FI0705 – Travel Topics: Policy:

System-wide Policy:

FI0705 - Travel

Version: 33

Effective Date: 02/09/2021

FI0705 – Travel

Topics:

General Policy

Non-Employee Travel

Air Travel

Other Expenses

Automobile/Ground

Reimbursement Procedures

Cash Advances

Reward Points

Conference Registrations

Team, Group, and Retreat Travel

Direct Bill of Airfare and Car Rental

Train Travel

International Travel

Travel Request

Lodging

Forms

Meal Allowances

Attachments

Objective:

To provide policies for traveling onbusiness forthe Universityof Tennesseetoi) ensurecompliance with

state and federallaws and regulations; ii) safeguardefficient use of universitymoney; andiii) create

mechanisms for record-keeping and to provide guidance for employees.

Policy:

General Policy

1. Business Purpose - The travel must be necessary to execute university business or

educational objectives. Professional meetings, conferences, or workshops must be

directly connected to the individual's duties and role within the university.

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System-wide Policy:

FI0705 - Travel

Version: 33

Effective Date: 02/09/2021

2. Full Access - The Tennessee Civil Rights Act of 1990 (Tenn Code Ann. § 4-21-801 et seq.)

prohibits official university paid activities in locations, establishments, or commercial

facilities that do not grant full access or membership rights and privileges to individuals based

on sex, race, creed, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, or disability. No university funds

may be paid to such facilities, and employees maynot be reimbursedforusingthese facilities.

3. Compliance - When traveling, employees should be as conservative as circumstances

permit. Reimbursement for travel will be based upon the most direct or expeditious

route possible. Employees traveling by an indirect route will be personally responsible

for any extra expense incurred. It is the responsibility of the employee to be familiar

with and adhere to established travel policies. Deliberate disregard of these regulations

while traveling on university business or filing of an intentionally misleading or

fraudulent travel claim is grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including

termination of employment.

4. Grant and Contract Travel - Travel expenses incurred in connection with a grant or

contract (restricted funds) will be paid in accordance with the provisions and

reimbursement limitations of university travel policies unless otherwise stipulated by

the grant or contract with the exception of airfare. Only economy airfare will be

reimbursed regardless of the funding source.

5. Travel Exceptions - The campus/institute business officer (or designee) and the

university treasurer (or designee) must approve any exceptions to this policy with the

exception of lodging exceptions. Lodging exceptions require the approval of only the

campus/institute business officer.

6. Travel Supplements – The following travel supplements apply additional policies and

procedures for employees eligible for such travel supplements.

o Travel Supplement One (Athletic Departments)

o Travel Supplement Two (UT Pilots Co-Pilots Crew Members)

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7. Student Travel - All student travel must be reimbursed in accordance with FI0535 -

Student Payments (Non-Employment Related)FI0535 - Student Payments (Non-

Employment Related)and, if applicable, reported to the campus financial aid

office.

8. In-route expenses – Reimbursement of travel expenses for traveling to and from a

business meeting or event is limited to expenses for: one day of travel each way prior to

and after the event for domestic travel; and two days of travel each way prior to and

after the event for international travel. Additional expenses related to flight delays and

cancellations are reimbursable and do not need to be processed as an exception.

9. Travel Agency – World Travel Services Inc. (“World Travel”) is the university's travel

agency and employees are encouraged to use World Travel to ensure that they receive

negotiated discounts, required supporting documentation and assistance in complying

with university policy. Concur Solutions is the online self-service booking tool provided

by World Travel and is available to all employees. Expenses associated with other travel

agencies, including on-line booking tools will not be reimbursed.

10. Travel Packages - The university will reimburse employees when a travel package

(airfare, lodging and rental car) is purchased to obtain the best overall cost for a trip.

The package, however, must not contain any expenses not allowed by university fiscal

policy, including, without limitation, first-class airfare, or lodging that exceeds the per

diem for the location of travel. The receipt for the travel package must provide an

itemization of each expense included and the class of airfare must be documented.

Bookingand/or travelagency fees associated withtravelpackages are not

reimbursable, unless the travelpackage is booked through the university’s travel

agency.

11. Honorariums - Employees who engage in professional activities (such as speaking

engagements or serving on accreditation committees) as representatives of the

university occasionally receive honorariums from outside organizations for such

professional activities. In such cases, if the university reimburses an employee for the

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travel expenses for the professional activities for which the employee receives the

honorarium, the employee must remit the honorarium in full to the university. The

honorarium will then be creditedto the account charged forthe travelexpenses. If the

universitydoes not reimburse the travel expenses, the employeemayretainthe honorarium.

Employees cannot be reimbursed forthe same travel expensesfrom anoutside organization

and the university.

Air Travel

12. Economy Fare

Reimbursement

a.

b.

c.

In accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-7-130, airfare reimbursement is

limited to economy fare. Economy refers to any class that is not business or

first class. Employees may purchase business or first class fare, but will be

reimbursed the cost of economy fare. In such cases, the employee must

provide supporting documentation for the cost of the standard economy fare

by obtaining a Comparison Quote of the price difference from the same

source, using the same carrier, and on the same day the employee purchased

the original ticket.

If an economy fare is not available, the employee should purchase the ticket

through World Travel Services Inc., who will document the lowest cost fare

available, and the employee will be reimbursed the amount of such fare.

When purchasing a “premium economy ticket” “business select” or “premium

select,” employees should consult with World Travel Services Inc. because

some of the airlines classify these as business or first class fares.

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a. A comparison quote must be obtained for airfare when any of the following

circumstances prevails:

i. Personal travel is combined with business travel and includes additional

destinations. If there is not an additional destination, the airfare is

reimbursable and a quote is not needed.

ii. Leaving from a destination other than their primary work location or flying

into a city other than the business destination.

iii. A first or business class ticket has been purchased.

iv. Mileage of 1,000 miles or more is being claimed for out-of-state travel for

one person, without multiple destinations or the need to transport cargo.

b. A comparison quote of the economy fare (for the business portion only) must be

obtained from the same source using the same carrier and on the same day the

13. Comparison

original ticket was purchased. A quote obtained after the date the ticket was

Quotes

purchased is not considered sufficient support of savings. If a quote is not obtained at

the time the airline ticket is purchased, a quote for the standard economy fare (from

the same carrier and day of the week) for the business portion only with at least a 21

day advance purchase will be used to determine the amount of reimbursement.

