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TITLE: |
NUMBER: |
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Travel Procedure Manual ISSUED
JULY 2007 REVISED 6/3/2009 |
FIN-T01 |
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VICE CHANCELLOR APPROVED: |
RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATOR: |
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6/19/2009 |
University Controller |
For questions concerning policy or procedure, please contact the
Travel office via email:
To access forms and staff contact information, please visit us at:
External Conference (OSBM 5.8.1)
Internal Conference (OSBM 5.8.4)
Official University Business Purpose
Using your corporate travel card
Revising Your Authorization Form
Cancellations (OSBM 5.1.9 penalties and charges)
TRAVEL
ADVANCES (NC OSBM 5.1.39)
DIRECT
BILLING YOUR RENTAL CAR
Getting Reimbursed For Registration Fees (OSBM 5.1.18)
Getting Reimbursed For Transportation (OSBM 5.1.20, 21, 26,
31)
Using Your Personal Vehicle for Business Travel
GETTING
REIMBURSED FOR HOTELS AND LODGING (OSBM 5.1.5, 5.1.6, 5.1.7, 5.10.1, 5.10.2,
5.10.3, 5.10.6)
Non-Commercial Lodging Establishments (OSBM 5.1.8)
SUBSISTENCE
(OSBM 5.1.10, 11, 12, 13, 17)
RECEIPT
REQUIREMENTS QUICK REFERENCE
REIMBURSEMENT
FOR MILEAGE AND PARKING
EXPENDITURES
INCURRED ON BEHALF OF JOB CANDIDATES
STUDENT AND
FOREIGN NATIONAL TRAVEL
Reimbursement for Student Employee Travel
Reimbursement for Non-Employee Student Travel
Academic Team Travel (Debate, Band competition, Quiz Bowl,
etc.)
Student Organization Travel (337XXX funded)
INTRODUCTION
Travel policies and procedures at UNC
Charlotte require compliance with state policy, state law, and federal
law. They are a standard against which
many in state agencies gauge universities’ compliance with state and federal
standards in general. Therefore,
adherence to travel policies and procedures reflects on your unit’s and the
University’s general management.
With
that in mind, it is helpful to remember several principles about business
travel:
- When you travel
on business on behalf of UNC Charlotte, remember that you are a public
servant, and you should demonstrate good
stewardship of University resources.
- Travel plans
should be approved in advance of
the trip. This is basic budget
management to ensure that departments can actually cover expenses and are
using their resources optimally.
There are fewer than a dozen “emergency” trips during a year at the
University as a whole. Remember
that lack of planning does not constitute an emergency.
- Original receipts are required so
that both federal and state authorities can ensure that business expenses
are not claimed on individual tax returns or reimbursed more than
once. If you can print multiple
copies of a receipt (such as an email receipt) it is not original. You must submit an original receipt, or
at the very least, corroborating documentation such as a credit card
statement. The same reasoning holds
true for original signatures, when required.
- Reconciliation of travel expenses should be done
within thirty (30) days of the return date. Appropriately completed reimbursement
requests should be processed and payment made to the traveler within seven
business days of submission.
PROCEDURE STATEMENT
These travel procedures apply to
the travel of all UNC Charlotte employees acting on official University
business. Portions of this procedure may also apply to individuals other than
employees who are authorized to travel at University expense (i.e., University
affiliates/nonemployees/students). Authorization
for travel will only be approved and expenses will only be reimbursed if the
travel is made and reimbursement claimed in accordance with these
procedures. [For student travel, please
refer to the Scholarship and Travel Payments to University Affiliates section
and for non-employee travel, please refer to Travel for University
Affiliates/Non-Employees section herein.]
These procedures and reimbursement rates are
consistent with those of the State of North Carolina Office of Budget
Management Manual (OSBM 5.0 Travel Policies and Regulations), North Carolina
State Statutes G.S. 138-5, 138-6 and 138-7, and the Internal Revenue
Service. Current reimbursement rates may
be found on the Rates tab of each travel form.
Only necessary and reasonable expenses above the authorized amounts per
travel authorization may be reimbursed.
Original receipts are required to claim reimbursement for all expenses,
except where noted.
PRINCIPLES
Travel shall be consistent with
the educational, research and professional needs of the University, as well as
the mission and goals of UNC Charlotte.
As an agency of the State of North Carolina, UNC Charlotte adheres
to the NC State Budget Manual.. IRS
rules may also be applicable, as well as agency-mandated restrictions on
federal grants.
Travelers conducting business on behalf of the University shall
exercise good judgment and travel in a cost-efficient manner. Travelers shall conduct University business
in compliance with applicable laws, policies and procedures and should be fully
aware of all UNC Charlotte travel policies and procedures prior to
traveling and expending funds on behalf of the University. (OSBM 5.0.2 Employee
Responsibility)
APPLICABLE
TERMS AND PHRASES
Approval Signatures
To be complete, all travel forms
must be signed by you and your supervisor or supervisor’s designee. All required signatures must be
original. No other individual is
authorized to sign for you. Rubber stamps, digital stamps, faxed signatures,
copied signatures or any variations thereof will not be accepted. Without the
proper approval signatures, any expenses you incur will be your sole
responsibility.
Direct Billing
Agreement
UNC
Charlotte has agreements with specific vendors (AAA Carolinas, local hotels,
etc.) for direct billing, which allow approved University travelers to utilize
services without incurring out-of-pocket expenses.
Duty Station
Unless otherwise approved by the employee’s department head, each UNC
Charlotte employee’s duty station shall be the main campus at 9201 University
City Blvd, Charlotte NC 28223. Exceptions to this policy are limited to
those employees who have offices at satellite campuses or buildings designated
as part of UNC Charlotte (Uptown Campus, Ben Craig Center, etc.), or those who
are approved to telecommute from home or other locations.
