, are reportable to taxing authorities. 2.6 LODGING A.Reimbursement - General Guidelines Reimbursement for the cost of lodging is limited to the actual cost incurred. Generally such costs should not exceed the maximum federal rate (domestic or foreign) excluding tax, per day. The City is not responsible for reimbursement for luxury upgrades (ocean views, king-size beds, suites, etc.). Domestic and foreign rates, "Federal Foreign & Domestic Per Diem Rates," are available at: h tt p : //www. q s a . q o v/ p o rt a I / c a t e q o rv/ I 0 0 1 20 For domestic rates, click on the appropriate state on the map of the United States. Refer to the "Maximum Lodging" which excludes taxes. For foreiqn rates, click on the world map section below the Unites States map and select the appropriate foreign area. Generally, the City will allow an employee to arrive the evening prior to an event when the event location is a 90-minute or more drive from Lodi. Locations in the South Bay Area and in San Francisco are exceptions and will autornatically qualifu for an overnight stay. Any other exceptions will require prior approval of the Department Head and City Manager. The City will not reimburse a traveler for costs incurred for a stay at a room- sharing type of location (Air BnB{ype site) that is not properly licensed through their respective city, county or state or one that does not pay Transient Occupancy Tax. Exte¡ded Stay Accommodat¡ons For trips involving one or more weeks of lodging, the Department should explore the cost of weekly lodging versus daily lodging. In addition, consideration can be given for lodging which includes a refrigerator and microwave at an additional cost. It would then be expected that savings would benefit the department when B 9 D c. E. G the traveler chose to purchase groceries instead of dining out. When requesting reimbursement for such extended stay accommodations, a letter explaining the cost analysis must accompany the completed travel reimbursement request. Additional Allowances Generally, lodging at conference facilities will be allowed regardless of cost. If the conference facility is full, then lodging at altemate hotels shall be acceptable. The Department shall attempt to Iocate the least expensive alternative. Additional allowances for lodging sufficient to cover actual costs where it is manifestly impracticable to occupy less costly accommodations may be specifically authorized by the Department Head or, in the absence of the Department Head, the person acting in their place. Most hotels offer selÊparking while some require valet parking. The City preferred parking option is that which offers the lowest cost and will generally be the self-parking option. If valet parking is the only option, or the safest option, that a hotel offers, reimbursement will be approved for the valet option. Travelwith a Gompanion When a companion accompanies a traveler on official business, reimbursement for lodging will be at the lowest available single-occupancy rate for the accommodations. It is the traveler's responsibility to obtain the lodging rates for both single and double occupancy accommodations and indicate those rates on the travel reimbursement request. Requesting Government Rates The traveler should ask for government rates at the time of arrival (unless a group or conference rate is less). A City identification card or business card is generally suffi cient identifi cation. Hotel Gancellations Hotel cancellations are the responsibility of the traveler. Any cancellation charges incurred will be billed to the traveler unless proper justification is provided. Pre-Paid Lodging When lodging must be pre-paid to ensure reservations, the Finance Division may issue a wanant payable to the lodging establishment or the Department may pay the pre-paid amount utilizing a City issued credit card. The Department must present written documentation from either the lodging establishment or the conference materials that states the amount of the required pre-payment. The traveler must sign a statement that he/she will not request reimbursement for any pre-paid lodging on a travel reimbursement request (a sample statement is F 1.0 H. included as Appendix D). Any travel advance request must be reduced by the amount of any pre-paid lodging expense. Hotel Receipts \ühen requesting reimbursement for hotel accommodations, the original itemized hotel bill must accompany the completed travel reimbursement request. Reimbursement - General Guidelines Reimbursement for meals shall be made only when travel extends for a minimum of six (6) hours during the normal working day. In order to be reimbursed for the cost of meals, travel must begin before the times reflected on the following schedule: MEAL TRAVEL BEGINS BEFORE Breakfast 6:00 a.m. Lunch 1l:00 a.m. Dinner 5:00 p.m. In addition, the trip must last for a minimum of six (6) hours, ending after 7:00 p.ffi., to qualify for