ACTUAL IN-STATE TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT
The dues-paying rule is no longer required for In-State Actual expenses to be paid. The actual hotel/lodging expenses can be received anywhere throughout the state regardless of dues paid or not. Travelers are expected to request the government or conference lodging rate first when reserving lodging or requesting quotes.
This rate is based on location and found at www.gsa.gov. If not possible to stay at the government or conference rate, the traveler will receive actual lodging cost as long as the amount is pre-approved with a GSCC Travel Request Form and the lodging/hotel receipt is attached. Meals using this form are listed at a separate per diem rate found at www.gsa.gov.
GSCC Travel Request Form
In-State Actual Travel Reimbursement Form
Per Diem Rates (www.gsa.gov)
For expense reimbursement, the bottom part of the GSCC Travel Request Form should be completed with estimated amounts approved for travel expenses. The actual total amount expended for a trip cannot exceed the total amount approved for the trip by more than 10%.
For detailed reimbursement form completion, see categories below.
Mileage (include printout of mileage/text map)– Private car mileage is reimbursed and calculated at current rate of 67 cents per mile. Be sure to report mileage in whole miles. Enter miles driven to destinations and return using current map mileage such as Google Maps or odometer readings. All vicinity mileage should be recorded as such, and if it exceeds more than twenty miles on any day, indicate major points of travel covered. Reimbursement at the rate of 67 cents per mile is paid to employees traveling by private car at State expense. Enter or let auto-calculate total amount of mileage reimbursement requested.
Some exceptions to consider when claiming mileage reimbursement:
- A traveler is paid mileage for travel from their home to their destination or from their official base to their destination, whichever is less. The traveler is paid for their actual mileage and is not paid for mileage to their official base.
- If during travel, there is an interruption of travel or deviation from the direct route due to the traveler’s personal reasons, the mileage allowed will not exceed that which would have been incurred on uninterrupted travel by the most economical usually traveled route.
- In the case of the traveler driving a great distance, if the current airfare rate is cheaper than the amount of mileage requested, the current airfare rate is paid.
Click here for list of frequently traveled destinations (Mileage Chart) from Gadsden Campus
Other Transportation Expenses (List and include receipt copies)
- Airfare
- Baggage
- Car Rental
- Uber/Lyft/Taxi
- Parking
Enter dates and amounts of each receipt. Enter total or let auto-calculate.
All receipts are to be produced by the business, not the traveler and can be copies or printouts.
Note: FREQUENT FLIER MILES – If the College pays for your airfare by purchase order and frequent flier miles are awarded, they are the property of the College.
Meals – For meal reimbursement, the daily cap on meals as established by the State of Alabama Comptroller shall be presumed to be necessary and reasonable. To determine the daily meal cap, enter the city and state of your destination as instructed at this link: https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates. Individual meal caps are provided, but the “M&IE Total” is your daily cap. This total meal cap includes all taxes and tips associated with your meals. The daily meal per diem is a flat-rate allowance and is intended to cover costs of meals and incidental expenses (tax and tips). A traveler is not required to submit receipts for these items. A traveler will receive per diem, as outlined above, regardless of actual expenses. If a meal is provided by a conference or other host, the dollar amount of that individual meal shall be deducted from your daily cap. A daily meal cost that exceeds the total daily cap limit will not be reimbursed. A print out of the meal cap calculation (gsa.gov) must also be submitted with each travel reimbursement request.
- Travel-related expenses other than meals and incidental expenses require a receipt for reimbursement of actual expenses.
- Incidental expenses include any tips and non-receipted service charges related to lodging, baggage, transportation and parking.
- Tax and all tips are reimbursed as part of the per diem flat-rate allowance/meal cap.
- On travel days, the traveler will be entitled to per diem for M&IE at a rate of 75% the daily rate.
- State of Alabama policies allow for reimbursement of only the person in travel status.
- Money spent for alcoholic beverages is not reimbursed.
Lodging/Room – Room fee and taxes associated with the fee are reimbursed. An itemized receipt of paid expenses is required to be attached. Movies watched and charged to the room are not reimbursed. If nights stayed for business purposes exceed the number approved and the expense does not exceed the amount approved, the extra nights can be reimbursed. Room receipt is to show payment.
Registration Fees – Fees for an employee’s registration can be paid by either of the following methods: (1) the vendor can accept a purchase order and be paid after the meeting is held or (2) the traveler can pay the registration fee and be reimbursed by including the receipt and listing the the fee on the first page of the travel reimbursement form.