Funds
It is your responsibility to
understand the constraints on or requirements for the designated fund used to
pay for travel expenses. The final
funding source documents must reach the Travel Office fully approved, as
required by the fund.
- If
the fund is a grant (5xxxxx) it must be approved by the Grants &
Contracts Office, 309 Cameron, prior to submission to the Travel
Office.
- If
the fund is an endowment (6xxxxx) it must be approved by the Foundations
and Related Entities Office, 316 Reese, prior to submission to the
Travel Office.
- If
your direct supervisor will be receiving funds from your travel
authorization, the next higher supervisory authority must also approve the
authorization.
- If
your direct supervisor is not the fund custodian, the fund custodian must
also initial or sign in the Estimated Costs section of the authorization
form.
External Conference (OSBM 5.8.1)
External
conferences are those attended by employees from multiple North Carolina state
departments, institutions or agencies. Payment for meals is allowable if
included in the registration fee. The fee must not consist exclusively of
meals, or it will not be allowable – unless it meets overnight travel criteria.
The registration fee typically includes the cost of speakers, building (room)
use, handout materials, breaks and lunches at conferences and conventions. UNC
Charlotte may require itemization and/or documentation of expenses. Conferences
sponsored or co-sponsored by a North Carolina state department are authorized
when they meet the limitations and requirements listed below.
Internal Conference (OSBM 5.8.4)
Internal
conferences are those attended by employees within single departments,
institutions or agencies only. No payment for meals is allowable unless
overnight travel criteria are met. A routine staff meeting is not an internal
conference.
Official University
Business Purpose
Travel required by UNC Charlotte to maintain or improve job skills
that enhance your service to the University. This also refers to travel in
order to perform services required for any sponsor, grantor or affiliate of the
University pursuant to a research or other contract. Specific examples of
University business purpose include, but are not limited to the following (OSBM
5.0.3 Official State Business):
- Employee
attending continuing education conference, symposium or meeting related to
the field of employment
- Non-employee candidate
for employment at UNC Charlotte
- Academic or
non-varsity athletic teams competing for and representing UNC Charlotte.
(Example: debate team, recreational
softball team)
- Employees
traveling on behalf of a research grant requiring the employee’s presence
in another location (e.g., water samples, surveys, etc.)
- Students working
as employees when traveling as a duty of their positions (travel must be
paid from the same source that pays the student’s wages)
- Non-employee
students who travel on official University business (can be paid from
state funds)
Original Receipt
An original receipt is one that cannot be reprinted or reacquired
if lost, stolen or mutilated.
Per Diem/Subsistence
Per diem is an Internal Revenue Service term that is not used for travel
meal allowances by the state of North Carolina (OSBM 5.1.1). Reimbursement rates for meals are referred to
as subsistence amounts by the state of North Carolina and are regulated by the
state (OSBM 5.1.2).
Travel Advance
Personal loan money provided to you prior to the trip, to cover
out-of-pocket expenses while traveling.
Travel Prepayment
Money paid in advance to applicable vendors, on your behalf.
Travel Status
You are considered to be in
travel status whenever you’re required to be away from your normal duty station
in the performance of your job. (Motor Fleet Management Regulations, NC Dept of
Administration, January 2003 I.C.4 http://www.ncmotorfleet.com/documents/mfmregs.pdf)
Travel Status-Overnight
You are considered to be in
overnight travel status when your business activities require multiple days’
absence from your duty station. OSBM
5.1.5 states that the travel destination must be at least 35 miles from the
duty station or home, whichever is less.
AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL CARD
Having a corporate
American Express card can make travel much smoother for you – and eliminates
the need for a travel advance or prepayment. Any employee is eligible to apply for an
American Express corporate card, with a supervisor’s approval.
How to apply
You may apply for the American
Express card through Financial Services by submitting an application to the Program Administrator at travel@uncc.edu if you have questions please contact the administrator at X75763. The Program Administrator will review the
application and submit it to American Express for consideration. You will receive a letter from the Program Administrator
confirming receipt and submission of your application. American Express will review your personal
credit history, and will directly contact you to let you know if you’re
approved.
Using your corporate
travel card
For
approved business travel, you may use the card to purchase airline tickets,
hotel accommodations, conference registrations and meals immediately before or
during the trip. Only travel-related expenses are allowed as charges to the
card. The Program Administrator will
review your AMEX charges on a regular basis to make sure you are not making
personal charges. There are no enrollment or annual
fees; other specific corporate card benefits can be viewed at the American Express website.
Paying your bill
The
American Express corporate travel card is issued to you as an individual –
which means you are directly responsible for payment of all charges made on the
card. Billing statements will be sent
directly to you for payment. The University assumes no liability for unpaid
bills, delinquency assessments, or for lost/stolen cards. The corporate card is offered by the
University to make travel easier; managing your AMEX is solely your
responsibility.
TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION
At least two weeks before your departure date or prepayment
deadline, you should prepare a Travel Authorization form and submit it to
Accounts Payable Travel Office. The Travel Authorization can be found online at
the Financial Services
website. Detailed, line-by-line instructions are included in the
document, as well as rates and examples of bona fide business purposes.
Employees
are not permitted to make travel-related payments on behalf of guests, students
or other employees. An employee should not use their travel authorization to
cover guests, students or other employees. A travel authorization is required
for each individual that has travel-related expenses. This is necessary to
ensure appropriate accounting for each traveler’s expenses.
