OAK LAWN PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOARD POLICY
TRAVEL EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT POLICY
A. Purpose.
The Oak Lawn Public Library (“Library”) will reimburse employee and trustee travel, meal, and lodging expenses incurred in connection with travel, meal, and lodging expenses incurred on behalf of the Library and pre-approved by the Department Head and Director. Employees and trustees are expected to exercise the same care in incurring expenses for official business as a prudent person would do in spending personal funds.
B. Definitions.
"Entertainment" includes, but is not limited to, shows, amusements, theaters, circuses, sporting events, sight-seeing excursions or any other place of public or private entertainment or amusement, unless ancillary to the purpose of the program or event.
"Travel" means any expenditure directly incident to official travel by employees and trustees of the Library involving reimbursement to travelers or direct payment to private agencies providing transportation or related services.
C. Authorized Types of Official Business.
Travel, meal and lodging expenses will be reimbursed for employees and trustees of the Library only for purposes of official business conducted on behalf of the Library. These include but are not limited to off-site or out-of-town meetings related to official business and pre-approved seminars, conferences and other educational events related to the employee’s or trustee’s official duties. If you are unsure whether an expense is reimbursable, please contact the Business Office.
D. Categories of Expenses.
- Airfare / Train Fees – Travelers are expected to obtain the lowest available fare that reasonably meets business travel needs. Travelers are encouraged to book travel at least 30-days in advance to avoid premium airfare pricing. Only coach or economy tickets will be paid or reimbursed. The traveler will pay for the difference between higher priced tickets and coach or economy tickets with his or her personal funds.
- Personal Automobiles –Mileage reimbursement will be based on mileage from the work location office to the off-site location of the official business, not from the employee’s or officer’s residence. When attending a training event or other off-site official business directly from an employee’s or officer’s residence, no reimbursement will be made if the distance is less than the mileage of a normal commute to the workplace. If the distance is higher than the employee’s normal commute, reimbursement will be paid based on the differential of the commute less the mileage of a normal commute to the workplace. An employee or trustee will be reimbursed at the prevailing IRS mileage rate. The traveler will only be reimbursed up to the price of a coach airfare ticket if they drive to a location for which airfare would have been less expensive.
- Automobile Rentals – Travelers will be reimbursed for the cost of renting an automobile including gasoline expense only as provided in this section. Travelers using rental cars to conduct official business are required to purchase insurance through the rental agency. Car rental insurance will cover the vehicle during personal use, e.g., using the vehicle after the conference has ended. Compact or mid–size cars are required for two or fewer employees or officers traveling together and a full–size vehicle may be used for three or more travelers. The traveler must refuel the vehicle before returning it to the rental company.
- Public Transportation – In the case of local training or official business where an employee or trustee chooses to use public transportation, reimbursement for use of public transportation is based on mileage from the agency office to the training site (not from the traveler’s residence), regardless of the transportation method chosen. When attending training or business directly from an employee’s or officer’s residence, no reimbursement will be made if the distance is less than the mileage of a normal commute to the workplace. If the distance is higher than the traveler’s normal commute, reimbursement will paid at the differential of the commute less the mileage of a normal commute to the workplace.
- Other Transportation – The traveler should utilize hotel shuttle service or other shuttle services, if available. If none are offered, the use of the most economic transportation is encouraged.
- Hotel/Motel Accommodations – The Library strives to acquire accommodations within the rates set by the General Services Administration (GSA). If those rates cannot be met, then the most economical options should be utilized. Preference will be given to accommodations recommended by the organizers. In the event of a change in plans or a cancellation, the traveler must cancel the hotel/motel reservation so as not to incur cancellation charges. Cancellation charges may be the responsibility of the employee.
- Meals - Meal reimbursement is limited to the current U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) regulations in place at the time the expense is occurred. Partial reimbursement may be made for departure and return days based on time. Meals during in-state travel that is not an overnight stay will be reimbursed for actual cost not to exceed the GSA regulations. No expenses associated with alcohol or liquor are permitted.
- Vacation in Conjunction with Business Travel – In cases where vacation time is added to a business trip, any cost variance in airfare, car rental, lodging and any other expenses must be clearly identified on the Business Trip Expense form and be paid by the traveler.
- Accompanied Travel – When a traveler is accompanied by others not on official business, any lodging, transportation, meals or other expenses above those incurred for the authorized traveler will not be reimbursed by the Library.
- Parking – Parking fees at the airport, hotel/motel, conference center, or other site will be reimbursed with a receipt.
- Entertainment Expenses - No employee or officer of the Library shall be reimbursed for any entertainment expense, unless ancillary to the purpose of the program, event or other official business.
E. Approval of Expenses.
- Expenses for Members of the Library Board of Trustees. Travel, meal, and lodging expenses to be incurred by any member of the Library Board of Trustees must be approved by roll call vote at an open meeting of the Library Board of Trustees.
- Expenses for Employees Other than Members of the Library Board of Trustees. Travel, meal, and lodging expenses incurred by any employee expected to exceed $2,500.00 must be approved in an open meeting by a majority roll-call vote of the Library Board of Trustees. To obtain pre-approval, the employee must complete the Travel Expense Authorization Form and submit it to the Department Head and Director in a timely manner.
- Advanced Expenses. Travel, meal, and lodging expenses advanced as a per diem to any employee or official of the Library must be approved by roll call vote at an open meeting of the Library Board of Trustees prior to payment. Documentation of expenses must be provided in accordance with Sections C, D and F of this policy, and any excess from the per diem must be repaid.
- Other Expenses. All other expenses that do not fall within paragraphs E.1, E.2, or E.3 are subject to the Library Director’s approval.
F. Documentation for Reimbursement of Expenses.
Before an expense for travel, meals, or lodging may be reimbursed, the following documentation must be submitted to the Department Head and Library Director on a Business Trip Expense form:
- receipts for travel, meals, and lodging expenses incurred;
- the name and job title or office of the individual requesting the travel, meal, or lodging expense reimbursement;
- the date/s and nature of the official business for which the travel, meal, or lodging expense was expended.
G. Business Trip Expense Form.
The Library hereby adopts as its official standardized form for the submission of travel, meal, and lodging expenses the Business Trip Expense form attached hereto and incorporated herein as Attachment 1. This form, with all expense receipts attached, must be submitted within two weeks of return from the Business travel.
Unless designated by law, final decisions on all Travel Expense Reimbursement rests with the Director. All documents and information submitted in connection with this Policy are public records subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
Adopted: 12/20/16
Revised: 05/21/19
Revised: 01/21/20