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Hotels, Meals, Misc. Expenses
Use of Institutional and Personal
Vehicles
Hotels, Meals, and Misc. Expenses
A. The cost of hotel accommodations will be
reimbursed on the basis of original hotel folio
receipts. Only the cost incurred for a single room rate
will be reimbursed to the employee. Any overage above
the single rate will be the personal responsibility of
that employee.
Hotel reservations should also ensure that the rates are
reasonable and appropriate for the area. Travelers
should also utilize state government or corporate rates
when available, providing they are less expensive.
B. Standard per diem meal rates effective July 1, 2009 without
receipts:
Breakfast $ 8.00
Lunch 10.00
Dinner 24.00
Total $42.00
High cost per diem meal rates with
detailed receipts:
Breakfast $10.00
Lunch 11.00
Dinner 26.00
Total $47.00
For a listing of high cost metropolitan area select
Highratesmetarea.doc.
Personal credit card receipts are not considered an
acceptable receipt. In the absence of a detailed receipt(s),
reimbursement will only be allowed at the “standard” rate only. The USM
Board of Regents review these rates biannually.
Any representative of this university, on travel status, should not
request reimbursement for any amount(s) not spent. Nor should any
employee ask for reimbursement of a meal (s) not consumed or for any
meal included with a registration fee.
Foreign travel is reimbursed at actual cost with original receipts or at
the applicable U.S. Department of State Meal and Incidental (M&IE) rate
without receipts. Please contact the Accounts Payable Travel Office for
this applicable rate. The USM Board of Regents will review these rates
biennially.
Please note: A partial day’s travel is eligible for the appropriate meal
(s) consumed when travel time encompasses a period of two hours before
and/or two hours after one’s normal work day.
Under no circumstance will lunch be reimbursed on a one day trip unless
both of the above criteria are met. An employee would need to work a
minimum of 12 hours plus a lunch period of at least 30 minutes to be
eligible for lunch reimbursement (i.e...start 6 a.m., returned back to
campus 7 p.m. or later with the normal work day occurring between 8 -5
p.m. with a lunch hour taken into consideration). These departure /
arrival times must be clearly indicated on any expense account
presented.
Once again, please remember: Credit card charge voucher(s) are not
considered acceptable receipts!
C. Work-related small miscellaneous expenses such as parking fees, tolls,
small supplies, and the like are reimbursable. Original receipts will be
required for all miscellaneous reimbursements. An expense account, along
with all original receipts, should be filed for any type of
reimbursement in excess of $5.00. For some reimbursements less than
$5.00, simply present your original receipt (and in some cases a signed
expense account) with the department head's signature and account code,
to the Cashier's Office for immediate reimbursement. Remember, this type
of reimbursement does not include any type of out-of state travel
expense, telephone calls, or food items.
D. Porter and bell person baggage handling fees will be reimbursed at the
rate of $1.00 per bag for a reasonable number of bags (no receipt
necessary but a personal certification will be required).
Institutional funds may not be used for the purchase of alcoholic
beverages or additional flight insurance.
[The institution supports the use of its credit card program, American
Express Corporate Card, for the payment of travel related expenses such
as hotels, car rentals, etc.. A travel advance will not normally be
given to any employee unless circumstances warrant (i.e....a new
employee who does not have an American Express Card or a personal credit
card) and only then as such funds are available from the university's
Working Fund.]
Use of Institutional and Personal Vehicles
State vehicles may only be driven by SU
authorized personnel and only when acting within the
scope of their public duties. A volunteer may be
considered authorized personnel only when he or she is
engaged in providing a service to the institution, is
not paid by the institution, and is providing the
service as part of a formal volunteer program.
Any person driving a State-owned vehicle must have a
valid driver's license, comply with all traffic laws,
and obtain approval, in advance, as required by USM and
SU's policies and procedures governing the use of its
state vehicles.
Each department (other than ‘Self-Supporting’ areas)
receives a separate Motor Pool Budget each fiscal year
and state vehicle usage will be charged to this budget
monthly. Vehicle usage for all Self Supporting areas
(grants, auxiliary, and agency fund accounts) will be
charged directly to the departmental operating budget.
The charge for state vehicle usage is $.2925 per mile.
Effective January 1, 2009, personal vehicle usage will be
reimbursed at the rate of $.55 per mile if a state
vehicle is not available for use; reimbursement of
$.275 per mile will be paid if a state car is available
and you choose not to use it (this reimbursement will
require your department head’s budget approval).
Where a car rental is deemed necessary, the institution
expects the lease of the least expensive car which will accommodate the
trip's requirements.
Employees will not be reimbursed for Collision Damage
Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) car rental insurance coverage
within the 50 states. An employee, of course, may purchase the CDW
or LDW at his/her own expense. Vehicles rented to the State are
covered for liability under the Maryland Tort Claims act. SU will
be responsible for the first $1000 of damages (the deductible) if an
accident occurs within the 50 states.
However, an employee traveling outside the United States
should agree to the CDW/LDW and will be reimbursed for the cost.
When signing the rental agreement, the renter must
include their name, USM/SU, and the State of MD.
Reimbursement will be by expense account and original
rental car agreement only.
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