You should complete this form if any of the following apply:
·
Travel is 35 miles (or greater) from your home, duty station, or
the UNC Charlotte main campus
·
Travel includes an overnight stay
·
Travel includes subsistence, such as meals or hotel charges (OSBM
5.1.2)
·
You would like to utilize the Travel Advance or Prepayment Options
Note: Lodging allowances that are not approved
prior to travel on a Travel Authorization form will be limited to the states
subsistence rate. Any overage of lodging
expenses will be denied or may be processed from the department’s discretionary
fund if one is available.
Blanket Travel
Authorization
If you travel frequently during the fiscal year, you may submit a
blanket travel authorization. This
blanket authorization is of benefit when you do not need an advance, and do not
need your travel to be prepaid. To obtain a blanket travel authorization, you’ll
need the fund number, traveler and supervisor signatures, fiscal year to which
the blanket applies, traveler’s name, university identification number
8XXXXXXX, home address, and department contact information. Indicate “Blanket
Travel” in destination space. If the travel funds come from a grant, the Office
of Sponsored Programs must approve the authorization and state the expenditure
limit before submitting to the Travel Office.
Revising Your Authorization Form
You may submit a revised Travel Authorization if:
- Additional
information becomes available after the original authorization was
submitted
·
Additional advance or prepayment requests arise prior to travel
departure or any prepayment deadlines
·
The fund from which travel expenses will be deducted changes prior
to departure date
·
Estimated costs are drastically increased prior to departure date
(more than 20% higher)
A copy of the original Travel Authorization should be submitted to
the Travel Office, marked “REVISED” and include all revisions in RED INK or HIGHLIGHTED to note
changes. All revisions must be
approved and dated by the approving authority found on the original
authorization.
Cancellations (OSBM 5.1.9
penalties and charges)
If the event or meeting is canceled or you
cannot attend the event for personal reasons, the Travel Office should be
notified immediately. You should submit
a copy of the original Travel Authorization marked “CANCELLED” in RED INK or HIGHLIGHTED to note changes.
You should initial and date the cancelled authorization. It is your sole responsibility to pursue
refunds for any prepayments or direct billing agreements already processed. If you were issued a travel advance, the
Travel Office will void the advance at time of cancellation notification. If you already cashed an advance check or
received a direct deposit, it is your sole responsibility to return the funds
to the Travel Office within one (1) business day of cancellation
notification. Any advance funds not
returned to the Travel Office will be turned over to the Travel Reconciliation Specialist
for collection.
If you cancel your travel or change
your travel schedule for personal reasons, it is your obligation to pay the
penalties and charges. (Please note that in the event of accidents,
serious illness, or death within the employee's immediate family or other
critical circumstances beyond the control of the employee, the department may
elect to pay the penalties and charges.) All refunds
obtained as a result of prepayments are due to the university. Refunds must be directed to the travelers
contact person for deposit to the appropriate funding source where the
prepayment originated from. Refunds
misdirected to the Travel Office will be sent to the department to handle or
the Cashiers Office if the contact person or department cannot be determined.
TRAVEL ADVANCES (NC OSBM 5.1.39)
If you need to travel and are not
able to pay for out-of-pocket expenses prior to reimbursement, you may receive
a travel advance to cover estimated out-of-pocket expenses. Advances
are personal loans from the State of
North Carolina, issued by UNC Charlotte. Advance funds may be requested for any
item that cannot be prepaid or directly billed to the University, and the funds
may only be used for University business, not for personal expenses. You should make a request for an advance
only when absolutely necessary.
Travel advances are issued by direct deposit to the employee. Monies issued are available five (5) business
days prior to travel departure date. If there are circumstances under which you
must have your advance released earlier than that, you’ll need to demonstrate
the need in writing to the Travel Supervisor when submitting the Travel
Authorization form.
All travel advance monies must be accounted for or repaid to the
University within thirty (30) calendar days from date of return from travel.
Any monies not accounted for or repaid on a Travel Reimbursement form will be
submitted to the Travel Reconciliation Specialist. Travel Collections will
provide deadlines and assistance in preparing the Travel Reimbursement forms,
when requested. If an advance remains outstanding, a payroll deduction may be
initiated to recover the amount of your advance. Once a payroll deduction has
been initiated, you may not request reimbursement for any expenses related to
that travel, and all original receipts previously submitted for the travel will
be returned to you. If you are in
default on a travel advance, you will not be eligible for future advances until
you satisfy your financial obligation to the University.
PREPAYMENTS
You may request that a vendor be paid for
travel expenses prior to your departure.
This can be done for hotels, conference registrations, travel agencies,
or to you directly.
Prepayment
requests made payable to you must be accompanied by:
• paid, itemized receipt,
and
• confirmation of hotel
accommodations or conference registration and/or airline/train itinerary.
Prepayment requests made payable to travel agencies must be
accompanied by:
• invoice, and
•
confirmation of hotel accommodations or conference registration and/or
airline/train itinerary.
Prepayments to
Vendors:
To
receive payment from UNC Charlotte, a vendor must be established in the Banner
Finance system (use Banner screens FTIIDEN or SOADDRQ to search for
vendor). If a vendor is not already
established in Banner Finance, the vendor must complete a W9 form (available on
IRS website at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf) or a UNC Charlotte
Request for Taxpayer Information Form (found on Financial Services website). The employee should submit the applicable
taxpayer information with the travel authorization/prepayment request. If an established
vendor does not include the correct remit-to address for the requested payment,
you must complete a Vendor Maintenance Form (found on Financial Services
website).
DIRECT BILLING YOUR FLIGHT
You may request to have your
airline ticket expenses billed directly to AAA
of the Carolinas, based in Charlotte, NC.
(AAA of the Carolinas may
be reached at (704) 532-9991. This is the only location authorized to book
travel arrangements with UNC Charlotte’s travel codes.) Reservations
for other forms of transportation (train, bus, etc.) can be made through AAA of
the Carolinas but not all services can be billed to the University. You may be
asked to pay by credit card at the time the reservation is made.
