1. Official Domicile - The official domicile for employees shall be the person's work place.  For employees who work in more than one location, the official domicile shall be determined by the Superintendent or his/her designee.  Every employee will be assigned an official domicile, and no travel or subsistence expenses shall be allowed at the place of official domicile except as authorized in section 5, Reimbursement for Transportation, Subsistence, and Other Expenses, below.
   
   

2. Travel Period - The travel period shall be a period of time between the time of departure and the time of return.
   
   

3. In-Parish Travel - In-parish travel is all travel within the borders of Sabine Parish or travel through adjacent parishes between points within Sabine Parish when such is the most efficient route.
   
   

4. Out-of-Parish Travel - Out-of-parish travel is all travel outside of Sabine Parish.
   
   

5. Special Meals - Special meals are meals for persons who are considered guests of the Sabine Parish School system and for employees who are on official business with said guests.  In parish meals are also considered special meals and must be authorized and include receipts as listed herein.  All requests for reimbursement for special meals must be accompanied by a receipt as authorized by section 5, Reimbursement for Transportation, Subsistence, and Other Expenses, and must be approved by the Superintendent or his/her designee.

1. Employees shall be eligible to receive reimbursement for travel when away from the official domicile or in accordance with section 5, Reimbursement for Transportation, Subsistence, and Other Expenses.
   
   

2. Employees shall be reimbursed on an actual expense basis for all reasonable travel expenses as outlined herein.  The request for reimbursement (travel voucher) must be accompanied by a receipt or other supporting documentation for each item claimed, except for:

1. taxicab or local public transportation of $10.00 or less.
   
   

2. tips for baggage handling, $1.00 per bag in and $1.00 per bag out of airport and hotel - 3 bag maximum.
   
   

3. parking at self service lots when $5.00 or less per day.
   
   

4. meals as per section 5, Reimbursement for Transportation, Subsistence, and Other Expenses.

3. No employee shall request travel reimbursement on behalf of any other employee.  Only the traveling employee will be entitled to reimbursement so that travel of each employee can be tracked for auditing purposes.

1. All travel shall be authorized and approved by the appropriate department head.  Such approval authority may be delegated as deemed appropriate by each department head.
   
   

2. In-parish travel shall be limited to necessary trips, and requests for reimbursement for in-parish travel shall denote the date, destination, and mileage.
   
   

3. Out-of-parish, but within the state, travel shall be approved by the department head upon prior submission of the Application for Authorization of Professional Trip and/or Out-of-Parish/Out-of-State Travel form.
   
   

4. All out-of-state travel shall have prior approval of the Superintendent, and in the absence of the Superintendent, an Associate/Assistant Superintendent or the Chief Financial Officer shall render the decision.  The Application for Authorization of Professional Trip and/or Out-of-Parish/Out-of-State Travel form shall be completed and submitted prior to the date of the requested trip.  Emergency situations may be approved by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
   
   

5. Travel dates should encompass all dates that an employee will be traveling, including dates to and from, and not strictly conference dates listed on a brochure.

1. Travel routes should be the most direct and usually traveled route.  All mileage shall be computed on the basis of odometer readings or from point of origin to point of return as computed on an online mapping program such as “mapquest” showing the shortest distance between the two locations.  Any mileage reimbursement claimed must begin at an employee’s official domicile for work purposes.  (An employee’s official domicile is not an employee’s home.)
   
   

2. Out-of-state travel shall be approved by the Superintendent considering the purpose of the travel, benefit to the System, number of personnel involved, and the frequency of travel.  Among the factors to be considered should be the length of travel time, cost of operation of a vehicle, cost and availability of common carrier services, etc.  In the event that an employee chooses to drive instead of traveling by air, the amount reimbursed should be approved by the system’s Internal Auditing department.
   
   

3. Sabine Parish School Board System-owned vehicles shall comply with the following regulations:

1. All purchases made on Sabine Parish School Board gasoline credit cards must be signed for by the employee making the purchase, and the license number, the unit price, and the quantity of the commodity purchases must be noted on the delivery ticket by the vendor.  Items incidental to the operation of the vehicle may be purchased via Sabine Parish School Board gasoline credit cards only when away from official domicile on travel status.  In all instances where a credit card is used to purchase items or services which are incidental to the operation of a vehicle, the tissue copy of the credit ticket along with a written explanation of the reason for the purchase shall be attached to the travel voucher.
   
