Travel Policies and Procedures
Cash Advances
Cash advances over $250.00 are available for out-of-state
and foreign travel. A request for a travel advance must be
indicated on the Travel Authorization Form and forwarded to
the Travel Office, at least 5 business days prior to the
departure date. The advance will be limited to:
- 75% of all other costs.
"All other costs" may not include air tickets, either
obtained through direct billing to the Health Center or
purchased by the traveler, or any other form of direct
payment including prepaid registration fees. The check,
made payable to the employee, must be picked up by the
payee or a designated person authorized in writing by the payee. It is the
responsibility of the traveler to ensure that the advance is
in their possession prior to departure. The Bursar's office
will not release a check without a valid Uconn Health
Center ID Badge.
- Advances will not be given when an employee has had an
outstanding advance.
The request will be held until such
time as the outstanding balance has been paid or a
reimbursement request has been filed with the General
Accounting Office. Failure to submit a reimbursement or to
repay an advance may jeopardize your ability to obtain
future advances.
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Prepaid Registration Fees
Prepaid registration fees for conference registration may
be paid either with:
Registrations to be prepaid by the Health Center that
require a Travel Authorization should be sent directly to
the Bursar's Office (MC 5105) along with Form CO-17 with
the conference registration form attached. Please complete
all requested information on both the CO-17 and registration
forms. The CO-17 requires referencing the TA Number, and
signatures of both the traveler and supervisor. The Bursar's
Office will process and mail the registration payment.
All registrations to be prepaid by a Health Center
Procurement Card will be processed by the Bursar's Office.
Registrations to be paid by Procurement Card require
submitting Form CO-17 and a registration form that
includes a conference web site to the Bursar's Office
(MC 5105). The CO-17 requires the signature of both the
traveler and supervisor. The Travel Office will process and
remit the registration payment.
Payment with University Procurement Card
Prepayment of conference registration fees may be paid
with a UConn Health Center procurement card. Call Marcia
Ginsburg in Travel Office for details at 860-679-2519.
Personal Payments for Registration Fees
Conference registrations paid by personal credit card or
personal check will not be reimbursed until after the
conference has taken place.
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Parking at Bradley International Airport
Free parking at Bradley International Airport is
available to employees on official State business.
Parking must be in the State approved lot:
The Travel Authorization for any travel must indicate
that a "PARKING PERMIT IS REQUESTED" if the employee is
using Bradley International Airport. The parking permit will
be prepared in the Bursar's Office and will be available for
pick up. It is the responsibility of the traveler to ensure
that they have the permit in their possession prior to
departure.
A parking permit is only valid for the length of the
business travel, with a limit of up to fourteen (14) days.
Any parking fees incurred beyond that will be the
responsibility of the individual at the time they exit the
parking facility. Parking fees after 14 days will be
reimbursable.
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Allowable Expenses
Telephone, Telegraph, and Miscellaneous Services
(1) Charges for telephone calls made for official State
business will be allowed provided that proper documentation
is maintained involving the number of such calls,
destination and the rate per call.
(2) Expenses incurred for stenographic, typing,
photography, use of a fax machine, personal computer or
other personal services associated with official State
business are to be submitted for reimbursement on a
Employee Voucher (Employee Reimbursement) Form CO-17XP and supported by original
itemized receipts.
(3) Gratuities for porters, bellhops, etc. may be claimed
by non-union and some union employees (depending on union
regulations) at a rate of $5 for each day of actual travel.
As an example, the gratuities reimbursed for a single trip
would be $10, $5 for the outbound day and $5 for the day of
return travel.
(4) Expenses not covered by the preceding paragraphs, but
incurred in conjunction with the performance of official
State business will be paid if justified. However, personal
expenses such as newspapers, magazines, toiletries, laundry
and dry cleaning and repairs to a personally-owned
automobile will not be reimbursed.
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Reimbursement
Limitation of Reimbursement
(1) Advantage must be taken of round-trip rates.
(2) Transportation of any kind between an employee's home
and official worksite is not reimbursable.
(3) Costs for theatre tickets, guest meals, entertainment
and similar extraordinary expenses will not be reimbursed
unless such charges relate directly to the purpose of the
trip and are documented and approved as part of the original
travel authorization. Any expenditure that require an
exception approval may not be charged to ledger 5 Federal
Funds.
(4) Meals during Personal Time taken during the trip will
not be reimbursed.
(5) Purchase of alcoholic beverages will not be
reimbursed.