Here’s the process for direct
billing your flight to AAA of the Carolinas:
1. You complete and submit a travel authorization/direct bill request
to UNC Charlotte Travel Office.
2. The Travel Office will issue a direct billing voucher code to your
department contact.
3. You contact AAA of the Carolinas to reserve your flight under UNC
Charlotte’s account, and provide your voucher code at that time.
4. After your reservation is processed, AAA of the Carolinas will
email you a confirmation itinerary. If you specifically request a
paper ticket when you make your reservation, AAA will deliver it by courier to
your department; otherwise, AAA of the Carolinas will email you an electronic
ticket.
5. UNC Charlotte Travel Office will handle payment to AAA within ten
(10) working days of the reservation.
DIRECT BILLING YOUR RENTAL CAR
If
you need a rental car, an agency on state contract should be used whenever
possible. The Travel Office provides Enterprise
rental voucher codes; these may be requested on the Travel Authorization
form. Once a voucher is obtained, you
may make rental car reservations by logging in to 49er Express from the main
UNC Charlotte web page and choosing Enterprise Rental from the e-procurement
Marketplace link. The Enterprise state contract has liability insurance
coverage built into the pricing.
If you have questions regarding rental car insurance coverage
while conducting University business, see http://www.legal.uncc.edu/excessliabilitymemo.pdf.
The following travel
expenses related to car rentals are not reimbursable by the University:
Collision
Damage Waiver
- Since the State of North Carolina is a self-insurer; this insurance coverage
is not required for state employees. You and your possessions will be covered
in the United States and Canada. If you
choose to pay for this type of coverage on your rental car, UNC Charlotte will
not reimburse you. If you are involved in an accident with a rental car, and
the possibility of a collision damage claim exists, you should contact
Auxiliary Services at 704-687-8448.
When traveling
out-of-country, you may purchase this coverage and departments may reimburse
you for the cost of insurance coverage on foreign car rentals. Before purchasing this coverage and when
using a credit card, you should determine if the credit card company provides
the necessary coverage as a card holder benefit.
Personal Accident
Insurance
– This is considered personal insurance. The University will not reimburse
travelers choosing to pay for this coverage.
(For more information
regarding the rental car companies on state contract and accompanying vehicle
insurance, contact your departmental purchasing agent.)
TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT
Pursuant to G.S. 138-6, requests for reimbursement shall
be submitted to the Travel Office no later than 30 days after the travel period
ends for which the reimbursement is being requested. Requests received after 30
days will either not be paid or will be treated as taxable fringe benefits to
the employee and reported on the employee’s W-2.
You should complete the Travel Reimbursement form if:
·
A Travel Authorization was submitted for this travel, or
·
You received a travel advance or prepayment, or
·
One day travel included expenses other than mileage and parking
(such as meals, registration)
NOTE:
Employee must be in travel status (see Definitions for explanation of travel status).
The Travel Reimbursement form can be found online at the Financial Services website. Detailed line-by-line instructions, as well a
rate page, are included with the document.
Revisions
If you filed your travel reimbursement form and then found some
additional receipts or expenses related to the trip, or if additional
trip-related expenses were incurred and were not included on the original
travel reimbursement, you may submit a revised travel reimbursement form to the
Travel Office.
A copy of the original travel reimbursement should be submitted to
the Travel Office, marked “REVISED” and include all revisions in RED INK or HIGHLIGHTED to note
changes. All revisions must be
approved by signature and date by the approving authority shown on the original
reimbursement (or his/her designee)
Getting Reimbursed For Registration Fees (OSBM 5.1.18)
You may be reimbursed for your conference
registration fees, as long as they are in conjunction with your official
University business purpose. For
example, you are eligible for reimbursement if you are attending a continuing
education conference or representing UNC Charlotte at a conference as a
presenter. If you pre-paid your registration fee and would like to be
reimbursed before you go, you may submit a receipt for the registration fee
along with your Travel Authorization form.
Getting Reimbursed For Transportation (OSBM 5.1.20, 21, 26,
31)
For Travel by Plane
If
you travel by plane for your trip, most of your expenses are reimbursable. In general, airfare is reimbursable when the departure and
return dates are within one (1) calendar day of the purpose of travel. Airfare
for your travel outside the continental US is reimbursable when the departure
and return dates are within a justifiable time period around the purpose of the
travel. (If your flight involves a foreign carrier from a US airport,
please remember that it’s important to consider the Fly America Act.)
If the purpose of your trip includes several business-related
activities, you should include them all in your notation of business
purpose. If you would like to combine personal and business travel, you may, but
note that no advances will be issued for the personal portion of any trip. To
obtain reimbursement for travel within
the continental United States, you must show that you haven’t incurred
extra expense to the University for the personal portion of the trip. You must provide
printed documents from a travel agency, an online travel site, or from the
actual airline, obtained on the same date as the purchased ticket. The
documents must show that the price of the ticket for the extended stay is no
more expensive than the price of the ticket to depart immediately before, or
return immediately after, the reason for the business travel. If no documentation is available, your reimbursement will
be based on the number of days considered business travel.
If you are traveling
outside the continental United States and would like to combine personal and
business travel, you must delineate all applicable travel costs between
business and personal expenses. This includes airfare, parking, mileage, rental
car, and any other common costs.
If you
paid for your airfare, and would like to be reimbursed before you leave for the
trip you should submit a paid, itemized receipt and trip itinerary
with your completed Travel Authorization.
To be reimbursed after you return from your trip, you should provide
this documentation along with your Travel Reimbursement Request. If you used an agency other than direct
billing through AAA of the Carolinas to reserve and pay for airfare, you
must provide your itinerary document with your Travel Reimbursement Request. In
most cases, the itinerary is not an original receipt.