   

2. No employee shall carry unauthorized passengers in Sabine Parish School Board owned automobiles unless their presence is for purposes relating to official Sabine Parish School Board business.
   
   

3. Any personal use of vehicles owned by the Sabine Parish School Board is strictly prohibited.  If the School Board allows an employee to take a vehicle home, the personal usage allowed is only to commute to and/or from work in the vehicle.
   
   

4. Each Department Head which authorizes use of Sabine Parish School Board-owned vehicles to employees, shall notify the Payroll Supervisor of any changes in the status of miles driven per year, the type of vehicle driven, or a different employee who drives the vehicle as soon as the change is initiated.
   
   

5. Any employee who uses vehicles owned by the Sabine Parish School Board in a reckless or careless manner or for unauthorized personal use shall be subject to disciplinary action.

4. Personally owned vehicles shall be subject to the following:

1. When two (2) or more persons travel in the same personally-owned vehicle, only the owner of the vehicle shall be reimbursed the expenses for use of the vehicle.
   
   

2. Employees with the rank of principal and above, as well as other designated employees, shall maintain vehicles for the purpose of conducting Sabine Parish School Board business pursuant to the job assignment.

5. Rented motor vehicles shall be subject to the following:

1. Written approval of the Superintendent or his/her designee prior to departure shall be required for rental of vehicles.
   
   

2. Only the cost of rental of subcompact or compact cars (models) shall be reimbursable, unless non-availability is documented, or the vehicle is used to transport more than two (2) persons or excessive amounts of baggage and equipment.
   
   

3. The rental cost of buses or other commercial carriers shall be reimbursable pursuant to the leasing agreement approved by the department head but should not include any ordinary passenger van with more than ten (10) seating positions as dictated by safety standards.
   
   

4. Physical damage and liability insurance shall be required and reimbursable when renting a vehicle.

1. Transportation:

1. Mileage driven by an employee in a privately-owned vehicle while in the conduct of official Sabine Parish School Board business shall be reimbursed on a per mile basis in accordance with the standard mileage rate as established by the Internal Revenue Service.  When more than one employee is attending an out-of-parish meeting or function, the department head shall make every effort to assure that the employees carpool to the greatest extent practical.  Reasons for not doing so shall be documented in writing to the department head twenty (20) days prior to the trip.  If reasons for not carpooling are inadequate or disapproved, any employee not willing to carpool shall only be reimbursed a prorata share of the mileage reimbursement to and from the function as calculated by the School Board
   
   

2. Employees using motor vehicles on official Sabine Parish School Board business shall be reimbursed for storage and parking fees, ferry fares, road fares, and bridge tolls.
   
   

3. Sabine Parish School Board-owned credit cards shall not be issued to employees for use in the operation of privately-owned vehicles.
   
   

4. The School Board recommends the lowest fare available for airfare travel, whenever possible.
   
   Employees should make every effort to purchase the lowest priced ticket through on-line resources or a School Board authorized travel agent.
   
   Proof of trip taken at quoted airfare price will be required for reimbursement of airfare.  Attachment of such proof should include a ticket receipt showing destination of trip.

5. When out-of-state travel is required, air travel shall be the normal mode of transportation.  However, occasions may arise where it is more economical or desirable to travel by motor vehicle.  In such cases, the mileage reimbursement shall not exceed the cost of air travel which would have otherwise been incurred based on the lowest quoted airfare rates by airlines or travel agents based on coach class rates booked twenty (20) days in advance for flights between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.  The amount reimbursed shall be pre-approved by the system’s Internal Auditing Department to verify reasonableness.  Additional meals/lodging costs incurred as a result of driving rather than flying shall not be reimbursed.

2. Meals:

1. Meals shall be reimbursed according to the per diem guidelines established by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS.)
   
   

2. Employees shall be reimbursed for special meals.  Documentation must be provided on the travel voucher indicating the purpose of the special meal and why it is in the interest of the Sabine Parish School Board.  Additionally, the names of all persons attending for which reimbursement is requested shall be provided on the travel voucher.
   