dinner. For purposes of determining eligibility for reimbursement, travel shall be considered to begin when the traveler departs his/her residence if the trip begins before or after normal office hours. If the trip begins during normal office hours, travel shall be considered to begin when the traveler departs his/her office. Meals Supplied by Common Carr¡ers/Conference/Hotel Meals which are supplied by common carriers or are included in conference fees or hotel rates will not be reimbursed individually, but are considered to be included in the fees paid directly to the airline, conference or hotel (i.e., if a traveler is booked on a flight which serves lunch at no additional cost, no reimbursement will be provided for the lunch meal). A continental breakfast does not constitute a meal. The traveler or the Department Travel Coordinator should inform the carrier/conference/hotel of any special dietary requirement at the time reservations are made, and the traveler should remind the provider of the special request. Meals Gonsumed Within Lodi City Limits Employees who incur costs due to attendance at a meeting, training or conference which includes a meal will not be reimbursed for said meals consumed within the Lodi City limits during the individual's normal working day when it can be demonstrated that the meal or meals involved are included in the cost of the 2.7 MEALS B. A. c 11. D. E. meeting or conference which the employee is attending for the benefit of the City. Meals within Lodi City limits will also be reimbursed when the meal is approved by the department for same day travel of less than 300 miles round trip within the provisions of Section 2.7. Meal Reimbursement Rates Meal reimbursement, including tips, will be for actual atnounts, supported by itemized receipts, up to the maximum amount, based on the following criteria: Meals consumed within the Continental United States: Maximum amounts will be based on the meal rates published by the U.S. General Services Agency (GSA) and can be found at: http://www. esa. eov/portal/cateeory/ 1 00 I 20 Meals consumed outside the Continental United States: Maximum amounts will be based on the U.S. Department of State meal rates in effect for the destination and can be found at: a https ://aoprals.state. gov/content.asp?contentid: I 84&menu id:7 8 Meal Reporting Requirements The traveler must report on the travel reimbursement request form the ACTUAL amount expended for each meal for each day, supported by itemized receipts. Please use the Meal Expense Summary form included in Appendix E. Even if the amount is gteater than the maximum allowed under this Policy, meal reimbursement will be reimbursed based upon the maximum amount allowed. Because of Intemal Revenue Service ("lRS") requirements, employees should keep a record of these expenses for Federal Income Tax purposes. The record should include: . Name and location of establishment where the meal/event took place. . Exact amount and date ofthe expense. . Specific business discussed. Traveler must include a print-out of the allowance for the appropriate city from the appropriate GSA website referenced in Section 2.7 (D) along with their reimbursement claim. Meals provided as part of the training/conference are not reimbursable. Traveler must include a copy of the training/conference program showing meals that are included with the cost of the conference/training. 12 Restrictions No reimbursement shall be made for alcoholic beverages of any kind 2.8 TRANSPORTATION Normally, travel will be by the most reasonable means available, taking into consideration requirements for reimbursement for meals and lodging and employee time devoted to travel at the expense of performance of other duties. A.Air Travel (1) The Department Travel Coordinator will arrange for reservations and tickets for approved travel requests authorizing air transpoftation. The lowest available fare will be used for air travel unless otherwise specifically authorized by the approving authority. As a general rule, employees will be expected to accept flights departing within two (2) hours of the desired departure time. Such a window may not be suitable for all situations. (2) The Department Travel Coordinator must carefully monitor flights with cancellation penalties. If cancellation occurs due to a City-related change, the City department will cover the penalty cost. If, however, cancellation occurs due to a traveler's personal request, the traveler will be required to pay the penalty. An exception may be made for cancellations related to a family death (for which the airlines may not impose penalties) or an illness approved by the Department Head. Note: Most tickets issued today are non-refundable and non-transferable. These tickets will incur a fee for any changes. (3) All air travel arrangements for City employees should be made by the Department Travel Coordinator or the designee. (4) If an employee