Tax-free
reimbursement of airfare requires original receipts. A boarding pass or baggage claim ticket in
addition to the online/email receipt are the best examples of original receipts
since they show proof of air travel, proof of a particular flight, proof of
presence on the flight and proof of a completed purchase. You must provide an
original receipt, original boarding pass, baggage claim ticket, or an airport
kiosk printed receipt for every reimbursed flight.
Parking
at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (OSBM
5.1.34, 35, 36, 37) is reimbursable. The IRS and
the State Budget Manual require that expenditures be “judicious and
reasonable.” With this in mind, UNC Charlotte will reimburse your airport
parking expenses at the maximum per day charge for airport business valet
parking (the current rate is $10 per day). For more information on airport
parking, please visit http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Airport/Parking/home.htm. Charges
over and above the business valet parking charge will be your sole
responsibility. According to the State Budget Manual, OSBM Section 5.1.36, any
parking rates considered excessive and only for the convenience of the traveler
will not be reimbursable. An example of
excessive or inappropriate parking would be the use of an airport’s hourly
parking lot for an overnight trip. For airport parking reimbursement, you must
provide a paid, itemized original receipt showing method of payment and
check-in/check-out dates and times. If
you paid by credit card, the charge slip is also required with your claim.
For Travel by Train
or Bus
Train and bus costs for transportation to your destination city
are reimbursable when the departure and return dates are within one (1)
calendar day of the purpose of travel.
To be reimbursed after your travel is completed, you should provide an
original paid receipt and the complete train or bus itinerary along with your
travel reimbursement document. If you
paid for your ticket and would like to be reimbursed before you go, you must
provide an original paid, itemized receipt and your complete train or bus
itinerary along with your travel authorization document.
For Ground
Transportation
Allowable ground transportation expenses include:
·
City/local subway, train, bus, taxi, or ferry
·
Rental car, if prudent
·
Parking (lots and meters)
·
Highway/Interstate tolls
You will be reimbursed only for transportation used to ensure that
you arrive at your destination – not for personal preference, going to off-site
restaurants, or for tourist activities. Original, itemized receipts are
required for reimbursement of ground transportation expenses. Receipts are not
required for ground transportation expenses under $5, such as parking meter
payments.
For Travel by Auto
Use of Motor Fleet Pool
All UNC
Charlotte employees with appropriate driving credentials have the opportunity
to request a State vehicle from the University’s
Motor Fleet Pool when used for official University business. The Motor Fleet office phone number is
704-687-2639. If Motor Fleet denies a
request for a State vehicle, the denial email should be attached to related
travel claim forms. The denial must be
in your name for the exact travel dates for you to receive full reimbursement
of mileage expenses at the federal rate.
Backdated denials will not be granted. Most Motor Fleet vehicles
come with gas cards, and there are generally no additional related
out-of-pocket expenses. Motor Fleet will bill your department through an
interdepartmental invoice for the use of the State vehicle, so you will not
need to include any of these charges on your travel claim forms.
Using Your Personal Vehicle for Business Travel
If you are using your personal vehicle on approved, official
University business, you can be reimbursed for your mileage. Mileage is allowed
for the trip to and from Charlotte-Douglas
International Airport, when you are planning to park your car for the duration of
travel, or when a private party is dropping you off at the airport. Mileage
will be reimbursed for the closer of home or duty station. Please note that
mileage from the University is limited to 15 miles each way.
For
mileage reimbursement, you should include printed directions that show total
miles incurred outside the Charlotte-metro area. You may use www.mapquest.com for this
documentation. If your actual mileage exceeds direct round trip miles, please
provide an explanation. If a vehicle from the Motor Fleet is available, and you
choose to use your personal vehicle instead, your personal vehicle mileage will
be reimbursed at the reduced state rate – not the federal rate.
GETTING REIMBURSED FOR
HOTELS AND LODGING (OSBM 5.1.5, 5.1.6, 5.1.7, 5.10.1, 5.10.2, 5.10.3, 5.10.6)
Commercial Hotels
If you are required to be away from your home or duty station
overnight for University business travel, your hotel accommodations (room and
tax) are reimbursable. The hotel reservation dates must be within one (1)
calendar day of the purpose of travel (example: conference, research time,
etc). You may be reimbursed after your
stay by submitting an original, itemized, paid hotel invoice along with a
Travel Reimbursement form. When using an online travel site, you must request a
“stay” receipt from the hotel indicating check-in and check out dates, to
submit along with the online billing receipt. If you paid for your hotel
charges in advance and would like to be reimbursed before you go, you must
submit a paid receipt and your hotel confirmation, along with your Travel
Authorization form.
In order to claim reimbursement for
additional charges incurred at the hotel, they should appear on your hotel
invoice as follows:
- Business Phone Calls – must appear
on hotel invoice. You must note these as “business” calls, and provide a
brief statement on the purpose of the call.
- Personal Phone Calls – must appear
on hotel invoice and be noted as “personal” calls. For every two days are
in travel status, you are allowed reimbursement for up to $5.00 for
personal calls.
- Faxes & Copies – must appear
on hotel invoice or other paid receipt from hotel. You must include the
reason and business purpose for faxes sent/received, or copies purchased.
- Internet Connection Fees – must appear
on hotel invoice or other paid receipt from hotel. Please include a
notation of business purpose for Internet connection.
- Long Distance Fees in Connection
with Internet
– most hotels offer Internet service at a static rate per day; long
distance phone charges incurred while dialing to a “home” service are not
allowable expenses.
- Hotel Parking – must appear
on the hotel invoice or other paid receipt from hotel.
