College of Education

Internal.Education

Outreach College Committees Units Resources Awards

Policies & Procedures

Travel and Expenses Guidelines

Reference: http://www.obfs.uillinois.edu

Travel | Purchases & Reimbursements | Re Requesting Reimbursements

Travel

Travel Status:

Employees are on travel status while away from official headquarters on authorized University business.  Travel status begins when employees leave headquarters, their residence, or other authorized locations and go directly to their destination.  Travel status ends when employees return directly to headquarters, their residence, or other authorized location after completing University business. 

Personal Convenience:

When travelers interrupt their business travel, or deviate from the direct route, for personal convenience or personal leave, they will be reimbursed after travel occurs and only at the rate for uninterrupted travel by the most direct route.  A University T-Card cannot be used for booking travel that is interrupted for personal convenience.  Also, the University requires a sample itinerary/cost of the trip without the personal time and it must be printed at the same time the ticket was booked.  This includes instances when using a personal vehicle. 

Car Rental:

https://www.obfs.uillinois.edu/travel/car-rental/

University of Illinois System employees receive discounted rates on rental vehicles from National and Enterprise. Effective August 1, 2018, Damage Waiver and limited liability protection are included with University business rentals only. A detailed Program Summary of the rental agreements can be found on the U of I System customized reservation links found in Helpful Links.

  • Students traveling on University business must bring a letter of authorization, printed on University letterhead, and signed by a Supervisor or Department Head.
  • Travel arrangers may make reservations on behalf of system employees and/or guests. However, due to insurance liability, travel arrangers may NOT pay for another employee or guest rental vehicle with a T-Card, purchase order, or personal charge card then submit the expense for reimbursement. Payment must be made by the person who picks up and drives the vehicle.
  • System employees must present their University ID card, driver's license, and the charge card to be used for payment. University T-Cards in the name of the employee picking up and driving the rental vehicle are permitted.
  • System guests must provide a driver's license and a personal charge card for payment then submit the expense for reimbursement.
  • Rental vehicle receipts must be attached to the TEM Expense Report.

National

To make an on-line reservation, use the U of I customized National link found in Helpful Links.  

  • Effective August 1, 2018, damage waiver and limited liability protection are no longer included with leisure only rentals.
  • Enroll in National's Emerald Club program (fee waived) for expedited service.
  • Phone number for reservations is 800-227-7368.
  • For details on the agreement, see the Program Summary found under the National link in Helpful Links.

Willard Airport

For system employees and guests arriving on a late night flight into Willard airport, National will provide car rental service when the arriving passenger's airline and flight information is entered into the reservation.

  • Sunday through Saturday (2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
  • National will stay open for passengers arriving on delayed or late arrival flights.

Enterprise

To make an on-line reservation, use the U of I System customized Enterprise link found in Helpful Links.

  • Effective August 1, 2018, damage waiver and limited liability protection are no longer included with leisure only rentals.
  • The phone number for reservations is 800-325-8007.
  • For details on the agreement, see the Program Summary found under the Enterprise link in Helpful Links.

Optional Damage Waiver (DW)

When renting a car for University business, do not accept the Optional Damage Waiver (LDW or CDW) unless you are renting a car in a foreign country while on system business. For travel within the United States, when the U of I System corporate ID number is used, the optional Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) is included in the negotiated agreement with National and the optional Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is included in the agreement with Enterprise. No other car rental company offers this waiver. This charge is not reimbursable as a travel expense except when renting a car in a foreign country while on system business.

Reimbursement Rates:

https://www.obfs.uillinois.edu/travel/reimbursement-rates/

Per Diem/Meals

While on travel status, an employee or student traveling on behalf of the University will earn a per diem.  They WILL NOT be reimbursed for individual meals, unless that meal was a business meal with a legitimate business purpose that benefits the University.  Below are the per diem rates:

  • In-state travel=$28.00 per day
  • Out-of-state travel=$32.00 per day
  • Foreign travel=rates determined by the U.S. Department of State