Additional charges such as car rentals, lodging, mileage and meals should be

included in determining the least expensive route. Instances where a qualifying quote

is provided should not be treated as an exception.

i. For example: an employee travels to a conference in Orlando, Florida on

Monday July 1 and instead of returning on Thursday to their primary work

location, the employee travels to Tampa, Florida and returns on Saturday from

Tampa. The employee should get a quote on the day that he or she purchases

their ticket showing the cost of just traveling to the conference and back to

their primary work location. If the employee fails to obtain this quote, they

need to attempt to recreate the cost of just attending the conference by

obtaining a quote at least 21 days out, departing on a Monday and returning

on Thursday to their primary work location and using the same airlines. The

employee will be reimbursed the lesser of the cost of their ticket or the quote

for the business only flight.

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14. Receipts

a.

b.

c.

d.

The cost of the ticket must be supported by the original receipt.

The receipt must contain

i. the name of the passenger,

ii. dates of travel,

iii. complete trip itinerary (including departure and arrival times),

iv. amount,

v. the name of the airline, and

vi. the class of service that will be identified by either the word "coach"

or "economy," or an economy/coach airfare letter (e.g., W, S, Q, L,

etc.).

Employees will only be reimbursed for non-refundable and international

airline tickets before the departure date if the ticket is purchased through

the university’s travel agency or their online booking tool Concur.

Employees, who do not purchase tickets in this manner, will be reimbursed

their airfare expenses when the employee returns from their trip.

The employee must attach the itinerary regardless of who is paying for the

expense.

15. Unused Tickets

a.

b.

c.

d.

Any unused ticket or any portion of an unused ticket must be processed for a

refund, if possible. If the airline will not provide a refund, the value of the

ticket must be applied as a credit to the fare for a future business trip by the

employee or the employee’s department.

i. The employee is responsible for managing and controlling this

process, but the department must also attempt to apply the value of

the unused ticket to another employee’s airfare, if possible.

Using unused tickets for personal travel is prohibited and may result in

disciplinary action up to and including termination.

If the employee has been reimbursed for the ticket and it has not been reused

within six months, the university will attempt to apply the credit to another

employee’s business trip.

Cost associated with using the unused ticket, such as change and name fees

will be reimbursed.

16. Airline Fees

a. Fees imposed by airlines such as seat assignment fees, boarding pass fees,

checked baggage fees and similar fees will be reimbursed, provided a receipt

is furnished. A credit card statement is adequate for baggage fees.

17. Airport Parking

a. Parking receipts must list the vendor, date and amount. The employee

can be reimbursed for one of the following for traveling from their

primary work location or residence to and from the airport:

i. mileage for one round trip and airport parking;

ii. the cost of one round trip taxi fare; or

iii. mileage for two round trips and short-term parking when driven by a

friend or relative.

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a. Federal grant sponsors require awardees to make use of U.S. flagair

carriers even if foreign air carriers are cheaper or more convenient

unless one of the following circumstances apply:

18. Fly America Act

1

i. For travel originating in the United States, if a U.S. flag air

carrier offers nonstop or direct service (no aircraft change)

from the origin to the destination, the employee must use

the U.S. flag air carrier service unless such use would

extend travel time, including delay at origin, by 24 hours or

more.

ii. For travel originating both within and outside of the United

States, if a U.S. flag air carrier does not offer nonstop or

direct service (no aircraft change) between the origin and

the destination, the employee must use a U.S. flag air carrier

unless, when compared to using a foreign air carrier, such

use would:

1. Increase the number of aircraft changes that must be made

outside of the U.S. by two or more;

2. Extend travel time by at least 6 hours or more; or

3. Require a connecting time of 4 hours or more at an overseas

interchange point.

1

Most federal agencies accept code-sharing agreements between the U.S. and foreign air carriers when the U.S. carrier's designator

and flight number are identified on the ticket or documentation. When the code share is between a U.S. air carrier and a non-U.S. air

carrier, the ticket stock or documentation for electronic tickets must identify the U.S. airline’s designator code and flight number as

the marketing carrier to comply with the Fly America Act. An example of this is: UA 1002 (Operated by LH 1224) where UA =

United Airlines (U.S. Carrier) and LH = Lufthansa (non-U.S. Carrier) Transportation also may be provided by a foreign flag air carrier

if the transportation is provided under an air transport agreement between the United States Government and a foreign government,

which the U.S. Department of Transportation has determined meets the requirements of the Fly America Act.

The U.S. Government has entered into several air transport agreements, called "Open Skies" agreements, which allow federally funded

transportation services for travel and cargo movements using foreign air carriers under certain circumstances. For information on

"Open Skies" agreements to which the United States is a party, please refer to the General Services Administration's website at

http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/103191.

Some funding sources may have policies that are more restrictive. Employees using federal funding sources must comply with the

most restrictive of the applicable policies.

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a. University aircraft may be used only to conduct university business

and in accordance with Board Policy B0003 and this policy.

b. University aircraft donated by a private donor for the use of an athletics

department may be used to conduct athletics business, including the

fulfillment of contractual obligations of such athletics’ department to

its coaches.

c. University aircraft may be used only when business cannot be

conducted more economically through the use of regularly scheduled

commercial aircraft. Specifically, it is appropriate to use university

aircraft when the destination is not served by commercial carriers; the

time required to use such a carrier interferes with other university

obligations; to avoid overnight stays; or the number of officials and

employees traveling makes the use of university aircraft cost effective.