(6) Costs for personal items, prescriptions, toiletries,
and laundry will not be reimbursed.
(7) Altered receipts will not be reimbursed.
(8) Original itemized receipts must show proof of payment.
Proof of payment would be a notation on the vendor's invoice
(receipt) showing method of payment. A credit card notation
would not need additional backup. If paid by check, a copy
of the cancelled check needs to be attached to the original
invoice. If paid by cash, a notation needs to be stated on
the receipt by the vendor. Proof of Payment as explained
above, does not apply to union contracts that state specific
guidelines for proof of payment.
(9) Under no circumstance will parking fines, traffic
violation tickets or other fines be reimbursed.
(10) Interest on credit cards will not be reimbursed.
(11) Personal expenses such as childcare or boarding fees
will not be reimbursed.
(12) Reimbursement is not allowed for local taxis near
duty station. Mileage reimbursement claims must be
cumulative to over $25.00 in order to be submitted for
reimbursement, or if under $25.00, reimbursement may be
requested every 90 days.
(13) Flight Insurance to protect the traveler from
penalties due to missed flight will not be reimbursed.
Authorized for Travel Reimbursement Collective Bargaining
Units
By statute, employees, through their legally designated
representatives, have the right to bargain with the State
concerning travel expenses. Accordingly, some collective
bargaining contracts may vary from the reimbursement
regulations contained herein. For such cases, collective
bargaining contracts take precedence, i.e., the contract is
controlling.
Receipts and Vouchers
A
Health Center Invoice (Vendor Payment Voucher) Form CO-17
(PDF) must be submitted
within 5 business days of return from trip.
(1) Original itemized receipts are required for all claims
for lodging, for meals when requesting reimbursement of
actual expenses, and in addition, itemized receipts are also
required for any Miscellaneous Claims against the State
exceeding twenty-five dollars excluding mileage.
Original itemized receipts are to be attached to the
claim for reimbursement. Credit card statements are not
acceptable unless a statement is included explaining why
original receipts are unobtainable.
(2) All claims for reimbursement of travel expenses must
be submitted to General Accounting MC 5305 a Travel
Reimbursement Form, with original receipts attached, within
(5 business days) one week of return from the trip. Each
employee in a party must submit a separate claim. Failure to
submit a travel expense report will jeopardize an
individual's ability to obtain further advances or
reimbursements for subsequent trips.
(3) All receipts for common carrier travel, claimed or
unclaimed, as well as the original boarding pass when
electronic ticketing is used, must be attached to the
reimbursement request.
(4) Altered receipts will not be reimbursed.
(5) All claims must be filed within 6 months of the end
date of the trip. Those reimbursements filed more than 6
months after the end date of the trip will not be processed.
Travel by Classified Employees on Union Funds
The Health Center travel regulations do not apply to
classified employees traveling on Union funds. For procedures
for pre-authorizing and reimbursing Union funded travel see
State Comptroller memorandum no. 2004-05 available on the
web at:
http://www.osc.state.ct.us/2004memos/numbered/200405.htm.
Questions regarding union funded travel should be
directed to Human
Resources at 860-679-3549.
Union Funded Travel Reimbursements must be submitted on a
Health Center Invoice (Vendor Payment Voucher) Form CO-17
(PDF) and sent to
General Accounting (MC 5305).
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Foreign Travel Rates
All receipts in foreign currency must be converted to
U.S. currency at an exchange in effect at the time of
purchase. Foreign per diem rates are available at the Travel
Office. Per diem rates at the time of travel must be used,
not at the time of filing. Foreign travel is coded to
subcode 2162.
Please note that a pre-approved Travel Authorization is
required to be reimbursed for foreign travel.
Employees may be reimbursed for the cost of visas with
original itemized receipt. with department approval.
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Other Information
Routing of Travel
(1) All travel must be by the most direct route possible.
(2) Travel by an indirect route for personal convenience
will be at the expense of the employee and reimbursement
will be based on the most direct route. Expense of
additional meals and lodging due to an indirect route will
not be reimbursed.
Travel Expenses for Residents/ Students
Residents/Students may travel in-state or out-of-state under
the same regulations and procedures as any Health Center
employee.
A resident/student may obtain a travel advance under the
same procedures used by employees. However, student advances
are the responsibility of the sponsoring department. If a
Travel Reimbursement Form is not submitted to clear the
advance, the department will be charged for the amount of
the advance.
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Travel Forms
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