wishes to drive their personal vehicle in lieu of air travel and possibly a rental car, reimbursement will be authorized only up to the amount of the least expensive alternative. The request for reimbursement must include a printed cop)¡ of the quoted airfare as justification for the cost of air travel and the cost of the employee's mileage and attest to the least expensive altemative. B.Train Travel In some instances train travel may be a viable alternative to air travel or car travel. An example would be the AMTRAK to San Francisco, in lieu of a car and paying for parking. The Department should evaluate the cost and time involved, prior to approval. In most instances it would be expected that the traveler would incur F 13 c additional taxi fares at his/her destination. This cost should be included in the analysis. In addition, the time involved with the trip must be considered as a factor. A two-hour train trip to San Francisco is reasonable, but a 12-hour trip to San Diego would not be reasonable, unless the traveler is taking vacation time en route. Gar Rental (l) Employees on out-of-town trips should use public conveyances (taxis, airport shuttles, buses, etc.) whenever such uses appear to be more economical than a rental car. Department Heads have discretion to approve rental cars which do not meet these criteria. Generally, a rental car should not be requested unless one or more of the following criteria are met: a.Multiple business meetings that require travel between points make use of public conveyance impractical. b. Three or more City employees are attending the same meeting and one rental car for the group would be more economical. c. It is less expensive to rent a car overall. (2) The Department Travel Coordinator will arrange for reservations only upon receipt of an approved travel request. (3) Rental car expenses are to be paid by one of the following methods: a. City issued credit card; or b. Traveler's personal credit card. (4) Suggested auto sizes per number of people 1-2 passeng compact or subcomPact; 3-4 passengers - mid-size permitted. (5) Travelers are to waive all additional insurance offered when renting a car. Any additional insurance authorized by the traveler may, at the Department Head or, in the absence of the Department Head, the person acting in their place, discretion, be a reimbursed expense. (6) RentalCar Fueling: The traveler must fill the gas tank before returning the car to avoid fuel surcharges. Fuel expenses will be reimbursed based upon the receipts provided. Exceptions to the use of selÊservice fueling will not be a. 'J.4 allowed unless the employee can demonstrate and justify the reasons for not using available selÊservice fuel dispensing facilities. In emergency situations, use of rental Car Company fueling options may be authorized by the Department Head. (7) Where extended personal travel is involved (see Section 2.13 - Extended Personal Travel), rental car expenses must be pro-rated to allow reimbursement for only those costs associated with City business. Travel by City Vehicle (1) Travel out of the City in City vehicles is the prefened mode of travel after common carier. The Fleet Services Division has a wide variety of vehicles available to City employees. (2) If more than one officer, employee, or person is traveling on the same trip, all reasonable efforts will be made to minimize transportation costs by use of a single vehicle. (3) Individuals that are not City staff or participants in City sponsored programs are prohibited from being transported in City-owned vehicles. Travel by Private Vehicle (1) While City vehicle use is prefened, Department Head approval is required when the traveler chooses to use a private vehicle. All private vehicle travel will be reimbursed at the curent IRS approved mileage rate. (2) Authorized out-oÊCity travel will normally be reimbursed at the IRS approved rate. However, when air travel is the most appropriate and economical means of transportation, maximum reimbursement will be in an amount equal to air coach fare unless the traveler clearly demonstrates in advance to the satisfaction of the Finance Division that travel by other means is more advantageous to the City. (3) For reimbursement purposes, mileage shall be determined based upon a starting point of the City offlrce of the traveler, unless mileage is less based upon the traveler's home address. In all cases, normal commute mileage for the traveler shall be deducted from the total miles traveled before determining the total miles eligible for reimbursement. Traveler shall submit a Mapquest directions print-out (or equivalent mileage calculation) that documents the mileage requested for reimbursement.