19. University Owned

Aircraft

Time is an important consideration for the president, vice presidents,

chancellors, and other senior staff.

d. When a flight has been scheduled and unassigned seats remain on the

aircraft, persons other than those for whom the flight was scheduled

may be accommodated on a space-available basis when travel is

deemed in the university's best interest. These include, but are not

limited to, employees, persons conducting business on behalf of the

university, and guests accompanying staff on university business. The

Chief Financial Officer and/or the General Counsel shall approve and

review all guest use. The university shall issue an I.R.S. Form 1099 for

the total cost of using the university aircraft (calculated according to

normal university business practices) if required by applicable I.R.S.

regulations.

e. The Chief Financial Officer shall submit the flight logs each quarter to

the Chief Audit and Compliance Officer to review for compliance with

policy.

f. The Chief Financial officer shall submit an annual summary report on

use of university aircraft to the University of Tennessee Board of

Trustees for review by the Finance and Administration Committee. The

summary report should contain, at a minimum, information on users,

destinations, maintenance performed and operating costs.

Scheduling Flights on University Aircraft

a. All flights on university aircraft are scheduled through the president's

office (865- 974-2241). The responsible staff will make every effort to

schedule such flights in the most efficient and economical manner

possible. Every effort will be made to accommodate all requests

consistent with the most efficient use of the aircraft and flight crews.

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b. The president's office is responsible for ensuring that an AIRPLANE

REQUEST FORM is completed for all passengers and for

documenting the purpose of each passenger's trip on the form. The

following information should be included:

i. Departure/return time, date, time, and place

ii. Name of each passenger, title, department charged, institution

iii. Destination(s), including intermediate stops

iv. Purpose of trip for each passenger

v. Authorization of chief financial officer for guest travel.

Charges for Using University Aircraft

a. The hourly rate for using university aircraft is set at a level sufficient to

recover the cost of maintaining and operating the aircraft. That rate is

periodicallyreviewed andrevisedas needed. Information onthe current

rate may be obtained through the president's office.

b. University aircraft users are billedmonthly byinternal transfer. Charges

are determined by multiplying the actual recorded flight time by the

hourly rate for use of the aircraft. If persons from more than one

department are on the same flight, the charges will be prorated among

the departments involved. No additional wait-time charge is assessed

when the trip involves inordinately long layovers, nor is there an

additional charge for time and expenses of the crew on overnight trips.

Operation of University Aircraft

a. University aircraft must be operated at all times in accordance with the

provisions of the Federal Aviation Agency approved flight manual and

the university's flight operations procedures manual, which is in

compliance with the Federal Aviation Act (as amended) and Civil Air

Regulations.

b. A pilot and co-pilot are required on all flights.

c. Under federal regulations, the pilot of any university aircraft is

responsible for andis the final authorityas to the flight operationof that

aircraft. All decisions concerning the flight itself will rest solely with

the pilot. The pilot, however, should keep the chief financial officer

informed.

d. For each flight, the pilot will complete a flight log showing the

following:

i. Flight number and duration

ii. Date

iii. Aircraft number

iv. Destination and intermediate stops of flight

v. Names of pilot and co-pilot

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vi. Name of each passenger

20. Chartered

Aircraft

a.

b.

The University of Tennessee Flight Operations (“Flight Operations”) has contracts

for charter flights and will coordinate all charter flights for the university. Generally,

university employees whose duties require travel will use commercial carriers or a

university-owned aircraft. A chartered aircraft, however, may be used if time and/or

distance preclude ground travel, if commercial air service is either unavailable or

does not meet the needs of the employee(s), or if a university-owned aircraft is

unavailable.

i. Charter services will be obtained only when it can be shown that thecharter

does not exceed the sum of all traveling costs by commercial carrier (e.g.,

transportation, meals, and lodging) or that circumstances necessitate travel

when no other means is available.

ii. The charter company must provide Flight Operations with an original,

itemized invoice showing the beginning and ending dates of the charter, the

origin and destination of each flight, and the names of passengers on each

flight.

iii. The charter company must provide the System Office of Risk Management

with a certificate of liability with the aircraft liability limits or at least

$50,000,000 and name The University of Tennessee as an additional insured

and include a waiver of subrogation in favor of The University of Tennessee.

iv. Charges for charter services will be billed to Flight Operations who will

distribute them to the appropriate departmental accounts by internal transfer.

Individuals will not be reimbursed for charter air services.

The chief executive officer of each campus or institute should assign the

following duties to a responsible official:

i. reviewing and approving requests for charter air services,

ii. scheduling charter flights with Flight Operations, and

iii. informing those who request charter flights of the charter company's

policy on canceling scheduled flights.

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a. To be reimbursed for the use of employee/donor owned aircraft, the owner

must request and receive advance approval from the System Office of Risk

Management and have the following documents on file with them:

i. Current copy of FAA Certificate of Airworthiness;

ii. Current copy of pilot's license and supporting documents indicating the

employee has a certification appropriate to the aircraft and weather conditions

being flown;

iii. A current Certificate of Insurance evidencing aircraft liability insurance in the

amount of at least $5,000,000 and naming The University of Tennessee as an

additional insured while the aircraft is being used on approved university

business. A waiver of subrogation in favor of the university should be

included in the certificate of insurance; and

iv. Signed acknowledgment by the employee that the university will not be

21. Employee/Donor

Owned Aircraft

b.

responsible for any loss or damage to the employee's aircraft.

The required documents must be filed with System Office of Risk Management prior

to any travel using a private, employee/donor owned aircraft for approved university

business even if the owner is not seeking reimbursement. The owner must provide a

memo or e-mail with their travel reimbursement request from the System Office of

Risk Management stating that all of the required documentation is on file or their

request will be denied. Reimbursement will be at the U.S. General Services

Administration’s (GSA) published rate for private airplanes..

c. The purchase of insurance required by this section is not intended to waive sovereign

immunity or any employee's immunity. Employees are not authorized to waive any

rights under Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 9-8-307(b) and (h) absent the express consent of the

State of Tennessee. In the event of a lawsuit arising out of an employee's use of a

private, employee-owned aircraft for approved university business, only the Attorney

General's Office, or its delegate, will assert the Section 9-8-307 defenses on behalf of

the individual state/university employee(s), if applicable, and the sovereign immunity

defense on behalf of the State. The purchase of the insurance required by this section

is made pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 9-8-307(e) and is intended to conform the

monetary amount recoverable against the State in the Tennessee Claims Commission

to the insurance policy limits; it is not intended to expand the subject matter

jurisdiction of the Tennessee Claims Commission.

