Travel Rules and Documentation Sandra Silva UH Accounts

Travel Rules and Documentation Sandra Silva UH Accounts Payable March 27, 2001

Travel Request Required For n n n March 27, 2001 Employees Prospective Employees Contractors (central billed airfare) Students University Guests

University Guest Defined n n March 27, 2001 n Donor, potential donor, volunteer, or community, government, university, or corporate official who contributes to UH mission. Does not include current faculty, staff, or students of UH or persons paid or reimbursed for contracted services. Travel Request signed by VP Travel expenses charged to 7570

Travel Request Signed by n n n March 27, 2001 Employee Supervisor or Unit Head Certifying Signatory Research Financial Services, if applicable Vice President, if foreign travel or university guest President, if foreign travel on local funds

Foreign Travel Defined n March 27, 2001 Travel to or from a country outside the US, except for Canada or Mexico, by an employee or prospective employee

Governor’s Approval for State. Funded Foreign Travel (1 of 2) n n March 27, 2001 Complete Request for Governor’s Approval Attach letter from traveler if travel destination is under travel advisory Attach Travel Request Submit to President’s Office as early as possible before trip

Governor’s Approval for State. Funded Foreign Travel (2 of 2) n n March 27, 2001 Submit revised request if travel dates change by more than 7 days or cost by more than 10% President’s Office faxes approved request to department Traveler is not authorized to begin travel until Governor’s approves See Instructions and Forms for more information

State-Funded Travel to Washington DC Area n n n March 27, 2001 n Notify Office of State-Federal Relations at least 7 days before trip at: http: //www. osfr. state. tx. us Print confirmation page and attach to Travel Request/Travel Voucher If notified within 7 days, must fax letter of explanation to OSFR at (512) 463 -1984 See Instructions for more info.

Contracted Vendors Required for State-Funded Travel n n n March 27, 2001 Travel Agency Airfare Lodging Rental Car Corporate Travel Card

UH-Contracted Travel Agencies – All Funds n Fax Travel Request to purchase airfare to – Navigant (Woodway) < < < $22 service charge 713 -622 -8700, phone 713 -622 -7704, fax – Navigant (East Southmore) < < < March 27, 2001 $22 service charge 713 -920 -7150, phone 713 -920 -7180, fax

UH-Contracted Travel Agencies – State Funds Only n Fax request to use alternate travel agency to Travel Coordinator – 713 -743 -5883, phone – 713 -743 -8709, fax – Memo must be signed by College/Division Administrator – Identical quote from UH-contracted travel agency and other travel agency – If approved, Travel Coordinator will sign and fax to requesting department March 27, 2001

State-Contracted Airfare (1 of 2) n List of contract airfares at: http: //www. gsc. state. tx. us/travel. html n n Fax TR to contract travel agency or Purchase from contracted travel agency or airline and charge to employee’s Corporate Travel Card – State-contracted airfare has a fare basis code of “YCATX” or “QCATX” n March 27, 2001 Non-contract airfare must meet exception on Add. B (state funds)

State-Contracted Airfare (2 of 2) n State-contracted airfare includes: – $500, 000 travel insurance n ID required for ticketless airfare – UH ID, Corporate Travel Card, or Texas driver’s license (UH employee) – UH letter that says traveling on UH business and authorized to use state fares (not UH employee) March 27, 2001

State-Contracted Lodging n n n March 27, 2001 List of contracted hotels in Texas State Travel Directory, which is updated annually and distributed to business administrators Update to hotels in GSC’s Travel-NTexas Update newsletter, which is distributed to administrators Non-contracted hotel must meet exception on Add. B (state funds)

State-Contracted Rental Car (1 of 2) n Advantage – 800 -777 -5518, reservations – Contract rate identifier: 730 TXC n Avis – 800 -331 -1212, reservations – Contract rate identifier: F 999730 n March 27, 2001 Enterprise – 888 -291 -0359, reservations – Contract rate identifier: TX 730

State-Contracted Rental Car (2 of 2) n State-contract price includes: – Loss/damage waiver, which covers all damage to rental vehicle – Liability insurance, which covers persons and property outside the rental vehicle (UH employee inside vehicle covered by Worker’s Compensation) n March 27, 2001 Non-contract rental car must meet exception on Add. B (state funds)

Corporate Travel Card (1 of 2) n n Issued by Bank of America Required to purchase statecontracted airfare – Central bill account or – Employee’s corporate travel card n March 27, 2001 Employee’s corporate travel card – Employee’s travel expenses only – $200 limit per month on retail – Employee is liable for charges

Corporate Travel Card (2 of 2) n Applying for a corporate travel card – Must take or expect to take 3 trips per year or expend $500 per year – Complete travel card application < www. uh. edu/finance (Workshop Materials) – Complete Card Use Agreement – Submit application and agreement to Travel Coordinator March 27, 2001

Travel Advance (1 of 3) n n Employees only Submit the following to the Travel Coordinator: – Travel Advance Application – Travel Request – Purchase Voucher < Payable to traveler < Charge account 022898 -1346 March 27, 2001

