[Adopted 8-4-1998 (P-13C); amended 8-22-2006]
A.
Authorization
to travel (more than one day). Authority to incur costs in connection
with travel while on official County business must be granted first
by the department head or row officer followed with approval by the
County Administrator. Authorization may only be granted when travel
funds are in the department's approved budget.
(1)
Authorized expenditures.
(a)
Per-diem. Employees authorized to travel out of state for a full
day (time period covering three meals) or more are eligible for per-diem
equal to the amount established by the federal General Services Administration
(GSA) for the applicable destination city to cover all meals and gratuities
for each full day of the business-related trip. No receipts will be
required for the per-diem amount, which would typically be paid to
the employee in advance of departure. Any meal and gratuity expense
exceeding the GSA figure shall be the responsibility of the traveling
employee. Any meal included as part of the conference fee shall be
deducted from the per-diem according to the value assigned by GSA
for the included meal.
[Amended 11-24-2009 (P09-06)]
(b)
Miscellaneous expenses (Minor Code 230). $10 per day maximum for
each day of the trip; includes local travel expenses from the time
of departure for destination until return, such as cab fares and tips,
bus fares, parking meter fees and other authorized miscellaneous daily
expenses. Receipts will be required to the extent possible for reimbursement.
When receipts aren't available, an itemized list, to include
the description of the miscellaneous expenses along with the amounts
paid, must be submitted.
(c)
Conference fees (Minor Code 200). In most cases these fees are to
be paid in advance when registration is arranged. Otherwise, the conference
fee will be reimbursed and a receipt will be required.
(d)
Lodging (Minor Code 220). Inquiries regarding reservations should
be made in advance and the single room rate, including taxes, determined.
An advance in this amount times the exact number of days of the business
trip will be made. The County will pay only the rate for a single
room unless double occupancy is intended to accommodate two authorized
County employees. Receipts will be required.
(e)
Travel costs (Minor Code 230). A determination must be made of the
costs for alternative travel modes from Dover to the destination and
return. The County will only advance or pay the amount for the most
feasible method of travel as determined by the Department Director
and County Administrator or the Levy Court.
[1]
Included in travel costs are:
[a]
Mileage in connection with the conference or business trip,
tolls, parking and auto storage fees (if an employee uses his or her
personal vehicle). Mileage will be reimbursed at a rate to be determined
by the Kent County Levy Court.
[b]
Air, bus or train fare.
[c]
Limousine service to and from the transportation terminal if
cheaper than other methods.
[2]
If any of these costs are not paid in advance, the estimated
cost will be advanced or reimbursement will be made. Receipts will
be required.
(f)
Annual dinners. Annual dinner expenses for Kent County affiliated
boards and commissions shall be as specified in the requesting department's
annual budget submission. These expenses will be handled as follows:
[1]
Annual dinner expenses invoiced to Kent County for Kent County
affiliated boards and commissions are not to exceed $40 per eligible
participant attending the meeting. Eligible participants are to include
board/commission members, Levy Court Commissioners, the County Administrator,
the supporting staff of the board/commission, and the board/commission
appointed legal counsel.
(2)
Unauthorized expenditures. The County will not reimburse nor are
County funds to be used for any of the following:
Lodging within the State of Delaware
Laundry service
Pay TV
Babysitting service
Traffic citations
Alcoholic beverages
Entertainment costs
Gratuities in excess of 20%
Toll phone calls unless otherwise unavoidable and only when
related to County business
Spouse or guest expenses
Any non-County-related expenses
(3)
Accountability for expenditures. Upon return, employees are required
to complete a Travel Expense Report and/or Mileage Reimbursement Request
form which documents the employee's trip expenditures. These
reports should be submitted within five working days of the employee's
return in accordance with the instructions on the forms.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The Travel Expense Report and Mileage
Reimbursement Request forms are on file in the County offices.
B.
Meal/Mileage
reimbursement for day trips. When on official County business, an
employee shall be entitled to reimbursement for meal expenses in accordance
with the following:
(1)
The employee must be on authorized County business and away from
his or her normal work routine and schedule during the following times:
|
Must Leave Prior To
|
Must Return After
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Breakfast
|
7:00 a.m.
|
8:30 a.m.
| |
|
Lunch
|
11:00 a.m.
|
2:00 p.m.
| |
|
Dinner
|
5:30 p.m.
|
7:00 p.m.
|
(2)
Meal reimbursement.
(a)
The maximum amount that will be paid/reimbursed for individual meals
(including gratuity) shall be equal to the amount established by the
federal General Services Administration for the applicable destination
city to cover such individual meal(s) and gratuity.
[Amended 11-24-2009 (P09-06)]
(b)
Any individual meal(s) and gratuity expense exceeding the established
GSA figure for the destination city shall be the responsibility of
the employee.
[Amended 11-24-2009 (P09-06)]
(c)
No reimbursement will be authorized for a meal if said meal is included
as part of the fee for a conference, symposium, meeting, etc., or
if a meal is provided during such meeting at no cost.
(d)
This provision shall not apply to meals or special events hosted
by the County for intergovernmental or public relations purposes.
Such expenses will be paid from the community events line item (Minor
Code 677).
(4)
All requests for mileage reimbursement must be made on a Daily Mileage
Reimbursement Request form. Mileage reimbursements requests shall
be submitted to Finance on a monthly basis. The requests should be
submitted to Finance no later than 15 working days following the end
of the month in which the expenses were incurred. Mileage will be
paid at a rate to be determined by the Kent County Levy Court.[3]
[3]
Editor's Note: The Daily Mileage Reimbursement Request
form is on file in the County offices.
C.
General.
(1)
Employees are encouraged to use County funds to prepay conference
and travel costs when possible.
(2)
Some hotels require an advance before confirming room reservations.
(3)
Whenever possible, employees should plan trips far enough in advance
to take advantage of any discounts for early registration and to allow
sufficient time to process advances.
(4)
Employees should remember that while traveling on County business
the employee represents Kent County government. Therefore, employees
should conduct themselves in a professional and responsible manner
that reflects well on the County.
(5)
Employees should also remember that the taxpayer funds employee trips.
Employees, therefore, have the obligation to spend County funds in
the most cost-effective way and only for authorized expenses.
