The University has been advised that the U.S. General Services Administration's Privately Owned Vehicle reimbursement rate has increased to 65.5 cents per mile effective January 1, 2023.
Our mission is to support the university community's travel requests through a high quality automated process using the most economic means of travel. The University's Travel and Business Expenses Policy applies to all faculty and staff who incur expenses while engaged in University business or related travel and who intend to receive reimbursement from the University. The policy establishes responsibilities and guidelines for ensuring that travel and business expenses are valid, necessary, in compliance with University accounting procedures, and the most economical means. It pertains to travel and business expenses for all sources of University funds. The Public Funds Regulations and Supplemental Public Funds Regulations also apply to all faculty and staff who incur expenses while engaged in University business or related travel and who intend to receive reimbursement from the University. The PASSHE board of governors and chancellor establish these guidelines, standards, and limits on the spending of public funds. These policies and regulations are a great tool and reference point for the answers to your travel expense questions. Effective November 2, 2015 new tax procedures were issued that apply to all universities and the Office of the Chancellor. Certain subsistence reimbursements to employees who are not in overnight travel status are now taxable to the employee as compensation and will be made through payroll. Please see Procedure 2015-6.
Employees who travel on official State System business are to notify Pennsylvania hotels of our tax-exempt status and present the tax exemption certificate for local hotel occupancy tax and the newly-issued local occupancy tax exemption letter upon check-in so that you are not charged for local/county occupancy taxes. The state system is NOT exempt from state occupancy tax and is required to pay this tax. Please see procedure 2015-2.
All employees traveling on University business will be eligible to use the University Travel Card. The travel card is a charge card issued to an individual for all official business travel on behalf of Slippery Rock University. The card replaces cash advances, hotel orders, direct billings and prepayments related to travel, regardless of whether one selects the travel card option. The card should not be used to purchase goods or services or for personal purposes (except as noted in Sections C6, C7 and C8) in the Travel Card Policy and Procedures. The only direct billing will be Enterprise Rental.
Travel policy regarding use of the most economical means of automobile transportation: All travel involving the use of an automobile will follow guidelines as set forth in this policy. Consistent with PASSHE BOG policy, university employees shall use rental cars and vans when economically warranted. Employees are encouraged to use rental cars when mileage per day exceeds 150 miles. Employees choosing to use personal vehicles will be reimbursed at the state rate for mileage up to 150 miles. When personal vehicle mileage exceeds 150 per day, the employee will be reimbursed at the Enterprise rate. Effective May 1, 2019, travel requests with daily mileage in excess of 150 must include a copy of the optimizer showing the most economical means of travel. Faculty and staff are required to use the trip optimizer for determination of the most economical means of automobile transportation. Travel requests with daily mileage in excess of 150 must include a trip optimizer showing the most economical travel cost.
Mileage Calculation: Employees who reside at a place other than official headquarters will not be eligible for reimbursement for transportation expenses between headquarters and residence. When an employee is required to travel to a work site other than official headquarters, the distance from residence to work site, or headquarters to work site, whichever is shortest, will be used to compute mileage. On holidays or scheduled days off, employees may be reimbursed for mileage from their residence to a point of public transportation or designated work site, other than headquarters.
Personal Automobile Rate: In accordance with a change in the U.S. General Services Administration’s privately owned vehicle mileage reimbursement rates and Board of Governors’ Policy 1986-07-A, Travel Expense Regulations, the reimbursement rate for use of a personal automobile for official State System travel has increased to 65.5 cents per mile effective January 1, 2023. (For travel occurring from June 30, 2022 through December 31, 2022, the reimbursement rate is 62.5 cents per mile.) Complete information on rates of reimbursement for official State System travel is available on the System's website.
Enterprise Car Rental Information: As a reminder, the university reimburses up to a full size vehicle for rental. Any vehicle over full size must be approved by Accounts Payable prior to travel. Vice Presidents Deans, Directors, etc. will be responsible for reviewing travel requests and state car requests and requiring travelers to use the most economical travel method available. Travel requests with nonconforming reimbursement amounts will be amended and the employee will be reimbursed at the rate calculated.
Tipping: The approved procedure for tip reimbursement will be to reimburse for qualifying meals at a rate of 20% or less with appropriate itemized receipt that shows payment information. If other miscellaneous tips are necessary during travel for reasons such as transportation, baggage handling and housekeeping, those tips should be appropriate for the service rendered such as $2.00 per bag, $2.00 to $5.00 per night for housekeeping and up to 10% for transportation. Only reasonable and prudent tipping will be reimbursed.
Direct Deposit: In order to streamline the reimbursement process, we ask that you consider utilizing direct deposit for reimbursement of travel expenses. Employees may contact Accounts Payable at x2025 to set up direct deposit.
Subsistence Rates - High Cost Areas
Subsistence Rates - Foreign Travel