(4) For purposes of this Policy, a private vehicle must meet the following: o The vehicle shall be a conventional four-wheel, enclosed vehicle;o The vehicle must be equipped with seat belts;¡ The vehicle must be in sound mechanical condition, adequate for b. D E 15 providing required transportation in a safe manner and without unreasonable delay.o The vehicle must be insured to, at least, the state minimum required coverages. Use of a two or three wheel private vehicle is prohibited on City business. Exceptions The approved mode of travel may differ from that requested as deemed appropriate by the Department Head. 2.9 ADDITIONALALLOWANCES Baggage Handling, Tips and lncidentals When included on the final travel reimbursement request, $5.00 per travel day will be allowed to cover baggage handling, tips, and incidental expenses. Receipts are not required when requesting the $5.00 allowance for such expenses. Incidental expenses including laundry and personal telephone calls are not reimbursable. B.Telephone, Facsimile and lnternet Access DuetothehighcostofhotelphoneuSage'travelersare@from making calls from hotel equipment. It is the Department's responsibility to advise all travelers of this recommendation. Acceptable alternatives to hotel phone usage are: (1)Cellular Phones. Travelers are encouraged to use City-issued or personal cellular phones, provided that long distance is included at no additional cost. A Department Head or Designated Department Representative may, at their discretion, authorize payment of hotel phone, facsimile or internet access charges. Any such authorization must include a letter of explanation signed by the Department Head or, in the absence of the Department Head, the person acting in their place. F A. (2) c Reimbursable Expenses with Receipts While traveling on official City business, the following expenses are reimbursable at actual cost upon presentation of q¡gl44l receipts: (1) Necessary taxicab, airport transportation, bus fares, shuttle charges, or bridge tolls, including tips. (2) Conference or seminar registration fees and associated tapes, reports, etc., which can be shown to be of extreme value to the participant in their work for the City. The decision to approve these expenses rests with the 16 (3) (4) (s) (6) Department Head or, in the absence of the Department Head, the person acting in their place. Parking fees. Traveler' s checks surcharge. Postage. Other justifiable expenses will be approved based on a review of special circumstances. E. Reimbursable Expenses without Receipts While traveling on official City business, the following expenses are reimbursable at ASIUA! cost, without receipts: (1) Metered parking and parking in unattended lots (maximum of $6.00 per travel day). (2) Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) fares (fee schedule must be attached to final travel reimbursement request). Non- Reimbursable Expenses (1) Baby-sitting fees. (2) Personaltoiletries. (3) Personal care expenses. (4) Traf,fic fines or parking tickets. (5) Hotel luxury upgrades. (6) Expenses associated with a non-employee who accompanies the employee on official business. (7) Alcoholicbeverages. (8) Laundry services (9) In-room movies. (10) Entertainment outside those activities offered as part of the conference registration package. 2.'IO FREQUENT FLYER MILES/HOTEL INCENTIVES Travelers who participate in airline frequent flyer programs or hotel incentive programs may apply City travel to these programs. Any benefit derived from these programs may accrue to the traveler. However, Department Travel Coordinators are not to be hindered from booking the most economical flights, lodging accommodations or car rental in order to benefit the traveler personally. 2.11 OPTIONAL EVENTS AT A CONFERENCE D 17 The City will pay for all events included in a conference registration fee. Where a conference includes other optional events at an additional cost, the traveler must be able to justifo the business relationship of the event. Networking with other attendees is 4¡! a valid business relationship. Where an optional event is not business-related and includes a meal, the traveler can be reimbursed up to the maximum meal reimbursement rate. Example 1: A conference includes an optional dinner event at a resoft with entertainment provided. The cost of the dinner trip is $50.00. Since there is no business putpose, the traveler can request reimbursement for the curent maximum meal rate. Example 2: A conference includes an optional tour of the world famous San Diego Wild Animal Park. There is no meal provided. This event is not reimbursable. Example 3: The Conference of Water Quality Officials includes a tour (or a tour and a meal) of the localwater treatment plant and a discussion of how the entity has utilized the latest technology. The person traveling works for the City in the water treatment plant. The traveler would submit a statement that this tour was related to their job with the City. The cost of this event would be reimbursable to the employee. 