[IGPP Everyone] Annual Travel Reminder

[Richard Fort]

As the annual AGU travel mess begins, I thought it would be a good time to send an update & reminder about travel policy & procedure. 

First, I have updated my reimbursement claim form to eliminate the rules (which apparently no one reads anyway judging by compliance), and to make a few other minor changes & updates. It also has the current mileage rate. The form is attached, and also available here: http://epss.ucla.edu/resources/forms/ (I'll try to keep this one up to date). You can use other forms, or older versions of forms, but I greatly prefer that you use my current one for efficiency. 

Please see the reminder below about the recent University-wide changes to lower limits on lodging and meals & incidentals (tips) for travel within the continental US. 

Reminder of the most common problems encountered with reimbursements: 

- Mixing personal and business travel 

- Lack of proper receipts--need to show itemized detail of what was purchased, show who paid, how much, and how it was paid. Hotel receipts should show a zero balance. 

- Package deals where multiple things (like airfare, lodging and/or car rental) are purchased together 

- Paying for someone else's travel costs 

- Driving long distances to a location where air travel is available, with no business reason for doing so 

- Purchasing unallowable optional items (such as fees for a better seat, insurance for a rental car) 

- Waiting too long to submit your claim without a valid reason 

Good luck, 
Rick 



From: "express" <express at finance.ucla.edu> 
To: "express" <express at finance.ucla.edu> 
Sent: Thursday, December 7, 2017 5:25:45 PM 
Subject: Reminder: Meals and Lodging Limit Changes 

Hello Express Users, 

This is a reminder about the recent policy changes announced by UC Office of the President, which include the two travel related changes listed below. These changes were effective October 15, 2017. 

Meals and Incidentals Expenses (M&IE) - NEW LIMIT of $62 

Effective for travel occurring on or after October 15, 2017, the new M&IE cap is $62/day. Please note that, as with the previous policy, this amount is the maximum allowed. Reimbursement is limited to actual amounts expended if under $62/day. Travelers should be required to submit meal receipts if it appears that they are treating the cap as a per diem by routinely claiming the full M&IE amount. 

Continental US (CONUS) Lodging Expenses - NEW CAP of $275 nightly rate 

Effective for travel occurring on or after October 15, 2017, daily hotel rates are capped at $275 per night for trips within the lower 48 states, before taxes and other hotel fees. If the traveler is unable to secure lodging at $275 per night or less, the traveler must submit additional documentation such as price comparisons within the proximity of the meeting location that supports the higher lodging rate incurred. The price comparisons should be performed at the time of booking. 

A traveler who is required to attend a conference where the prearranged conference lodging rate exceeds the $275 per night cap may stay at the conference hotel without exceptional approval. 

Thank you, 
UCLA Travel Accounting 



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