RES 987niRESOLUTIONNO.
A RESOLUTION revising the policy for reimbursing
employees for travel and other expenses incurred in the conduct of
city business.
WHEREAS,the Council of the City of Camas recognizes that employees of the City may
from time to time incur expenses while conducting official business of the City,and
WHEREAS,the Council has heretofore adopted a formal policy for reimbursing
employees for such expenses,and
WHEREAS,the Council desires to amend the policy for reimbursing employees for such
expenses,
NOW,THEREFORE,IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CAMAS that the expense reimbursement policy attached hereto as Exhibit “A”and by this
reference incorporated herein is hereby adopted and approved as the official policy and guideline
for the reimbursing of city employees for expenses incurred in the conduct of business on behalf
of the City.
ADOPTED by the Council and APPROVED by the Mayor this AC 'da;
2004 .
SIGNED:
Mayor
ZKATTEST:V\
lerk
/
Exhibit A
City of Camas
Travel Policy
Purpose
This document sets forth the policy of the City of Camas for the reimbursement
of travel,subsistence and related expenses incurred by city employees while
conducting city business.To qualify for reimbursement,such expenses must be
reasonable and prudent under the circumstances and directly related to the
conduct of city business.Unnecessary or excessive expenses shall not be
approved or reimbursed.The Finance Director is authorized and shall establish
regulations and procedures for the administration of this policy.Requests for
advance travel funds and reimbursement for necessary and reasonable
expenses are subject to the rules herein by application and upon compliance
with this policy and with Chapter 42.24,RCW .
Authorization to Travel
All overnight employee travel shall be authorized in advance,and upon return,
the Claim for Expenses shall be approved as follows:
1.If the City Administrator,by the Mayor,
2.Department heads,by the City Administrator,
3.Employees,by the direct supervisor and/or department head,
4.Members of a board,by the City Administrator or Mayor.
Council members travel and attendance is authorized for council workshops and
other meetings and conferences that are in the city’s interest,such as the
Association of Washington Cities Conference.
Eligible Expenditures
Costs incurred by the employee away from the city,or incurred locally,
necessitated by city business will be considered eligible expenditures
Registration -Actual cost of registration of any employee will be paid for a pre-
approved meeting,conference or convention.
=>Employees should submit registration forms to the Finance Department for
prepayment as early as possible to take advantage of any discounts available.
Should prepayment not be possible,submit a copy of the registration with receipt
attached to the Claim for Expenses.
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Transportation -Actual costs of travel by air,train,bus,taxi or rental car shall
be reimbursed.
=>Air Travel:the city is a member of the State of Washington Procurement Office
“Local Government Airfare Use Agreement”.In order to comply with this agreement,
all air travel must be purchased through a qualified travel agency (Camas World
Travel)or directly through the air carrier.Payment must be made through the city’s
Business Travel Account.All air travel shall be at coach class,unless in the rare
case only higher cost accommodations are available.Personnel have been
designated in various departments to secure air travel arrangements;contact the
Finance Department for further information.Airline incentives,such as frequent flyer
mileage,will be considered a personal benefit.However,the city will not incur extra
cost in order to accommodate such programs.
=>City Vehicle:employees should use assigned vehicles available from the motor
pool while on city business.Contact the Engineering Department to reserve a
vehicle.Before traveling,the employee will need to secure a city credit card for
purchases of gas,oil and emergency repairs.This card should be used instead of
cash due to federal gas tax is not charged to the city on the city credit card.The city
credit card may only be used for expenses of city-owned vehicles.
=>Personal Vehicle:employees should only use a personal vehicle if no city vehicles
are available.The city may authorize the City Administrator to use his/her personal
vehicle for city business.Mileage will be reimbursed at the rate set by council
resolution,but not to exceed the lowest cost airfare to and from the same
destination.Mileage will be computed from employee’s office location or home,
whichever is less.
=i>Rental Vehicle:employees are only to use rental vehicles under exceptional
circumstances related to business necessity,not personal convenience.
Regulations for rental vehicles are similar to airfare purchases;contact the Finance
Department for the most current contract information.All rental vehicles must be
approved before the scheduled travel date.
=>Parking:fees to park city vehicles or personal vehicles while on official business
will be reimbursed.Overtime parking fines are the responsibility of the employee,
not the city.
Lodging -Actual costs of hotel or motel accommodations at the single rate will
be reimbursed.Typically,reservations can be secured with a city purchase order
and final charges directly billed to the city.If paid with personal funds,an
itemized statement and receipt detailing the single rate must be submitted with
the Claims for Expenses.
=>If lodging arrangements are not prearranged for a conference and choice of lodging
is open,then contact the Finance Department for the State of Washington Lodging
Rate Survey.Reservations will be made directly with the listed establishment,
requesting state government rates and verifying the acceptable mode of payment.
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=>50-Mile Rule -the employee will be reimbursed for lodging expenses when the
employee is required to stay overnight,more than fifty (50)miles (most direct route)
beyond the closer of either the employee’s home or office location,subject to prior
approval.Reimbursement for lodging within fifty (50)miles of the closer of either
the employee’s home or office is not allowed except under one of the following
conditions:
•an overnight stay in a hotel/motel to avoid having an employee drive back
and forth for back-to-back late night/early morning official city business,
•when the health and safety of the employee is of concern,
•when an employee can demonstrate that staying overnight is more
economical to the city,
•when a council/staff planning conference is scheduled for overnight.
