Travel Services (TRA)
POLICY 9
Effective Date: 12/01/2000
Last Modified Date: 10/14/2005
General
All travel expenses to be reimbursed by UNC for an individual must be reported on a Travel Reimbursement for audit purposes. The following points provide guidance for specific situations.
Daily Totals
The daily rate of subsistence must be claimed or the actual expense reported on a daily basis on the Travel Reimbursement. If any daily total exceeds the authorized limit, this difference may not be applied to another day. Daily hotel expenses are to be reported as incurred on the date on which the night's lodging begins.
Meals
Included in Registration
When a registration fee includes the cost for one or more meals (excluding continental breakfast), claim reimbursement of meals as object code 31x9, Registration. Meals that are included in the registration cannot also be reimbursed on a per-diem basis.
Actual Expense
An employee may request reimbursement for actual expenses if they are less than the rates shown in TRA Policy 3, Statutory Provisions and Maximum Rates. The reimbursement for meals cannot be higher than the statutory maximum allowance. An exception may be made for business entertainment expenses; see ACT Policy 23.
Tips
Reasonable tips (not to exceed 15%) are allowed for table service at meals. These tips must be counted toward the authorized subsistence maximums.
Lodging
A University employee traveling on University business should pay lodging expenses directly and then apply for reimbursement. Do not add the lodging expense to a master hotel bill for a University-sponsored conference or event, or otherwise bill the University.
Further requirements:
- Reimbursement for lodging must be documented by an original paid receipt of actual lodging expenses from a commercial lodging establishment.
- Reimbursement to an employee sharing a room with another employee will be limited to one-half of the occupancy rate if both claim expense for the room.
- Reimbursement to an employee sharing a room with a relative will be limited to the single occupancy rate.
Distance and Time Requirements
35-Mile Minimum
Subsistence expense is reimbursable if it is incurred at least 35 miles from the employee's home or duty station, whichever is less, unless specifically authorized in advance by the Chancellor.
Partial Days of Travel
Allowances will be paid for meals for partial days of travel when the partial day is the day of departure or the day of return. The following table details the requirements to claim such reimbursement.
Meal Day of Departure Day of Return Comments Breakfast Leave before 6:00 a.m. N/A Must extend the workday 2 hours Lunch Leave before 12 noon Return after 2:00 p.m. Cannot be claimed unless either the trip requires an overnight stay or the cost of the lunch is part of a registration fee Dinner Leave before 5:00 p.m. Return after 8:00 p.m. Must extend the workday by 3 hours Out-of-State Status
Out-of-State travel status begins the day the University employee leaves the State of North Carolina and remains in effect until the employee returns to the State.
Additional Information
See also TRA Policy 3, Statutory Provisions and Maximum Rates.
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