Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 04-12-11 regular — reading text

Department with the Travel Log upon completion of the trip. 4. 4 If travel by personal vehicle is the most economical method, and has been approved as such, the employee will be entitled to reimbursement at the current IRS standard mileage rate for business miles driven using a personal vehicle by the usually traveled route. Any necessary official in -town travel at the destination will be reimbursed at the current IRS standard mileage rate when shown on the Travel Log. The IRS standard mileage rate covers all costs of operation and ownership, including fuel. If your personal vehicle needs repairs or fluids during the trip, the repairs will not be reimbursed as a separate cost. Mileage reimbursement will be calculated from the employee' s residence, unless the employee stops at his /her work location on the way, in which case mileage will be calculated from the 3 of 6  employees work location. The same is true when the employee returns from his /her trip. 4. 5 If travel by automobile rental is the most economical method, and has been approved as such, an intermediate or smaller vehicle must be used, unless prior approval is received from the Finance Director. Consideration of a request for a larger vehicle will be based upon the nature of and circumstances surrounding the trip. The employee will be reimbursed for the cost of fuel. All receipts for fuel must be retained and submitted to the Finance Department with the Travel Log upon completion of the trip. The City maintains insurance which covers rented vehicles. If offered, the employee must decline insurance offered by a rental agency. If needed, the declarations page can be provided to the rental agency. 4. 5. 1 When two or more employees from the same department travel on the same trip, the Department Director has the authority to designate which employee will receive the mileage reimbursement. In unusual circumstances, more than one vehicle may be required when consideration is given to the number of employees traveling, the length of stay, and the amount of baggage required. If an employee is not designated to receive mileage reimbursement, he /she may still drive a personal vehicle at his/ her own expense. No reimbursement for mileage or fuel will be provided to an employee who elects this option. 4. 6 When two or more employees are assigned to a vehicle, the vehicle will be considered a no smoking area for the duration of the trip. 4. 7 When a City vehicle is not available and the employee feels his /her personal vehicle is not suitable for the trip, arrangements may be made for a rental vehicle or other means of transportation. Receipts must be retained for the rental. Refer to item 4. 5 above regarding insurance for rented vehicles. 4. 8 Parking fees, tolls, and taxi fares are eligible expenses. Receipts are provided upon request and receipts must be submitted with the Travel Log to be reimbursed. 4. 9 When traveling by vehicle, the employee is not required to be on the road for more than ten hours at normal driving speeds or to travel prior to 6: 00 am or beyond 8: 00 pm. 4. 10 If the employee receives an auto allowance, local travel is covered by the allowance. Local travels are trips within Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Bay, and Walton counties. If the employee does not receive an auto allowance and frequent local travels on City business are conducted, the employee should log the date, destination, purpose, and miles driven for each trip and request reimbursement on a monthly basis. 5. POLICY /PROCEDURES —LODGING 5. 1 Whenever possible, lodging should be paid in advance with a City check along with a copy of the tax -exempt certificate to avoid the charge of sales tax. If faced with these charges, alert the Finance Department so it can work with the hotel to have the charges removed from the bill, as sales tax will not be reimbursed. 4of6  5. 2 If the City credit card is used for payment, make sure that a copy of the sales tax exemption certificate is provided upon check -in to avoid a sales tax charge. Verify that no sales tax has been charged upon check -out. 5. 3 The hotel receipt must itemize the daily charges to the room, not just the total amount of the bill. 5. 3. 1 Personal phone calls, other than a ten -minute call to your family upon arrival and departure, as well as other services, are not reimbursable. 5. 3. 2 If the hotel stay is longer than 2 days, a 5- minute personal call per day is reimbursable while away. 5. 