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Automobile/Ground Travel

22. University

Owned Automobile

a.

b.

c.

Employees should use a university-owned automobile when available.

Whenever possible, employees should purchase gasoline and oil from university

motor pool facilities. A gasoline credit card is provided to use with the automobile

when such resources are not available. If the provided credit card is not used, gas

receipts must be processed on the expense report.

The use of university vehicles is restricted to the continental United States. See

FI0725 - Use of University Vehicles.

23. Personally

Owned

Automobiles

a.

b.

c.

d.

An employee may use a personally owned automobile for business travel. The

Travel Expense Report must indicate the employee’s itinerary and show the

business mileage.

In lieu of mileage, gasoline purchases can be claimed, as long as the total is not

more than the mileage charge.

The actual receipt for the gas purchase must be submitted with the reimbursement

request.

24. Vehicle

Allowance/

Courtesy Car

a.

b.

Employees receiving a vehicle allowance or a courtesy car will be reimbursed the

Government Furnished Automobile regardless of which car they used.

Individuals assigned a university car for personal use are not eligible for a mileage

reimbursement.

25. Flying vs.

Driving

a.

b.

The choice of flying versus driving is influenced by distance, time, cost and one’s

preference. When the destination is out-of-state and flying is the economical choice

but one chooses to drive and the round trip is 1,000 miles or more (1,500 miles for

UT Martin employees), the reimbursement may not exceed the cost of the lowest

available airfare from the same points of origin and destination plus associated

estimated costs for parking, and ground transportation.

If the employee is claiming 1,000 miles or more (1,500 miles for UT Martin

employees) and the destination is out-of-state, he or she must obtain an airfare quote

in accordance with the Comparison Quotes guidelines outlined above. The quote

should be obtained on the date that the trip request is approved or at least 21 days

prior to the trip.

i. This requirement does not apply if two or more employees are traveling in

the same vehicle, if there are multiple business destinations, or if the

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employee is required to transport large amounts of cargo for university

business.

26. Local Mileage

Reimbursement may not be requested for commuting from the employee’s home to

their primary work location regardless of the frequency of such trips per day or if it

occurs after business hours or on weekends. Requests for local mileage

reimbursement must be submitted in the Concur Expense System using the expense

type “car mileage,” and should be submitted only once a month.

27. Automobile

Rentals

a.

b.

c.

Rental cars are permissible when flying to a business destination and it is less

expensive than alternative means of transportation (taxi, Uber, train) or when

convenience or safety issues justify the additional cost. Employees should include

parking and gas in the total cost of the rental.

Employees are expected to use the Concur online booking tool or the university’s

travel agency to book rental cars.

Restrictions related to rental cars include:

i. Rentals at primary work location - When it is necessary to rent a vehicle

at your primary work location, actual expenses will be reimbursed provided

a rejection slip is obtained from the motor pool and submitted with the

Travel Expense Report. If there is no motor pool operation serving the

employees’ primary work location, such statement will satisfy this

condition. If a rejection slip is not obtained, reimbursement will be the lesser

of the total rental expense (including gas receipts) or the amount determined

by using the standard mileage rate and the number of miles driven for

business. Employees may not claim the standard mileage rate, when the

rental expenses were lower.

ii. Refueling Rental Vehicles – The Pre-Paid or Fuel

Service Option is

not permissible, since the employee is charged for a full tank, regardless of

the miles driven or $5.99 a gallon under the State’s National/Enterprise

agreement. Whenever possible, employees should refuel the automobile prior

to returning the automobile. Gas receipts should be obtained and submitted

with their reimbursement request.

iii. Rental of Luxury Vehicles. When renting a vehicle, the employee should

select the most economical vehicle that serves their needs. The rental of

luxury class vehicles, private sedans or car services, and stretch limousines

are prohibited for employees.

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iv. Insurance – All insurance associated with car rentals should be declined

and will not be reimbursed, with the exception of the collision damage

waiver coverage for international car rentals. Employees are encouraged to

purchase this coverage for all international rentals. For domestic rentals

through National/Enterprise, collision damage waivers are included in the

agreement, if the vehicle is rented for business use. Reservations must be

made through the university’s travel agency or the Concur booking tool to

obtain this coverage. In the event of any damage to a vehicle being used for

business, the employee must report the damage immediately to the System

Office of Risk Management. When physical damage occurs, the employee's

departmental account or other responsible account will be responsible for

the first $1,000 of the loss.

v. 15 Passenger Vans - Rental of 15 passenger vans is prohibited due to safety

reasons.

28. State of

Tennessee Car

Program

Employees stationed in Nashville, Tennessee are permitted to use the State

of Tennessee’s motor pool operation. They must work with the appropriate

State and university officials to ensure that the charges are properly billed to

their department.

29. Tolls

Toll fees will be reimbursed when necessary and toll charges added to rentalcar

charges for toll pass devices are also reimbursable.

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30. Ground

Transportation

a. If an employee travels by air, reasonable taxi, bus, ride-share (Uber, Lyft), or

shuttle, charges to and from airports can be reimbursed. Reasonable taxi fares will

also be allowed for travel between lodging and meeting sites and to and from

restaurants.

b. Receipts are required for expenses over $10 for ground transportation. Employees

may submit credit card statements showing ground transportation charges as

reimbursable receipts.

c. Private sedans or car services, and stretch limousines are not reimbursable.

d. The destination and reason for each fare reimbursement claimed must be listed on

the Travel Expense Report, regardless of the amount of the fare.

e. Claiming expenses that were not incurred is considered theft and employees will be

subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

31. Parking

Charges for routine parking while on travel status will be reimbursed. Receipts must

be furnished for parking fees over $10.

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Cash/Travel Advances

32. Generally

Cash/Travel advances may be obtained when university travel would impose a

financial burden for the employee or student traveling on university business.

Advances from university funds constitute a loan to an individual.

33. Process

a.

b.

c.

d.

