Meals
Meals for both domestic and international travel should be reimbursed using the meal per diem rate for the city involved. Receipts are not required, but you cannot be reimbursed for more than the maximum for that city. Meals included in conference registration must be deducted from the meal per diem. There is partial reimbursement for meals on first and last days of travel. The sidebar provides information about the maximums for domestic and international lodging per diems.
Lodging
Lodging reimbursements always require itemized receipts and the cost must be in line with the per diem rate for that city. Exception: Hotel rates that have been negotiated by conferences. Proof of the conference hotel rate must be included in the documentation (e.g., print out of the conference website stating the rate). The sidebar provides information about the maximums for domestic and international lodging per diems.
Airport Parking
The cost must not exceed the cost of round-trip taxi fare.
Car Rental
The University has contracts for car rental with Enterprise Car Rental and National Car Rental that guarantee to quote you the best rate they have available at all times. You must provide the University's corporate number/Recap ID number when reserving a vehicle. Insurance coverage (e.g., CDW, LDW, etc) for domestic car rentals is included in the contract. Faculty and staff may use the contract for personal as well as professional travel.
Note: The University does not reimburse for insurance coverage for domestic car rentals, so you should always waive them. However, when renting a car for international travel, you should accept the optional insurance coverage and you can be reimbursed for it.
Driving Your Own Car
In order to be reimbursed for driving to a conference, you must provide:
- the number of miles;
- a justification of why you chose to drive.
The amount you will be reimbursed cannot exceed the lowest price you would have paid for airfare.
University policy on the use of personal vehicles for University business includes the following:
Departments may authorize drivers to use a personal or other private vehicle for official University business. Employees who are authorized drivers will be reimbursed in accordance with University policy, for University business-related expenses provided the following conditions are met:
- The driver must be prepared to provide proof of personal automobile insurance.
- The driver/vehicle's personal auto insurance provides primary insurance with minimum liability coverage of $100,000 per person/$300,000 per incident.
- The driver is responsible for the personal auto insurance deductible(s).
- A University accident report must be filed if there are personal injuries to anyone involved in the accident or if non-University property is damaged, other than the driver's vehicle.
Conference Registration
Make sure you receive a receipt or some kind of confirmation (even an email). It must have the conference name, your name, the dates and the price paid.
International Travel
The University's Travel Policy requires all faculty and staff traveling abroad for University purposes to register their travel at the International Travel Registry. Graduate students are required to register their travel through the Student International Travel Registry, and also must obtain international insurance and complete a couple other steps.
When turning in receipts that are not in US dollars, you do not need to convert it because we will do that (the University has procedures regarding this that we have to follow).
Business or Pleasure?
When combining business/professional travel with personal travel, the University reimburses for University-related expenses only.
Re-Ticketing Fees
Re-ticketing fees are not reimbursable unless there are special circumstances related to University business. This must be approved by the Chair.
Frequent Flyer Policy
By State of Minnesota statute, any frequent flyer miles paid for with University funds must accrue to the University. Each traveler is responsible for keeping track of these miles. Should the Department be audited, you may need to prove how many University frequent flyer miles you have accrued and demonstrate that any tickets from those miles have been used for University-related business. Therefore, it is recommended that all faculty and P&As who routinely take three or more trips per year have a University frequent-flyer account with the airline(s) that they commonly use. All faculty should already have University accounts with Delta and should always use that number when making reservations for University-related travel.
Free Tickets
Free tickets earned on these business accounts can be used for your professional travel, but you must request department authorization for these trips in the usual manner. Tickets earned on business accounts cannot be used for personal travel.