Non-Commercial Lodging Establishments (OSBM 5.1.8)
If
you are staying in a rental or other non-commercial lodging instead of a hotel,
you must get approval from the Office of State Budget and Management in
advance. Please contact the Travel Office three weeks prior to departure to
obtain the required advance approval from OSBM.
Without this approval, your lodging expenses will not be reimbursed.
SUBSISTENCE (OSBM 5.1.10, 11, 12, 13, 17)
Subsistence (meal) allowances are based on three (3) conditions:
1)
actual departure and return times,
2)
overnight travel status, and
3)
location at the time of the meal expense.
Meals that are provided at the conference, research site, meeting,
etc., cannot be claimed on the employee’s UNC Charlotte travel reimbursement
form. Receipts are not required for
meals that will be claimed at state subsistence rates (current rates are available
in the Rates tab of each travel
form). If the employee’s department
agrees to reimburse meal expenses greater than the subsistence amounts,
receipts are required to show itemized purchase as well as credit card/cash
payment detail. When paid by credit
card, this will be two (2) separate receipts.
Meal costs in excess of subsistence rates must be paid from Non-State
funds. Federal per diem rates may apply
for meals when an employee is traveling abroad (department must approve prior
to travel departure). A list of federal
per diem rates by country can be found on the US State Department’s
website. A legible copy of
documentation supporting the federal per diem rate claimed is required at time
of reimbursement request. The following
conditions apply:
·
Meal rates, domestic and foreign, include taxes and tips.
·
An employee may claim subsistence for breakfast when a continental
breakfast is included in the registration/meeting fee.
·
If the hotel provides a continental breakfast as part of the room
rate, the employee may claim subsistence for breakfast; if the hotel provides a
hot breakfast, no subsistence claim can be made.
·
Any reimbursement requests for meal expenditures in excess of
state allowances must be paid from non state funds,
·
The department head may grant excess subsistence for
out-of-country travel from state funds
TIPS (OSBM
5.1.3)
Tips under this section do not pertain to meals or tips that you
add to actual expenses (such as taxi or bus).
Tips include gratuities for
services rendered in which there are no associated costs (example: bell service, housekeeping service, or
airport luggage service). When tips are
claimed in excess of the guidelines below, they should be justified in writing
and attached to the travel reimbursement form.
The Travel Payment Specialist takes into consideration length of stay,
destination, service person receiving tip and the customary guidelines listed
below. Excess tips claimed with no
justification will be disallowed.
·
$1-$2 per bag for luggage service at hotel or airport
·
$1-$2 per night for hotel housekeeping
·
$1-$2 for valet parking, where valet parking is the only option
REIMBURSEMENT FOR FEES
When using a credit card abroad
for allowable travel expenses, the credit card agency will generally charge a
small fee for conversion of those funds.
When submitting such travel expenses for reimbursement, you should
attach a copy of the applicable credit card statement for reimbursement of
currency charges. Reimbursable expenses
would include foreign ATM fees.
·
Visa/Passport Fees (OSBM
5.1.19)
When traveling abroad on official
University business, the cost of obtaining applicable passport or Visa
documents is an allowable expense. When
claiming this expense on a travel reimbursement form, you should attach a copy
of the visa or passport, paid receipts from issuing authority or any other
documentation that provides substantiation for reimbursement.
When making travel arrangements
via a physical or online travel agency, the agency may charge fees in
connection with reservation services.
These small fees will often be billed in the total amount of the
reservation and are allowable
expenses. The paid receipt from the
issuing agency should identify such fees; however, in cases where it does not,
a copy of your credit card statement showing agency fee paid is required for
travel reimbursement.
BOOKS/LITERATURE
All book and literature purchases must be made through Barnes
& Noble, the University’s contracted literature agent. Books or other literature purchased while in
travel status may be considered allowable if (1) they remain in the possession
of the University once travel is completed and when the employee has left the
University, (2) they could not have been purchased prior to departure through
Barnes & Noble, and (3) they are directly related to the employee’s
business purpose. Books purchased while
in travel status are not considered travel expenses and should be claimed for
reimbursement with appropriate receipts on a Direct Pay Request.
RECEIPT REQUIREMENTS QUICK REFERENCE
You must have original, itemized
receipts to document all expenses, except where subsistence rates are claimed
for meals. Please tape your receipts to
a piece of 8 ½ x 11 paper, which is then stapled to the Travel Reimbursement
request. No paper clips, please!
If you have lost a receipt, you
may file a Receipt Affidavit by following the instructions on the Missing
Receipt Affidavit. If you have lost a receipt for parking, taxi
and other cash transportation expenditures of $5.01 to $25 or less for each
occurrence, please add this explanation to your travel documents. A Missing Receipt Affidavit will not be
necessary.
|
Receipt
Req’d |
Additional
Notes |
|
|
Meals (subsistence) |
No |
|
|
Meals (nonemployee) |
Yes |
Subsistence meal rates without receipts are only allowed to
employees |
|
Meals (over subsistence) |
Yes |
Itemized receipt detailing purchase and paid receipt showing
method of payment if paid by credit card. Note: The excess over subsistence must be paid
from discretionary funds. |
|
Taxi/Bus/Ferry/Tolls |
Yes |
If over $5 – see Transportation
section |
|
Parking |
Yes |
Parking: check-in/check-out slip detailing date/time and paid
receipt |
|
Airfare |
Yes |
Receipt must include itinerary details; boarding pass or luggage
claim required when purchased outside of AAA of the Carolinas |
|
Hotel |
Yes |
Must detail room rate, room taxes on official hotel letterhead;
no express checkout unless prepaid. Hotel statement must state amount paid
and show a zero balance due. |
|
Registration |
Yes |
If note prepaid; receipt should include name of conference and
conference dates |
|
Tips |
No |
At reasonable rates – see Tips
section |
REIMBURSEMENT FOR MILEAGE AND PARKING
If you are requesting reimbursement only for mileage and parking, you
should use a Mileage & Parking Reimbursement form. You should complete this
form if mileage and/or parking are in the Charlotte-metro area, and you are not
traveling more than 35 miles from the duty station or not requiring an
overnight stay. Mileage & Parking Reimbursement forms are submitted
monthly, and can be found online at the Financial Services website http://www.finance.uncc.edu/FormsNew.htm.