Travelers may request cash advances using the Concur Request module. Travelers

should allow enough time for the department head to approve the advance. NOTE:

Advances in excess of $3,000 require additional approval by the campus/institute

business office with the exception of athletic travel.

Normally, a cash advance is not processed more than ten days before the travel

departure date and will be direct deposited into the traveler’s bank account. NOTE:

Direct deposit is only available for university employees and university students who

have been created in IRIS.

Upon completion of the trip, the employee must submit a Travel Expense Report

within 30 days from the end of the trip. The amount of the advance will automatically

be deducted from the total expenses incurred. If the advance exceeds the total

expenses, the excess funds will be deducted from the employee’s next payroll check.

If a travel expense report is not submitted within 30 days from the end of the trip, the

entire amount of the outstanding advance will be withheld from the traveler’s next

payroll check or future business reimbursements to the employee. By requesting a

travel advance, the employee is authorizing this deduction. Employees who fail to

settle their advances within 30 days forfeit future cash advance privileges.

34. Limits

Advances are limited to a maximum of 80% of estimated reimbursable travel expenses.

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Conference Registrations

35. Options for

Processing

Registration

a. Conference registrations canbe processed using one of the three processes described

below. They should not be processed more than six months prior to the event unless

an “early bird” rate applies and it is documented. Expenses such as golf outings,

cruises or attendances by spouses are not permissible unless approval has been

obtained from the campus/institute chief business officer.

i. Invoice.

1. When an invoice is used, the invoice must be billed to the university and

must contain:

(a) the name of the employee attending the conference,

(b) date and location of the conference, and

(c) an itemization of all items included in the fee.

IF THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS NOT INCLUDED ON THE

INVOICE, THE EMPLOYEE WILL NEED TO SEND THE BACKUP

DOCUMENTATION THE EMPLOYEE WOULD NORMALLY SEND

WITH THE T-30.

2. The invoice can be processed either before or after the conference.

3. The Form T-30 must be accompanied by documentation (i.e., brochure) to

support the cost of a registration fee andmust specifythe amenities

included (for example, lodging, meals, membership fee). The

documentation should also include conference dates, location and hotel

name.

ii. Paidby and Reimbursed to the Employee.

1. Employees may payregistrationfees with personal funds either in advance

or at the conference site.

2. For reimbursement, the employee must submit a Travel Expense Report

upon completion of the trip.

3. The employee must attach an itemized receipt for the registration to the

Travel Expense Report.

4. The employee will not be reimbursed prior to the trip.

iii. Paid by Departmental Procurement or Travel Card.

1. Departments may pay for conference registration feeswith a procurement

or travel card either issued to the traveler or the department.

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2. A receipt detailing all of the charges must be submitted with each

transaction.

3. Other expenses related to the conference will not be reimbursed unless the

conference receipt and itinerary or similar document showing if meals

were provided has been properly submitted.

4. Departments may either reference the trip number on their procurement

card reconciliation or they may file another copy of the conference

registration with their procurement card statement.

36. Meals and

Lodging

Included

a. In some instances, meals and lodging will be included in the registration fee. In these

instances the following criteria must be met before they can be purchased:

i. The lodging and meals must be part of a package and listed in the registration

materials.

ii. The payment must be to the vendor who is collecting the registration fee.

iii. The items must be directly related to the business purpose of the conference.

Extra fees for golf outings, historical tours, sporting events and similar items

are not reimbursable unless approved by the chief business office or designee.

iv. For meals and other items purchased at the event, an itemized receipt mustbe

obtained.

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Direct Bill of Airfare and Car Rental

Travel Cards

37. Airfare and

Automobile

Rental

a. Departments may use travel cards to purchase airline tickets and car rentals and other

travel expenses for employees, students, prospective athletes, members of a university

sponsored group or team and non-employees authorized to travel at university

expense. See FI0531 Travel Cards for limitations on its use.

b. These expenses must not be paid more than 6 months in advance of the travel.

38. Cardholder

a. The cardholder, however, is responsible for all charges placed on the card, obtaining

acceptable receipts, ensuring that the purchases comply with policy, and processing

the transactions in the travel expense systems.

b. Cardholders should never give their travel card to others.

39. Expense

Report

If these travelers will incur additional out of pocket expenses on a trip, a travel expense

report should be completed by them or on their behalf so that these funds will be paid

directly to them. The expense report should note any expenses paid by someone else on

their behalf.

International Travel

40. Rates

Reimbursement rates for lodging, meals, mileage, and incidentals will be in

accordance with the Federal rates (OCONUS) for the city and country for all

international travel. Note: OCONUS rates for lodging include all taxes; therefore

reimbursements are limited to the OCONUS rates for that city and country.

41. Receipts

Pertinent information on international receipts must be translated to English and signed

by the person who translated the documents.

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42. Conversion to

U.S. Dollars

a. The CONCUR travel expense system will convert amounts to U.S. dollars based on

the transaction date. Conversions shown on credit card statements are also acceptable,

if they contain the amount claimed and are attached to each receipt. Credit card

purchases do not need to be converted to dollars, since the credit card does this

automatically.

b. International credit card transaction fees are reimbursable and expense type

“International Transaction Fees” must be selected to process these. A credit card

charge that combines all hotel charges (lodging, taxes, food, internet, etc.) should be

prorated based on the hotel receipt and the applicable policy for that expense type.

43. Passports and

Visas

Fees and expenses incurred for the purchase of passports and visas for university

business travel will be reimbursed prior to the trip. Expenses, including a receipt for

the passport or visas, must be fully documented. Expenses related to passports, birth

certificates, and visas as a condition of employment are considered a personal expense.

44.

Immunizations

Immunizations and vaccines associated with international travel for university business

are reimbursable.

45. Insurance

Any type of international travel insurance that is required by a campus/institute is

reimbursable.

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Lodging

46. Non-

Conference

Lodging

a.

b.

c.

d.

Lodging expenses will be reimbursed subject to the maximum amounts shown in The

U.S. General Services Administration's Per Diem Rates or the negotiated rate with a

University Preferred Hotel.

Receipts are required and must include the

i. address of the hotel,

ii. name of the individual occupying the room,

iii. daily room charge,

iv. applicable tax, and

v. total charges.

