[IGPP Everyone] Travel Policy & Procedure Updates

[Richard Fort]

With the AGU meeting taking place next week, I thought this would be a good time to remind everyone of the rules & submission information for travel reimbursements through IGPP. 
The attached file has both the rules and claim forms. Note there are two pages needed when submitting reimbursements: request form and cost detail form. 
I am fully aware that there is a lot of information provided there. It was not my intent to overwhelm you, but rather provide it there as a reference to both frequent and infrequent travelers. 

Here are some extremely important changes to travel policy & procedures since the last time this information was last sent out in the summer of 2013: 

- Auditors are requiring more justification for travel to meetings which are not regular academic conferences, so please provide a meeting agenda or invitation to the meeting, along with a specific justification of why you were required to travel to the meeting. 

- Dollar Rent a Car and Thrifty Car Rental have recently been added to the University's rental car contracts (joining Hertz, Enterprise and National). 
This is quite new and I do not know their contract numbers when renting with them directly. However, renting from these companies at the contracted rates including insurance is available through Connexxus or the agents at the UC Travel Center. 

- The State of California is no longer providing access to the changeable & refundable contracted "State Fare" (YCAL and VCAL) airfares to University travelers. 
The University is trying to negotiate similar type of airfares with Virgin America and/or jetBlue, but there is no indication when this will be finalized. 

- The University is strongly discouraging use of peer-to-peer travel providers, such as AirBnB and Uber, on business travel due to legal & liability issues. 
Formal guidelines are being developed at the systemwide level for a future policy update. In the meantime, please do not use these companies when on UC business. 

- Finally, an IRS regulation concerning mixing of business and personal foreign travel is now being strictly enforced. If you plan a foreign trip with more personal days than business days, please see me to discuss solutions and/or implications. 
This rule is too complex to explain fully, but, in brief, if a foreign trip has more personal days than business days, then some of your expenses may be paid as income, with tax withheld, instead of being reimbursed in full. Please avoid this situation at all costs. 

As always, please see me for any questions. 
Thanks, 
Rick 




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