4 Reasonable gratuities up to 20% to hotel employees will be reimbursed. The amount of the gratuity should be documented and submitted with the Travel Log. 6. POLICY /PROCEDURES —MEALS 6. 1 The maximum meal reimbursement, including tax and tip, is shown below. Original receipts must be provided when the Travel Log is submitted and meals will be reimbursed up to the maximum. If receipts are not provided, no reimbursement will be processed. Breakfast $6. 00 Lunch $ 11. 00 Dinner $ 19. 00 6. 2 Meals are eligible for reimbursement as follows: Breakfast Travel begins at 6 am and extends beyond 8 am Lunch Travel begins before 12 noon and extends beyond 2 pm Dinner Travel begins before 6 pm and extends until 8 pm 6. 3 Travel advances will be made based on the meal allowance rates. Upon return, the employee must provide original receipts. A reconciliation will be completed to determine the actual meals expense and a reimbursement or refund generated. Please note: All meal reimbursements are provided on a per meal basis. For example, if no expense is incurred for breakfast, lunch and dinner will remain capped at $ 11. 00 and $ 19. 00, respectively. 6. 4 Original, itemized receipts must be provided for reimbursement. Credit card slips that only show the total amount paid are not acceptable for reimbursement. Alcoholic beverages are not reimbursable. Reasonable gratuities up to 20% will be reimbursed. The amount of the gratuity should be documented and submitted with the receipt. 6. 5 Meals included in a registration fee or provided by another organization are not eligible for separate reimbursement, regardless of whether or not the employee takes advantage of the meal. Reimbursement for breakfast will be permitted even if a continental breakfast is included in lodging expense, provided a valid receipt is obtained. 7. POLICY /PROCEDURES —HOURS WORKED per FLSA 7. 1 On trips which do not involve overnight travel, all hours spent in actual travel, except for meals and personal stops, are considered hours worked for both the City employee driver and passenger. 5 of 6  7. 2 On trips which involve overnight travel, only the driver is considered at work for all hours spent on the road. The passenger will receive hours worked for the normal scheduled work hours per day, or the actual hours spent on the road. This is true even when travel falls on the passenger' s day off. 7. 3 Travel by air is treated the same as travel by a passenger vehicle. 7. 4 Travel hours begin when the employee leaves his /her residence, unless the employee stops at his /her work location on the way, in which case travel hours begin when the employee leaves work. The same is true when the employee returns from his/her trip. This principal will also determine where mileage begins and ends if traveling by personal vehicle. 7. 5 All times must be converted to Central Standard Time on the Travel Log. 7. 6 If the purpose of the trip is educational, classroom time and travel hours will be coded as " training" for payroll entry. 7. 7 If the employee wishes to use personal leave time during City travel, the Travel Log must be filled out with the dates and time the employee would have returned if personal leave was not taken. A statement should then be made on the bottom of the Travel Log as to the actual return or departure of the employee. 8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, REQUIREMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 8. 1 All forms referenced in this policy are available on the FWB Intranet Website under Finance Forms, and are attached herewith. 8. 2 City Council' s monthly allowance covers meals and incidental expenses involved in meeting with industrial prospects and/ or various types of visitors to the City, automobile expenses, expenses of attending civic functions and other mobile expenses. These types of expenses are not eligible for additional reimbursement. 8. 3 During a trip, the employee is representing the City of Fort Walton Beach. The employee' s conduct and appearance shall uphold the reputation of the City to its colleagues and the public. 8. 4 It will be the responsibility of the Finance Director to uphold this policy and keep it current. 9. AUTHORITY 9. 1 Ordinance 1849 adopted April 26, 2011. 6 of 6  City of Fort Walton Beach Travel Request Name: Department: Purpose: Destination: Person( s) Also Traveling: Departure Date & Time: Return Date & Time: Budget Account ( Travel & Per Diem): 40004000 Budget Account ( Registration): 55005500 4000 Account Balance: BudgetBudget TransferTransfer Needed:Needed: YesYes / / NoNo 5500 Account Balance: BudgetBudget TransferTransfer Needed:Needed: YesYes