World Travel Services (the university's designated travel agency) can assist

employees in locating CONUS rates. In the event World Travel cannot secure a

CONUS rate for a trip, a World Travel consultant will document that a CONUS rate is

not available and the rate booked is the lowest reasonable rate available at the time of

the booking. The documentation will be in the form of an e-mail and must be attached

to the reimbursement request along with the hotel receipt. Employees who use this

process will not be required to process the lodging as an exception.

i. NOTE: The reimbursement rate for lodging and meals is based upon the city

where the employee spends the night. Therefore, the lodging location on the

travel expense report must match the address of the hotel.

Short-term rentals from services such as Airbnb, Vacation Rental by Owner and

others are allowable if the cleaning fees, service fees and other charges do not exceed

the applicable CONUS rate. The employee is responsible for any charges related to

damages incurred during their stay. Receipts for these rentals must be from a company

that rents the property.

47. Conference

Lodging

a.

b.

Employees attending a conference, seminar, or group meeting where a block of

rooms has been negotiated will be reimbursed for room and tax at the conference or

group rate. A conference brochure/agenda or other documentationmust be attached to

the reimbursement request and contain the name of the designated conference and/or

overflow hotel(s) and the applicable room rates. The absence of the room rate in the

conference brochure/agenda will limit the reimbursement to the CONUS/OCONUS

rate.

In the event the employee lodged in a hotel of their choice, the amount of the

reimbursement will be limited to the rate of the conference hotel, documented by

conference literature, and attached to the expense report. As long as the lodging rate

is equal to or less than the conference hotel rate, the reimbursement request does not

need to be treated as an exception. In the event the conference materials do not

contain a conference-lodging rate, CONUS/OCONUS rates will be applicable.

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48. Long-Term

Lodging

Employees on a travel status for more than two weeks may elect to rent an apartment

rather than stay in a hotel. Department head approval is required prior to renting an

apartment. The cost of the apartment including the rental of furniture and payment of

utilities must not exceed the standard university lodging per diems. The rental

agreement must be in the name of the employee and the employee is liable for all

resulting fees, damages and penalties.

49. Sharing a

Room

a. When two employees authorized to travel on university business share a room, each

employee should pay for their own lodging and request their own receipt. They are

entitled to a combined applicable CONUS or OCONUS lodging rate and this doesn’t

need to be treated as an exception.

b. If it is not possible to get separate receipts, one employee may pay the entire amount

and claim the expenses. In these instances, the Travel Expense Reports for both

employees must identify the others name, personnel number and trip number and the

person incurring the expense will be reimbursed.

50. Hotel Fees

Early departure, late check-out and other hotel fees will be reimbursed, provided an

explanation and a receipt are obtained.

51. Deposits

a. Hotel deposits will be reimbursed prior to a trip, if required by the terms in a contract

or if deposits are standard practice for the event. The university will also pay invoices

from the hotel if the rates comply with policy or an accompanying agreement.

b. Non-refundable advance purchase rooms are discouraged.

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Meal Allowances

52. Rate

Daily meal and incidental allowances are based on the CONUS rates for locations of

travel and will be based upon the city where the employee spent the night.

53. In-route days

Reimbursement for meals for the day of departure and the dayof return will be 75% of

the normal reimbursement rate regardless of the time of departure or return. If one trip

ends and another begins on the same day, meal deductions should be made on one of

the trips and noted on both trips so that the employee is not reimbursed more than

100% of the meal allowance for that day.

54. Meals

Provided During

a Trip

a. When a meal is provided by a conference, donor, or others, the employee must deduct

the corresponding meal from their travel allowance in the concur expense module.

Their allowance will be reduced based on the CONUS rules and number of meals

provided.

iv. If the employee elects not to eat a conference provided meal, the deduction

should still be taken. Otherwise, the university is purchasing the same meal

twice.

b. Conference registration material showing the meals being served must be submitted

with the travel reimbursement request before the reimbursement request will be

processed. If the employee was in route to or from the destination city of the event

and missed the provided meal, they may claim the meal allowance for the meals they

missed.

c. Continental breakfasts that may be included in a registration fee are not considered a

meal. A continental breakfast is a light breakfast typically consisting of coffee, cereal

and pastries.

55. Meal

Allowance for

One-Day Trips

Employees are entitled to 75% of the mealper diem for one-day travel from their

primary work location, if it is 12 hours or longer.

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Non-Employee Travel

56. Guests

a. Guest travelers are individuals not employed by the university, who are incurring

travel expenses at the invitation of the university. These could be researchers, job

candidates, students, and speakers.

b. Any guest with expenses must be entered into the IRIS HR system as a Guest and

assigned an employee number. The person responsible for submitting travel expense

reports on behalf of the guest (delegate) must be identified in this transaction.

c. Guest travel must comply with this policy.

57. Non-resident

Alien Guests

a. Travel payments to nonresident aliens may be subject to withholding tax. To be

nontaxable, the trip must have a business purpose and benefit the university. These

trips can include expenses for an employee, a candidate for employment invited by

UT to interview, an independent contractor or honorarium recipient, or a bona fide

volunteer with a documented business purpose.

b. Except for employees, the nonresident alien recipient of the travel must complete the

UT Foreign National Independent Contractor/Guest Traveler Payment form and

document the purpose of the trip and attach the required documents for their

immigration status as listed on https://payroll.tennessee.edu/nonresident-alien/.

c. If a trip is determined to be taxable, the payment will be grossed up and the

department will be charged for any taxes due.

58.

Transportation

Guests are covered under the university's automobile liability insurance for business

use and the university’s rental car coverage through Enterprise/National. Additional

insurance to cover personal exposure is at the discretion of the guest, but not

reimbursable by the university.

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59. Individuals

Accompanying a

Guest

a. Travel expenses for spouses accompanying a job candidate for a university position

are reimbursable and do not have to be entered as an exception. Expenses associated

with all other individuals who are accompanying guests must be entered as exceptions

with an explanation given in the Comments section. These expenses require approval

from the campus business officer and the chief financial officer and it is prudent to

obtain advance approval before these expenses are incurred.

b. Expenses associated with individuals other than their spouse may also be considered

taxable and the university might be required to report these reimbursements to the

IRS.