Detailed line-by-line instructions are included in the document, as well as
rates and sample claims.
EXPENDITURES INCURRED ON
BEHALF OF JOB CANDIDATES
If you are interviewing a job
candidate and need to meet with him or her over a meal, please prepare a Direct
Pay Request within thirty (30) days of this expense. Please note that:
• Only the in-state meal subsistence amount for one person can be
charged to the fund on the candidate’s Travel Authorization or Request to
Interview form if general (State) funds were used. Charge account code 925200
(In state Subsistence-Meals)
• Any balance of the meal expense must be charged to a
discretionary fund, account code 922150 (Special Food Service Event)
The Direct Pay Request form can
be found online at http://www.finance.uncc.edu/FormsNew.htm. Detailed line-by-line instructions are
included in the document.
GROUP TRAVEL
If you are either inviting in or
sending off a group of 15 or more individuals for University-approved travel, you
must route your travel requests through Materials Management. Block hotel
rooms, conference rooms and meeting space, banquet food or refreshments, and
any necessary audio-visual equipment will need to be paid by Materials
Management with a contract to the hotel or other vendor.
For the remaining travel
expenses, each individual traveler shall request reimbursement by following the
applicable guidelines in the appropriate sections of this document.
SPOUSAL TRAVEL
You may bring your spouse on your
trip, but please note that the Internal Revenue Code states that reimbursement
of travel expenses for a spouse accompanying an employee on a business trip
will be considered taxable income to the employee unless the spouse is also an
employee entitled to travel with a bona fide business purpose for the travel.
The spouse would be required to obtain travel authorization through his/her
department.
Any spousal travel for a
non-employee or without a bona fide business purpose is taxable income and will
be included on the employee’s or (spouse’s, if also an employee) W-2. Spousal
travel that falls in this category cannot be paid from state funds.
LINKS OF INTEREST
|
UNC Charlotte Financial Services |
|
|
UNC Charlotte General Counsel (Liability
Insurance Information) |
|
|
UNC Charlotte Motor Fleet |
https://fmbld07.uncc.edu/archibus/ |
|
North Carolina OSBM Manual |
http://www.osbm.state.nc.us/files/pdf_files/2007BudgetManual.pdf |
|
US State/Defense Department (Federal Subsistence Amounts) |
|
|
Currency Conversions |
|
|
Directions, Mileage Verifications |
|
|
Supporting Student Travel Guide |
http://www.finance.uncc.edu/Travel/SupportingStudentTravel.doc
|
|
Charlotte Douglas Airport Parking (Smart Park) |
http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Airport/Parking/home.htm |
|
Reimbursement Processing Requirements, guidance from the Tax
Manager’s Office |
http://www.finance.uncc.edu/documents/ReimbursRequirements.doc
|
|
IRS
website (accountable plan) |
http://www.irs.treas.gov/pub/irs-tege/fringe_benefit_fslg.pdf |
LOCAL DIRECT BILLING HOTELS
|
Hotel Name |
Address |
Zip |
Phone |
|
Candlewood
Inn & Suites |
8812
University East Dr. |
28213 |
704-598-9863 |
|
Comfort
Suites Northlake |
7315
Smith Corners Blvd |
28269 |
704-598-0478 |
|
Comfort
Suites University |
7735
Univ City Blvd |
28213 |
704-547-0049 |
|
Courtyard
by Marriott University |
333
W. WT Harris Blvd |
28262 |
704-549-4888 |
|
Drury
Inn & Suites University |
415
W. WT Harris Blvd |
28262 |
704-593-0700 |
|
Embassy
Suites Concord |
5400
John Q Hammons Dr. |
28027 |
704-455-8200 |
|
Extended
Stay America University |
8211
Univ Executive Park |
28262 |
704-510-1636 |
|
Hampton
Inn Uptown |
530
2nd St |
28202 |
704-373-0917 |
|
Hilton
Garden Inn Northlake |
9315
Statesville Rd |
28269 |
704-597-7655 |
|
Hilton
Garden Inn Uptown |
502
2nd St |
28202 |
704-347-5972 |
|
Hilton
University |
8629
JM Keyes Dr |
28262 |
704-547-7444 |
|
Holiday
Inn Center City |
230
N College St |
28202 |
704-335-5400 |
|
Holiday
Inn University |
8520
Univ Executive Park |
28262 |
704-547-0999 |
|
Homewood
Suites Hilton Charlotte-North |
8340
North Tryon St |
28262 |
704-549-8800 |
|
Park
Hotel, The |
2200
Rexford Rd |
28211 |
704-364-8220 |
|
Sleep
Inn University |
8525
N. Tryon St |
28262 |
704-549-4544 |
|
Springhill
Suites University |
8700
Research Dr |
28262 |
704-503-4800 |
|
Van
Landingham Estates |
2010
The Plaza St |
28205 |
704-334-8909 |
STUDENT AND FOREIGN NATIONAL TRAVEL
In
some cases University students may receive cash payments from the University
for prizes, awards, scholarships, grants, fellowships, assistantships, travel,
stipends, and payroll. Definitions and
guidelines on processing each type of payment are explained below. There is
also a Supporting Student Travel guide online that may be helpful when making
determinations of payment processes. If you have any further questions, please
direct them to Complex Payments Specialist at (704) 687-5762.