2.12 EXTENDED TRAVEL BASED ON COST SAVINGS It is acknowledged that travel out of state will generally involve arrival the night before, regardless of the time the event begins. In addition, an employee is expected to return on the last day of the event when the last activity ends prior to 3:00 p.m. If the last activity extends beyond 3:00 p.m., then the City Manager may authorize the traveler to stay the additional night and return the following moming. Occasionally extending a stay beyond that required by the event may result in significant cost savings on airline fares. The stay can be extended when the airfare savings exceed the additional total cost for all of the lollowing: . Additionalhotelcosts; . Additionalmealcosts; . Additional per diem costs; and . Traveler's salary for his/her paid status on the additional days away from the office. If all of the above is true, the Department must include with the travel reimbursement request a signed statement and a detailed accounting of the savings. 2.13 EXTENDED PERSONAL TRAVEL Under no circumstances will the City reimburse an employee for expenses incurred when the employee opts to extend their time at the destination for personal reasons. (i.e., the employee takes vacation, stays through the weekend, or arrives during the weekend). Reimbursable expenses will cease to accrue as of the expected return time had travel been consistent with Section 2.12 - Extended Travel Based on Cost Savings. Reimbursement 18 for car rental and airport parking must be prorated to allow reimbursement for only those costs associated with City business. 2.14 CONTEST/DRAWING PRIZES AT CONFERENCES/EVENTS If an employee attending a conference or training event, on City time as a representative of the City, wins a prize, collects items from vendors or is given items that aggregate over $50 by a single vendor, such prize or items are deemed to be City propefty. Example l: Employee is selected as a winner in a blind drawing of all registered attendees for a $1000 Visa gift card. Employee must turn over the gift card to the City Example 2: A vendor gives an employee a polo shirt(s) with the vendor logo. Employee must determine the value of the polo shirt(s). If value exceeds $50, employee must repoÍ such shirt(s) to their departrnent head. The department head may allow the ernployee to keep the shirt(s) or take the shirt(s) from the employee and dispose of itlthem. If the employee is allowed to keep the shirt(s), this will likely becorne a reportable item on the employee's annual Conflict of Interest statement (Form 700), if they are subject to such reporting. Example 3: Employee picks up pens, pencils, toys and Post-it note pads from multiple vendors while at a conference. The aggregate value of the items exceeds $50, but the value from any given vendor does not exceed $50. Employee may keep the items for personal use and has no reporting responsibilities for these items. Example 4: Vendor scans employee badge. Subsequently, employee is notifìed that they are the winner of an iPad. The iPad is considered City property and must be turned over to the City. Example 5: Employee drops their business card in a bowl at a vendor booth. Employee is subsequently notified that they are the winner of a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The motorcycle is considered City property and must be turned over to the City. 2.15 Peace Officer Standards Training (POST) Bmployees that are required to attend POST training eventso will be required to follow the travel policy referenced above. Employees will be required to submit a reimbursement claim, within the required time lines. Employees required to attend a POST training event, will be reimbursed for meals in accordance with GSA rates for the area of travel and in accordance with the policy as stated above. Receipts for all meals will need to be included with the final travel packet. L9 The Department will be responsible for submitting the POST reimbursement forms to POST. The reimbursement received from POST will be used to offset the department's expense of sending the employee to training. It is the departmentos responsibility to know what trainings are subject to reimbursement from POST and which ones are not. 20 APPENDIX A [Date] To: From: Subject: [TravelerName] [DepartmentHead] NOTICE OF OVERDUE TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST Pursuantto Cþ of Lodi Travel Policy Section 2.5(E),travelers must account for any travel advances associated with their travel within 10 working days after retuming from the trip (or within 10 working days after receipt of reimbursement from a third parfy). Your travel reimbursement request related to Travel Request No.- is past due. Please submit this request immediately. 21 APPENDIX B PRE-PAID LODGING CERTIFICATION I, the undersigned, hereby certifiz that I will not request reimbursement for any pre- paid lodging expenses on any travel reimbursement request in accordance with the City of Lodi Travel Policy, Section 2.6(G). Signature: Name Title Dept: Date: 22