60. Signatures

Guests are not required to sign or certify their travel reimbursement request but

departments are encouraged to share the request with them to verify that the

information is correct. The person named as the “delegate” on the IRIS transaction is

authorized to submit travel expenses on behalf of the guest. The guest, however, will

be reimbursed for any expenses incurred by them.

61. Former

Employees

Anyone who has a personnel number in IRIS but is in a withdrawn status at the time of

the travel should be rehired as a guest employee through IRIS. Their expenses can then

be processed in the same manner as other guests.

62. Contractors

Contractors who are being reimbursed travel expenses in accordance with a contract or

other agreement must be paid using the IRIS transaction ZAP Entry and select

“Contract Invoice/T-27”. All receipts and supporting documentation should be attached

with this transaction.

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Other Expenses

63. Personal

a. Personal expenses will not be reimbursed. These include, but are not limited to,

laundry, honor bars, TSA pre-check expenses, and other types of personal

expenses. If personal charges are made with a UT Travel Card, they must be

processed using expense type “Non-reimbursable or Personal.” The cost of these

charges will be deducted from other out of pocket expenses.

b. If the personal charges exceed the out of pocket expenses, the amount will be

deducted from the cardholders next payroll check.

c. Excessive personal charges will result in the card being cancelled.

64. Business

Expenses

Items such as printing, duplication, and promotional materials required for business

are allowable expenses and will be reimbursed. A detailed receipt is required.

65. ATM

Expenses to obtain funds at automated teller machines (ATM) are not reimbursable

except for international locations where this is a desirable methodto obtain cash.

Receipts supporting the fee must be submitted.

66. Internet

Computer connect charges to access or connect to the university will be reimbursed.

An explanation and receipt for the charge must be provided on the Travel Expense

Report.

67.

Telecommunications

a. Business-related phone charges while in travel status, including international

travel, will be reimbursed for airtime, roaming, and applicable taxes for

individuals who do not have a cell phone allowance or a university phone.

Support for these charges must be provided with the Travel Expense Report.

b. The Knoxville Telephone Service Department can provide departmental long

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c.

distance phone cards for all campuses and all university personnel, if needed. The

departmental cards permit domestic long distance calls to be made while traveling

and to be billed directly to the employee’s departmental account.

Accessories or repairs to personal phones are not reimbursable.

68. Tips

a.

b.

Tips associated with hotel stays are not permissible, since they are included in the

employee’s per diem. Tips with other expenses, including groups travel, are

considered a reimbursable expense and should be based upon the level of service,

but should not exceed 20% of the total. Tips exceeding 20% must be processed as

an exception.

The addition of a tip on a receipt does not constitute an alteration of the receipt.

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Reimbursement Procedures

69.

Reimbursement

a.

b.

c.

Employees may obtain a travel card in accordance with applicable policies or they

may pay their own expenses and seek reimbursement.

Students and guests are not eligible for travel cards and must pay their own expenses

and seek reimbursement or the university may directly pay travel expenses on their

behalf.

Expenses will not be reimbursed more than 6 months in advance of the trip.

70. Process

All employee travel expenses should be processed in the Concur Travel Expense

System. All required receipts must be attached and routed electronically through

Concur for the required approvals and to the appropriate business office for audit.

71. Timely

a.

b.

Employees must submit claims for reimbursement for travel expenses no later than

120 days after completion of travel, with the exception of cash advances and travel

card transactions which must be settled within 30 days after the trip. Failure to do so

could significantly delay the reimbursement.

In accordance with Internal Revenue Service Guidelines, claims not submitted in a

timely manner may be considered taxable income.

72. Rates

a.

b.

Reimbursement per diem amounts (meals, lodging, and mileage) are located in the

Travel Reimbursement Rate Schedule.

Reimbursement of expenses incurred while on university business is subject to the

limitations in this policy. The limits do not indicate the amounts that should be spent

but provide maximum amounts that can be reimbursed.

73. Receipts

a.

b.

Receipts are required for all expenses exceeding $10 and they must

i. be issued by the vendor,

ii. be legible,

iii. include the amount,

iv. include the date of purchase, and

v. include details of the charges.

Credit card statements or slips do not qualify as a receipt except in the cases of ground

transportation, tolls, baggage fees and parking.

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74. Eligibility

An employee is considered to be on travel status and eligible for reimbursement at the

time of departure from his or her primary work location or residence, whichever is

applicable.

75. Primary Work

Location

a.

b.

c.

The primary work location of an employee is his or her office headquarters or

designated work location. The primary work location is typically the location from

which the employee performs the major portion of his or her assigned duties and

should be identified as the employee's "Primary Office" address in their IRIS record.

The workstation closest to an employee'sresidence should be designated as the

primary work location for an employee with multiple workstations.

All reimbursement should be based upon the employee’s primary work location . An

explanation must be given if the reimbursement is based upon a location other than

the primary work location .

76. Temporary

Assignments

a.

b.

c.

In the event that an employee is temporarily reassigned to a work location other than

his or her usual location, that location shall become the employee's primary work

location .

The employee will not be eligible for reimbursement to the temporary location unless

he or she can demonstrate that by commuting to the temporary location he or she has

incurred additional expense over the cost of the commute to his or her usual primary

work location .

Expenses incurred at an employee's primary work location will not be reimbursed by

the university and are considered personal.

77. Expenses for

Others

If an employee pays expenses associated with another employee, guest or student, the

expenses must be submitted at the same time as their other expenses and each expense

report should reference the other.

78. Scanned

Documents

a.

b.

To reduce costs, improve efficiencies, improve record retention and reduce the

amount of time that it takes to process travel reimbursements, receipts must be

scanned and attached to the reimbursement request. The documents to be attached

include, but are not limited to,

i. worksheets,

ii. conference brochures,

iii. receipts,

iv. instructional notes, and

v. all other pertinent documents supplied by the employee.