Prior justification and approval by the employee’s supervisor will be required.
=>Meals -While an employee is traveling on business,meals will be
reimbursed on a per diem basis.The per diem rate is $40.00 and for a partial
days travel,the breakdown is:
$8Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
$10
$22
The per diem covers all tips and taxes.
=>Partial day meal reimbursement may apply to non-overnight travel,or on the first
and last day of travel involving an overnight stay.Should travel begin prior to 6:30
a.m.,the breakfast meal will be reimbursed;should travel end past 6:30 p.m.,the
dinner meal will be reimbursed.
=>When employees attend a school or academy,the cost of the meal ticket will be
reimbursed,if not included in the tuition.
If registration fee for classes or conferences includes meals other than coffee and
pastry,then per diem for those meals would not be paid
Miscellaneous Expenses:
=>Telecommunications -charges for telephone and fax (including hotel
access charges)are eligible for reimbursement if related to city business.
Employees will be reimbursed for a brief personal call to communicate
unanticipated changes in arrival time beyond the employee’s control.
=>Laundry and Valet Services -Actual cost of laundry and/or valet service are
allowable expenses when the travel period extends past seven days.
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=>Tipping -Reasonable tips for baggage handling or necessary physical
assistance are considered payments for services and are reimbursable.Meal
service tips are limited to 15%of the meal price.All tips should be
reasonable in light of the service provided.
Local Travel Expenses -It is expected that employees will exercise appropriate
judgment and reasonable discretion in requesting reimbursement for expenses
incurred in the local area.
=>Transportation -local mileage will only be reimbursed if significant,required by the
job and with permission granted by employee’s direct supervisor.Motor pool
vehicles should be used at all times,if possible.Reimbursement will be made for
travel to and from the airport in conjunction with air travel.
=>Meals -local meals will be reimbursed if incurred in the necessary discharge of the
employee’s official duties.Reimbursement will be made only in those instances
when a clearly official function is performed.Routine meals with individuals,
consultants,employees of the city and local agencies are not eligible for
reimbursement.For the mayor,council members,department heads and the city
administrator attending service club meetings are considered an official function for
purposes of meal reimbursement.
Ineligible Expenses -the following expenses shall not be paid for by the city:
•travel paid for by any other organization,
•alcoholic beverages (including beer and wine at dinner),
•meals or lodging accommodations for family or guests,
•tour bus fees or sightseeing tours,
•personal telephone calls (except as covered in lodging section)
•mileage if traveling as a passenger in a privately owned car,
•trip insurance,
•any other personal expenditure for entertainment or other purposes,
•fines for parking or traffic violations,or
Procedures
Travel advances and reimbursement procedures to carry out this policy are the
responsibility of the Finance Department.
Travel Advances -to receive a travel advance,on the Advance Travel Request
form the employee must fill in the amount,sign the statement on the reverse side
of the request and secure approval signatures.The request must then be
submitted to the custodian of the travel fund in the Finance Department at least
five working days prior to departure.Travel advances will not be done for local
travel.
Within ten calendar days upon return (as required by RCW 42.24.090),the
employee will submit the Advance Travel Request form,with all receipts for costs
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over $5.00 to the Finance Department.If funds are to be returned to the city,
they must be submitted at that time.Should additional funds be owed to the
employee,the request will be processed with the following voucher cycle.
Claim for Expenses -to receive reimbursement of incurred travel expenses,the
employee will need to submit a Claim for Expenses with receipts for costs over
$5.00,except receipts for meals are not required.For those officials listed above
under Local Travel Expenses ,the actual cost of the meal while attending a
service club meeting will be reimbursed.The backside of the form must
breakdown costs on a daily basis,and then combined on the front by total type
of expense (i.e.meals,hotel,mileage,etc.)Written approval by the employee’s
supervisor is required.Reimbursement fund requests will be processed with the
following voucher cycle.
=>In order to calculate the correct meal reimbursement amounts,the employee will
need to provide the date and time the travel status began,and the date and time the
travel status ended.
=>Fully itemized statements detailing the lodging charges must be attached.It an
employee shared accommodations with another employee;one must claim the
expense for reimbursement.Note on the statement the other employee that was
included.
=>Information on either the Advance Travel Request or Claim for Expenses must be
sufficient to administer the travel policy.Claim for reimbursement of any charge that
could reasonably raise questions must be accompanied by an explanation of the
charge.
Use of Commercial Charge Cards -the city will make a commercial charge
card available to some employees to be used for the sole purpose of covering
allowable expenses incurred while on city business.Employees using charge
cards must retain and submit all receipts for expenses charged to the card.City
charge cards may be used only for travel related expenses.The person to
whom they have been assigned may only use the charge card.
Definitions
Employee -elected officials,appointed officials,member of a board and all
other paid employees of the City of Camas.
Local -Clark County in the State of Washington,and Multnomah,Clackamas
and Washington counties in the State of Oregon.
Travel status -when an employee is on city business outside the Local Area.
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