Travel Advance (2 of 3) n March 27, 2001 Accounting for travel advance – Travel Voucher submitted to Travel Coordinator within 15 days after trip – State-funded travel: traveler submits check to TC for entire advance after being reimbursed for travel expenses – Local-funded travel: traveler submits check along with Travel Voucher to TC for amount that advance exceeds travel expenses

Travel Advance (3 of 3) n n n March 27, 2001 Travel advances not accounted for or returned within 120 days will be considered taxable income Employees with an outstanding advance may not receive another until they have cleared the first one Travel advances may not be issued more than 30 days in advance

Travel Reimbursements Forms n These travelers are reimbursed on a Travel Voucher: – Employees – Prospective Employees – Students (local funds only) n March 27, 2001 These travelers are reimbursed on a Purchase Voucher: – Contractors – University Guests (local funds only)

Travel Reimbursement Documentation (1 of 2) n Receipts are required for – – – March 27, 2001 Airfare (itinerary for ticketless) Lodging Rental Car Actual meal expenses (local funds) Registration fee

Travel Reimbursement Documentation (2 of 2) n The following expenses must be itemized: – – – Parking, tolls, and gas for rental car Metropolitan taxi, bus, subway, train Business calls/faxes (label “business”) Hotel occupancy tax Mileage for owned or leased vehicle < < < Point to point (give address or intersection, if not in Texas Mileage Guide) UH-Bush IAH: 21. 4 miles one way UH-Hobby: 7. 3 miles one way – Other out-of-pocket expenses March 27, 2001

State of Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax (1 of 2) n n March 27, 2001 Employees must give exemption form to Texas hotel at check-in If refused by hotel, employee may be reimbursed for tax by faxing memo to Travel Coordinator – “[Name of hotel] refused to honor Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemption Certificate on [date]. ” – Provide name, address, and phone (if available) of hotel

State of Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax (2 of 2) n n March 27, 2001 Travel Coordinator approves memo, returns by fax, and notifies Comptroller’s Office Attach memo to Travel Voucher If employee does not present form to hotel, he cannot be reimbursed Non-employees are reimbursed for state hotel occupancy tax without explanation

Travel Reimbursement on State Funds - Meals (1 of 2) n Employees – Non-overnight travel less than 6 hours: not reimbursable – Non-overnight travel more than 6 hours: $25 maximum, taxable – 1 st day of overnight travel with departure before 6: 00 PM: reimburse up to 100% – 1 st day of overnight travel with departure after 6: 00 PM: not reimburseable – 2 nd through last day of overnight travel: per diem if travel within US; actual if travel outside US March 27, 2001

Travel Reimbursement on State Funds - Meals (2 of 2) n Prospective Employees – Non-overnight travel: not reimbursable – 1 st day overnight travel with departure after 6: 00 PM: not reimbursable – 1 st day overnight travel with departure before 6: 00 PM: 100% per diem – 2 nd through last day overnight travel: $25 per diem if traveling to Texas n March 27, 2001 Contractor – Documentation required by contract

Travel Reimbursement on State Funds - Lodging (1 of 2) n Employees – Travel inside US: < Detailed receipt from hotel required – Internet booking not allowed by GSC < Limited to per diem < May increase lodging per diem by underutilized meal per diem outside TX < Add. B required for non-contract hotel – Travel outside US < Detailed March 27, 2001 receipt from hotel required – Internet booking not allowed by GSC

Travel Reimbursement on State Funds - Lodging (2 of 2) n Prospective Employees – Detailed receipt from hotel required < Internet booking not allowed by GSC – Limited to per diem ($70 for Texas) n Contractor – Receipt from hotel required March 27, 2001

Travel Reimbursement on Local Funds - Meals (1 of 2) n March 27, 2001 Employees, Prospective Employees, and Students – Non-overnight travel: not reimbursable – 1 st day of overnight travel: 75% per diem or actual expenses with receipts – 2 nd through next to last day of overnight travel: 100% per diem or actual expenses with receipts – Last day of overnight travel: 75% per diem or actual expenses with receipts

Travel Reimbursement on Local Funds - Meals (2 of 2) n Contractors – Documentation required by contract n University Guests – Itemize daily meal expenses – Travel Request must be approved by Vice President March 27, 2001

Travel Reimbursement on Local Funds - Lodging (1 of 2) n Employees, Prospective Employees, Students – Detailed receipt required – Actual expense reimbursed, unless college/division policy limits to per diem n March 27, 2001 Contractor – Detailed receipt required – Actual expense reimbursed, if allowed by contract

Travel Reimbursement on Local Funds - Lodging (2 of 2) n University Guests – Detailed receipt required – Travel Request must be approved by Vice President March 27, 2001

Contacts for Travel Questions (1 of 2) n Sandra Silva, Travel Coordinator – 713 -743 -5883, phone – 713 -743 -8709, fax – ssilva@central. uh. edu n Denise Bland, Travel Voucher Auditor – 713 -743 -8705, phone – 713 -743 -8709, fax – dlbland@central. uh. edu March 27, 2001

Contacts for Travel Questions (2 of 2) n Mike Glisson, Director of Accounts Payable – 713 -743 -8706, phone – 713 -743 -8799, fax – mtglisson@central. uh. edu March 27, 2001