Once the reimbursement request has been processed, the scanned, electronic

documents in Concur will serve as the official record for legal and accounting

purposes. The department should keep any paper records until their ledgers have

been reconciled for each trip and then they may be destroyed unless federal funds

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were used to purchase the travel and the granting agency requires the paper

receipts to be retained for longer.

79. Personal

Travel Combined

with Business

Travel

a. When a stay at a business location is extended either prior to or after the business

mission for personal reasons, the entire airfare may be reimbursed. Other expenses

incurred during the personal portion of the stay such as meals, lodging and other

transportation are not reimbursable and the employee should exercise care not to seek

reimbursement for these expenses.

Reward Points

80. Generally

University employees are allowed to earn points and miles associated with airline, hotel

and rental car frequent travel programs for business travel expenses. The university will

not purchase or reimburse employees any costs associated with redeeming and/or

earning these points, even if the redemption is for university business.

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Team and Group Travel

81. Definition

The policy for team and group travel applies when two or moreindividuals are

traveling together on university business.

82. Authorization

for Official

Travel

A single travel request may be executed for out-of-state and international travel. If

known, all individuals traveling in the group must be listed on the travel request or as

an attachment to the request. If a request isn’t required (in-state travel) or the

individuals traveling were unknown when the request was approved, the employees

must be listed on the Travel Expense Report or as an attachment to the Travel Expense

Report.

83.

Transportation

a. Transportation can be provided by contracted service, university motor pool vehicle,

or personal vehicle.

i. Transportation exceeding bid limits must be procured through Procurement

Services, except for commercial airfare.

ii. When necessary to rent a vehicle at an primary work location , actual expenses

will be reimbursed, provided a rejection slip is obtained from the motor pool

and submitted with the Travel Expense Report. If a rejection slip is not

obtained, reimbursement will be the lesser of the actual rental expense or the

amount determined by using the standard mileage rate and the number of

official miles driven.

84. Lodging

Lodging expenses may be billed directly to the university. When these expenses cannot

be billed directly, the person responsible for the trip may obtain a travel card or cash

advance to pay for the lodging. If a hotel or motel requires a purchase order, a

requisition must be submitted directly to the campus purchasing department. The travel

card may be used for payment even if a contract exists.

85. Meals

a. Meals may be procured in one of the methods described below. The amount

distributed may not exceed the amounts shown for meal allowances in the Travel

Reimbursement Rate Schedule. Groups are entitled to a 75% meal per diem for same

day trips.

i. Group meals may be billed directly to the university. The invoice or receipt for

such expenses must identify the group for which the charges are made,

number of meals served, cost per meal, and total amount.

ii. The person responsible for the trip may pay the group meal expenses

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iii.

iv.

v.

personally and request reimbursement by filing a travel expense report. An

invoice or receipt must be attached which identifies the group for which the

charges are made, number of meals served, cost per meal, and total amount.

The person responsible for the trip may obtain a cash advance or a group

travel card to pay for such expenses. See the FI0531Travel Cards FI0530 -

Procurement Cardsfor more information regarding group travel cards.

The person responsible for the trip may obtain a cash advance and distribute

cash to members of the group, including the accompanying staff. The

distribution of cash must be documented by completing a roster. The roster

must contain participants' names, student IDs or employee numbers, and the

amount distributed for each meal. (See example below.) Each individual

receiving cash must sign the roster. The person responsible for the trip must

submit the signed roster with their travel expense report in order to be

reimbursed by the university.

For team travel, funds may be distributed using the university’s pre-paid card

solution. Rosters are not required if the university’s pre-paid debit card

program is used to distribute meal per diems to the group, since the

distribution of the funds is recorded in the pre-paid card system. Pre-paid

debit cards are only available to athletic departments of groups that have the

same students making recurring trips and requiring meal per diems.

86. Sample

Roster

Sample Roster:

Meal Expenses

Name

Student ID or Per No

B

L

D

Total

Signature

Date

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Train Travel

87. Class of

Service

Travel by train is permissible but first class tickets must be processed as an exception

and the business purpose provided.

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Travel Request

88. Authorization

a.

b.

c.

The Travel Request processed in Concur is the official authorization for travel.

Traveling to and from a business meeting or event is limited to one day each way

before and after the event for domestic travel and two days for international trips. The

Travel Request should reflect these dates.

The request should be completed as farin advance of the trip as possible to allow for

proper routing andapproval.

89. In-State

Travel

a.

b.

For most employees, a Travel Request is not required for in-state travel. Some

campuses and units require a travel request for all travel.

If an employee travels into another state and back in the same day, such travel will be

considered in-state for approval and reimbursement purposes, including such travel on

the UT or chartered plane.

90. Out-of-State

Travel

A Travel Request is required for out-of-state travel and must be approved by the the

department head of the employee’s responsible cost center or designee.

91. International

Travel

a.

b.

A Travel Request is required at least 10 business days in advance for all international

travel and must be approved by, the department head, the chief business officer and

the campuses/institutes center for international travel office.

Reimbursement will not be provided without these preauthorizations for international

travel:

i. If the travel is to a county on the Federal Export Control list, the

campus/institute’s export control office must also approve the request.

ii. Campuses may also require additional registration in their international risk

management systems.

92. Officers of

the University

Members of the Board of Trustees and Officers of the University as defined by the

Bylaws of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees do not require authorization

to travel.

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Forms:

•

T-30 Conference and Seminar Registration Prepayment Form

ATTACHMENTS:

•

Per Diems for Travel in Continental U.S. (CONUS)

•

Per Diems for Travel Outside Continental U.S. (OCONUS)

•

Travel Supplements:

o Travel Supplement One (AthleticDepartments)

o Travel Supplement Two (UTPilotsCo-Pilots Crew Members)pplement Two (UTPilots Co-

Pilots Crew Members)

PROCEDURES:

To view links to campus policies and procedures, click here:

https://policy.tennessee.edu/campus-policies-procedures/

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Gayle Stetler(865) 974-2302 bstetler@tennessee.edu

Related Policies: FI0725 - Use of University Vehicles - Use of University Vehicles, BT0003-Policy

Statement on Travel.

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