   

3. Meals with set prices determined by approved conference, seminar, or other function registration brochures are reimbursable at the level identified in the brochure if approved by the appropriate administrator.
   
   

4. Employees shall not be reimbursed for a meal if it has already been included in a conference registration fee as listed on the conference brochure.

3. Lodging:

1. Employees who have obtained prior approval to attend a convention or conference will be reimbursed for lodging expense at the single room convention or conference site rate provided that upon request for reimbursement the original hotel/motel receipts and convention or conference site verification are attached to the travel voucher.  Documentation should be attached showing the conference approved single room rate.
   
   

2. Employees will be reimbursed, based upon original hotel/motel receipts (single room rate), for lodging cost while traveling not to exceed the limits presented herein, plus taxes.

* High Cost Travel Areas:  As listed and updated from time to time in IRS Circular E and Publication 1542.  High cost areas will be extended to include surrounding suburban areas associated with high cost metropolitan areas as listed by the I.R.S.  (Example: Kenner and Slidell included with New Orleans).

 

If reasonable lodging cannot be obtained for these amounts, the Superintendent or department head may authorize appropriate amounts after being provided adequate documentation of efforts to secure lodging within the stated amounts.  When these rates are exceeded, the conference hotel(s) and hotel block(s) themselves should be booked and unavailable coupled with documentation attached showing three hotels near the conference whose single occupancy standard rate exceeds these amounts to establish the higher cost area.

4. Other Expenses:
   
   The following expenses incidental to travel may be reimbursed with required receipts attached:

1. communication expenses relative to official Sabine Parish School Board business
   
   

2. registration fees at conferences
   
   

3. charges for storage and handling
   
   

4. taxi or local public transportation fares - more than $10.00
   
   

5. tips for baggage handling - more than $12.00
   
   

6. limousine services to and from terminals or stations
   
   

7. vehicle parking cost – more than$5.00
   
   

8. vehicle rental, when documented and approved as required in Section 4, Transportation
   
   

9. no  mileage on a vehicle rented for official Sabine Parish School Board business shall be reimbursable

1. All requests for reimbursement shall be submitted on the approved travel voucher form.  A request for reimbursement must be completed for all travel for which any payment has been made or is due.  High cost areas will be extended to include surrounding suburban areas associated with high cost metropolitan areas as listed by the I.R.S. (Example: Kenner and Slidell included with New Orleans).

1. All travel vouchers shall be completed in full, signed by the person requesting reimbursement, approved and signed by the appropriate officer(s), and submitted to appropriate personnel prior to reimbursement.
   
   

2. Reimbursement for the prior month's expenses shall be made as close to the tenth (10th) of the month as normal check processing will allow when the travel voucher has been appropriately approved and submitted on or before the third (3rd) working day of the month.
   
   

3. Documentation including invoices for registration fees, airline tickets, hotel receipts, etc., must be attached to travel reimbursement request when submitted.

2. Direct billing to the Sabine Parish School Board shall be approved by the Superintendent or his/her designee prior to the occurrence of the activity.  When direct billing has been approved, the person receiving said approval shall complete a travel voucher noting the direct billing status and attach to the voucher copies pertinent thereto, such as airline tickets, hotel receipts, conference registration, etc.
   
   

3. Out-of-parish travel, involving a significant amount, may be submitted anytime during the month; however, the person so requesting reimbursement should not expect reimbursement prior to five (5) working days after submission of the request.
   
   

4. All requests for cash advances for out-of-parish travel shall be submitted on the appropriate form to the Superintendent or his designee for approval not less than ten (10) working days in advance.  Only airfare, hotel, and meals are allowable advance items.  Mileage shall not be advanced.  A travel reimbursement form must be completed after every trip in which a travel advance was obtained even if no money is owed an employee.  This request should have all required receipts attached.
   
   

5. Under extraordinary circumstances where the best interest of the Sabine Parish School Board requires that travel be undertaken not in compliance with this policy, approval after-the-fact may be given by the Superintendent if appropriate documentation is presented promptly.