Travel

• Subsistence is an allowance for meal costs, including gratuities. To be eligible for allowances while in travel status, the employee must be acting in an official capacity as required by his or her work activities and the travel destination must be at least 35 miles from the employee’s duty station or home, whichever is less.
• A University employee who is authorized by the department head or designee to incur meals costs (including gratuities) while in travel status should use the following schedule for reporting allowable subsistence expenses:

• Meal Allowances When in Travel Status but Not Traveling Overnight
  • Employees are eligible for the breakfast and evening meal allowances when approved in advance of the expense by the department head or designee and the following applies:
    • Breakfast – depart duty station prior to 6:00 A.M. and extend the workday 2 hours.
    • Lunches are not reimbursable from state funds if travel does not involve an overnight stay.
    • Dinner – Return to duty station after 8:00 P.M. and extend the workday 3 hours.
• Meal Allowances When Traveling Overnight
  • University employees when in overnight travel status are eligible to receive reimbursement for meals (including lunches) for full days of travel and for partial days (less than 24 hour period) when the partial day is the day of departure or the day of return and the partial day involves an overnight stay. The following applies to be eligible for meals on partial travel days:
    • Breakfast – Depart duty station prior to 6:00 A.M. and extend the workday by 2 hours.
    • Lunch -Depart duty station prior to Noon (day of departure) or return to duty station after 2:00 P.M. (day of return).
    • Dinner – Depart duty station prior to 5:00 P.M. (day of departure) or return to duty station after 8:00 P.M. (day of return) and extend the workday by 3 hours.

• Rental vehicles may be used with the prior approval of the department head or his/her designee. For both in state and out-of-state travel, rental vehicles shall be obtained through State Term Contract 975 B Vehicle Rental Services when available. Unless prior approval has been obtained from the department head or his or her designee and documented on the Travel Authorization, the state employee shall bear the difference in cost when renting a vehicle from a class that exceeds the cost of a standard vehicle on the State’s term contract for short-term vehicle rentals. http://www.doa.nc.gov/pandc/975b.pdf
• Insurance: https://policies.ncsu.edu/regulation/reg-07-35-03/

• Travel Authorizations (required PRIOR to travel)
  • ASSIST employees, staff and students are required to initiate their own travel authorizations through the travel center within MyPack Portal, prior to purchasing airfare, registering for a conference, accommodations, or any other Center-related business pertaining to the trip. Travel Authorizations MUST precede a Travel Reimbursement, regardless of the time passed.
• Travel Reimbursements (required AFTER travel)
  • It is the traveler’s responsibility to submit their travel expenses for reimbursement within 30 days of the travel end date, as required by NC General Statute 138-6(c) of the State of North Carolina.
• Travel Center User Guide: https://delta.ncsu.edu/assets/Travel_Center_Users_Guide.pdf
• AP104-Non-Employee Travel Authorization Download AP104
• Travel Requirements: https://controller.ofa.ncsu.edu/files/2016/05/Travel-Requirements-for-University-Employees-050416.pdf

Travel Warnings & General Guidance for International Travel

• Before committing to any travel expenses, consult the U.S. Department of State website to review travel warnings and alerts for your travel destination.
• https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html
• Download General Guidance for International Travel (2017)

Travel Reminders

• Only official university business expenses are reimbursable.
• Exclude all personal time & related expenses.
• Non-reimbursable expenses include airfare flight insurance, medical insurance, room service, honor bar charges, in-room movies/games, and tips for housekeeping.
• File reimbursement within 30 days after the travel end date.
• Keep all receipts related to the trip for reimbursement and for PCard reconciliation.
• Lodging receipts must be itemized, listed in the traveler’s name, and have a zero “balance due” amount. Report separately: parking, internet access, etc., on reimbursement claim.
• Shared expenses with other travelers must be documented. Do not claim for reimbursement any expenses paid by others.
• Meals are to be excluded from per diem reimbursement, when included in other fees. Provide agenda for conferences, meetings, or workshops.
• When allowed and justified, excess meals require an itemized meal receipt and a list of names of those in attendance.
• Allowable business purposes include: development, recruitment, entertainment, and out-of-country travel. Regular conference travel does not warrant reimbursement of excess meals. Funding restrictions apply.
• Meal per diem does not require a receipt for reimbursement claim.

Student Travel Policy

• Student travel expenses while working as an employee of the state are considered “official state business” when traveling on behalf of their position and shall be paid from the same source of funds from which the employee is paid.
• Non-employee Students at state institutions who travel on official state business are reimbursed from state funds consistent with payments for state employees.
• Non-employee students who travel to fulfill a course requirement for academic credit and whose expenses are paid or reimbursed from state funds are subject to these regulations, including statutory allowances, to the same extent as are state employees. Funds specifically appropriated or legally directed for student travel, or premium tuition or special fees deposited into state funds that include a student travel component may be used for student travel expenses.
• Approval for non-employee student travel to fulfill course requirement for academic credit must have written prior approval from the Department Head. This is accomplished by completing the AP104 form available on the University Controller’s website.
• The purchase of food or beverage for students at higher educational institutions is not allowable unless the student is in travel status. However, non-state funds may be used for these purposes if such funds have been established and authorized for such purposes.

Changing/Cancelling the Trip

• Penalties and charges resulting from the cancellation of travel reservations (including airline or hotel reservations and conference registrations) may be paid by a department if the employee’s travel has been approved in advance, and the cancellation or change is made at the direction of and/or for the convenience of the department.
• If the cancellation or change is made for the personal benefit of the employee, it is the employee’s obligation to pay the penalties and charges. In the event of accidents, a major disaster, a serious illness or death within the employee’s immediate family, or other critical circumstances beyond the control of the employee, the department may pay the penalties and charges.