Heritage University

All requests for reimbursement must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the completion of the trip. Late requests will be denied.

Travel should be planned in advance. Reimbursement of travel expenses that could have been avoided through reasonable planning may be denied.

As a rule, the fewest number of people possible should travel to an event. Whenever possible, alternatives to travel should be sought.

Exceptions to these procedures require advanced approval from the appropriate Vice President.

Reimbursement will occur according to the following schedule.

* Receipts are required for all meals. There will be no exceptions: No receipt means no reimbursement.

* Breakfast can be claimed at the travel destination or if the traveler is in transit before 6:00 AM. It is presumed that travelers will normally eat at home before leaving on a trip and will not require reimbursement.

* Dinner can be claimed at the travel destination or if the traveler returns home later than 7:00 PM. It is presumed that travelers will normally eat at home at the end of a trip and will not require reimbursement.

* Meals provided by airlines, conferences, etc. are not reimbursable. If a meal is provided, a separate meal cannot be claimed.

* Alcohol is not a reimbursable expense.

* The maximum that will be reimbursed for meals in a day is $40, with receipts, for all three meals.

Lodging is reimbursable by receipt only at designated hotels or up to established maximums. (Maximums from standard references are listed in the Business Office.) Only lodging, tax, and one personal call per day (of reasonable length) will be reimbursed. Notes:

* Requests for reimbursement at a rate above the established maximums will require prior justification from the appropriate Vice President.

* Staying at the “Conference Hotel” will be an exception to the lodging maximum.

Air travel must be booked through the official campus travel agent and will be by the lowest cost logical routing. Passengers are expected to be flexible in flight times. The lowest cost airline will always be selected. Air travel requires prior approval by the appropriate Vice President.

Reimbursement is by airline receipt only. If it is less expensive to drive than fly, Heritage University may choose to reimburse at the current mileage rate.

The reimbursement rate as of July 1, 2004 is 35 cents a mile, based on established distances between sites (see Business Office for a current listing). Travel is calculated from the employee’s or contractor's base campus except in cases where the distance is less if computed from the traveler’s residence.

Reimbursable by receipt only. Travelers are expected to use free shuttles when available and choose the least expensive means of local transit.

Reimbursements by receipt, and only if pre-approved by the appropriate Vice President.

Advances are granted only in exceptional cases and require approval of the appropriate Vice President. If an advance is granted, a travel report reconciling the advance against receipts must be submitted within 15 working days of the traveler’s return. Failure to file in a timely manner will cause the full value of the advance to be deducted from the traveler's next paycheck and will render the traveler ineligible for another advance for six months.