Lodging

  • County of Cook=rates vary depending on time of year.  Currently the rate is $212.00 per night through September 30, 2017 and then $226.00 per night through November 30, 2017.  See website for updated information.
  • Major Downstate Areas (includes Champaign, Kankakee, LaSalle, McLean, Macon, Madison, Peoria, Rock Island, St. Clair, Sangamon, Tazewell, and Winnebago Counties)=$70.00 per night
  • Other Downstate Areas=$60.00 per night
  • All areas except Washington DC=$110.00 per night
  • Washington DC=rates vary depending on time of year.  Currently the rate is $231.00 per night through September 30, 2017 and then $250.00 per night through October 31, 2017.  See website for updated information.
  • Foreign lodging=rates determined by U.S. Department of State

Miscellaneous Purchases/Reimbursements

Any procurement of services requires a Professional and Artistic Services agreement be in place BEFORE any work commences.  This includes using an editor or proofreader for manuscripts or other scholarly works or using a vendor for data retrieval or analysis.

Purchases made on behalf of the University by staff members must not exceed $499.  This includes the purchase of laptops or other equipment, even if seeking reimbursement from research funds.  PLEASE have department assistant and/or business manager purchase through iBuy/TechZone!!

Please try to have all Amazon purchases made through the department so a P-Card can be used. The University is going to be implementing a policy sometime very soon stating that faculty/staff Amazon purchases made with personal funds will NOT be reimbursable. 

Provide justification on why purchase is necessary to University business or your research.  **All TEM Expense Reports should include the who/what /when/where/why in the business justification.  This will drastically reduce the number of rejections your expense report will go through, thus enabling you to be reimbursed more quickly.**

Provide the itemized receipt listing items.  This includes meal receipts.

Reimbursement for books/DVDs/CDs must include titles.

Meal reimbursement limits are listed below.  Please note that the limits exclude tax, tip, and alcohol.  Also, please note, effective July 1, 2017, tips up to a maximum of 20% of the total cost is reimbursable. T-Card payments of tips in excess of 20% of the total cost may be subject to deduction of the excessive T-Card charges from the Cardholder’s wages.

Alcohol reimbursements must be charged to a gift fund and must be cleared with Business Operations first if they are not YOUR gift funds.

Employees Only

  • Breakfast=$25.00 per person
  • Lunch=$25.00 per person
  • Dinner=$40.00 per person
  • Refreshments & Reception=$25.00 per person

Employees and Guests (includes students)

  • Breakfast=$25.00 per person
  • Lunch=$40.00 per person
  • Dinner=$60.00 per person
  • Refreshments & Reception=$25.00 per person
  • Alcohol=$20.00 per person

Students Only

  • Breakfast=$25.00 per person
  • Lunch=$25.00 per person
  • Dinner=$25.00 per person
  • Refreshments & Reception=$25.00 per person

Things to Remember When Requesting Reimbursements…

Destination/Purpose of Trip:

Provide destination and the purpose of trip.  If applicable, include how it relates to your research.  Again who/what/when/where/why?

Airline Tickets:

Provide itinerary with dates/times.  Please note—University Payables now requires that when a trip includes personal travel, we need to provide an itinerary with the cost of airline ticket without the personal travel dates.  Must be printed prior to the trip. 

Personal Car:

Provide a sample itinerary of what it would cost to fly.  Itinerary must be printed prior to trip and use actual dates of travel.

If cost to drive is greater than cost to fly, traveler must provide justification for driving.  It will be up to the department/unit head’s discretion as to whether or not to reimburse for the whole amount.

Rental Car:

Provide justification as to why rental car is necessary.

Do not purchase insurance.

National is the preferred vendor.  National prices include extra insurance coverage.

Hotel:

Provide detailed bill with zero balance.  This includes stays paid for with someone else’s T-Card.

It is the traveler’s responsibility to ensure any extra charges (movies, room service, etc.) do not get charged to the University T-Card.  If this happens repeatedly, you will lose the privilege of having your hotel rooms booked with a T-Card.

Indicate if conference hotel, include registration/program/schedule that references the preferred hotel.  Please try to include something that shows the conference rate as well.

Request state/government rate when possible.

Per Diem:

Provide time departed and arrived home.

Indicate if any meals were provided while on travel status.

For travel less than 18 hours, the University does not allow for reimbursement of meals.

Foreign travel per diem does not start until traveler arrives in foreign country and it ends when traveler leaves country.