Reimbursement for
Student Employee Travel
Occasionally,
students are required to travel
as employees of the University (if their wages are paid from the same Banner
fund(s) as the travel, it is assumed that the travel is required.) These travel
expenses are reimbursable tax-free to the student, but only when approved in
advance, and when the University is the primary beneficiary of the travel. All
University travel policies and procedures apply, and the Travel Office must
receive reimbursement requests. If the student is the primary beneficiary of
the travel or if the student receives academic credit for presenting a paper as
an employee, please refer to the Travel
Awards section below.
As
with all University travel, a Travel Authorization Form should be completed and
submitted to the Travel Office prior to the student employee’s trip
departure. Pre-payment requests may be
submitted to the Travel Office on the Travel Authorization form. If you need
further information about student employee travel reimbursement, please see The
North Carolina State Budget Manual (Section 5.7.3)
Reimbursement for
Non-Employee Student Travel
Students
often will be required to travel on the behalf of the University for team
activities or competitions with other institutions. Whether academic or
athletic, teams traveling on behalf of UNC Charlotte should always conduct
themselves in a manner that’s representative of UNC Charlotte.
Academic Team Travel
(Debate, Band competition, Quiz Bowl, etc.)
Before
the trip, a Travel Authorization form should be completed and submitted to the
Travel Office. Reservations for hotel, flights and other activities should be
handled on a group basis whenever possible. Non-employee students are not
reimbursed for meals (subsistence). With that in mind, the group advisor is
encouraged to obtain an advance to cover group meals, and is required to submit
receipts to support those expenditures. Payment requests may be submitted to
the Travel Office on the Travel Reimbursement Request form.
Athletic Team Travel
Please
refer to the Department of Athletics policies and procedures for Athletic Team
Travel.
Student Organization Travel (337XXX funded)
The Travel Office will process travel payments on behalf of the student
organization. Depending on the circumstances of the travel, these payments may
be taxable income to the student.
Determination will be made on a case-by-case basis. The University is responsible for reporting
on the IRS Form 1098-T any travel awards paid to students by any student
organization. The student organization
should attach a DPR scholarship
letter
to the payment request.
Prepayments
If
prepayments to vendors (e.g., hotels, airfare, registrations, etc.) are
required, a Travel Authorization Form should be completed and submitted to the
Travel Office prior to trip departure. If a hotel prepayment has been requested, it must be
followed up with a receipt from the hotel.
Foreign Nationals
Because payments to
foreign nationals are covered by an extensive and complex set of tax rules, all
departments and organizations providing funds to foreign nationals (NRAs) must
have prior approval from the Tax Manager, Mary Alice Boyd, 704-687-6674 or mboyd37@uncc.edu.
TRAVEL AWARDS
Fellowships, awards, stipends, grants,
scholarships, tuition waivers, fee waivers, etc. are defined as financial
support for travel to aid a student in the pursuit of studies or research. Past, present or future services cannot be
expected or required in return for the travel award. These types of payments are considered
scholarships and are reportable on IRS Form 1098-T, 1099, or 1042-S. Where services are expected, payments must be
made through the Payroll Office.
If the
traveler is a UNC Charlotte student and is a US Citizen or Resident Alien for
Tax Purposes:
1)
Grant
funded (5XXXXX, 6XXXXX)
Processed through Sponsored Programs using
the form at this link http://www.research.uncc.edu/rs/posttuition.cfm
2)
Department
funded (12XXXX or greater, 3XXXXX)
Processed through Sponsored Programs using the form at this link http://www.research.uncc.edu/rs/posttuition.cfm
If the
traveler is a UNC Charlotte student and a Non Resident Alien for tax purposes:
For all non resident alien payment requests, a Foreign National Information Form must be submitted.
1)
Grant
funded (5XXXXX, 6XXXXX)
Processed on a DPR
with scholarship letter
Submit to Sponsored
Programs
Sponsored Programs
will obtain Tax Manager approval
2)
Department
funded (12XXXX or greater, 3XXXXX)
Processed on a DPR with scholarship letter
Submitted to Accounts Payable
Accounts Payable will obtain Tax Manager approval
If the
traveler is a student from another institution, and other non-employees who are
US Citizens or Resident Aliens for tax purposes:
1)
Grant
funded (5XXXXX, 6XXXXX)
Processed on a DPR with letter of intent
Submitted to Sponsored Programs
Will be processed as an award and reported to
the IRS on form 1099
2)
Department
funded (12XXXX, 3XXXXX)
Processed on a DPR with letter of intent
Submitted to Accounts Payable
Will be processed as an award and reported to
the IRS on form 1099
3)
Travel
prepayments to vendors (AAA voucher, registration, hotel, etc.)
Processed on a Travel Authorization form with
intent letter attached
Submitted to Travel Office
If the
traveler is a student from another institution, and other non-employees who are
Non Resident Aliens for tax purposes:
1)
Grant
funded (5XXXXX, 6XXXXX)
Processed on a DPR with letter of intent
Submitted to Sponsored Programs
Will be processed as an award and reported to
the IRS on form 1042-S
Sponsored Programs will obtain Tax Manager
approval
2)
Department
funded (1XXXXX, 3XXXXX)
Processed on a DPR with letter of intent
Submitted to Accounts Payable
Will be processed as an award and reported to
the IRS on form 1042-S
Accounts Payable will obtain Tax Manager
approval
3)
Travel
prepayments to vendors (AAA voucher, registration, hotel, etc.)
Processed on a Travel Authorization form with
intent letter attached
Submitted to Travel
Office
Travel Office will obtain Tax Manager
approval