4440 - JOB-RELATED EXPENSES

The Board will provide for the payment of the actual and necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, which have been previously approved of any support staff member of the District reasonably and necessarily incurred in the course of performing services for the District, whether within or outside the District, under the direction of the Board and in accordance with the District Administrator's administrative guidelines.

District personnel and officials who wish to be reimbursed for expenses incurred while carrying out official, authorized duties, must submit an expense voucher as follows:

1. Professional and support staff must submit vouchers to their immediate supervisor.
2. The District Administrator must submit vouchers to the Director of Business Services.
3. Other administrators and Board members must submit vouchers to the District Administrator.

Whenever a staff member is unable to provide appropriate expense documentation, they may be reimbursed in an amount not to exceed $50 upon written approval of the expenses by the District Administrator.

The Board shall pay the expenses of professional staff members when they attend professional meetings approved in accordance with the policy of this Board and in accordance with the administrative guidelines of the District Administrator.

Employees are expected to exercise the same care incurring travel expenses that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business and expending personal funds. Unauthorized costs and additional expenses incurred for personal preference or convenience will not be reimbursed.

Unauthorized expenses include but are not limited to alcohol, movies, fines for traffic violations, and the entertainment/meals/lodging of spouses or guests.

Payment and reimbursement rates for per diem meals, lodging, and mileage shall be adjusted annually. The District shall establish mileage rates not exceeding the Federal Internal Revenue Service prescribed mileage rate.

Meals & Incidentals:

Daily meal and incidental expense per diems are prescribed by the General Service Administration (GSA) for the location of expense. If the expense location is not listed, the standard rate for the location will apply unless you are in a high cost county. Current Wisconsin domestic per diem rates range from $68 (standard rate) to $80 depending on the location of the expense.

If a conference or event provided meal occurs on a day when per diem is allowed, including first/last days of travel, the meal portion of the per diem is prorated (20% breakfast, 30% lunch, 50% dinner) to exclude any provided meal.

Employees shall not be reimbursed for breakfast if they leave home after 7:00 a.m. or for lunch, if they return home before noon, or for dinner if they return home before 7:00 p.m. 

Tips should not exceed twenty percent (20%) of meal costs. Tips may be charged back to the District.

If the meals eaten exceed the per diem allowance the extra expense may be reimbursed providing documentation is submitted to support the additional charges and a rationale explaining the excess cost is provided. Deviation from the above per diem schedule is allowable only if approved by the District Administrator or his/her designee.

Lodging:

Only the actual lodging expenses, plus tax, are allowable. Receipts for lodging expenses shall be required. Lodging expense is not to exceed the lowest single room rate charged by the hotel or other lodging establishment. If the least expensive single room rate is not available, a moderate-priced room rate shall be accepted providing the hotel or other lodging establishment states on its billing that this is the lowest rate available. Lodging should be reserved in advance. When an employee or Board member shares a room with a non-employee or non-Board member (e.g. spouse, family member, friend), the district shall reimburse the employee or Board member at the single room rate only. The single room rate must be put on the receipt by the hotel or other lodging establishment. When two or more employees or Board members share a room, the amount to be reimbursed each employee or Board member shall be the proportionate share of the total bill.

Travel:

Commercial airfare costs in excess of the basic least expensive unrestricted accommodations class offered by commercial airlines are unallowable except when such accommodations would 1) require circuitous routing; 2) require travel during unreasonable hours; 3) excessively prolong travel; 4) result in additional costs that would offset the transportation savings; or 5) offer accommodations not reasonably adequate for the traveler’s medical needs. Instances of commercial airfare cost in excess of the basic least expensive unrestricted accommodations class must be justified and documented on a case-by-case basis.

Travel payment and reimbursement provided from Federal funds must be authorized in advance and must be reasonable and consistent with the District’s travel policy and administrative guidelines. For travel paid for with Federal funds, the travel authorization must include documentation that demonstrates that 1) the participation in the event by the individual traveling is necessary to the Federal award; and 2) the costs are reasonable and consistent with the District’s travel policy.

All travel shall comply with the travel procedures and rates established in the administrative guidelines. All costs incurred with Federal funds must meet the cost allowability standards within Board Policy 6110 - Grant Funds.

To the extent that the District’s policy does not establish the allowability of a particular type of travel cost, the rates and amounts established under 5 U.S.C. 5701-11, ("Travel and Subsistence Expenses; Mileage Allowances"), or by the Administrator of General Services, or by the President (or designee), must apply to travel under Federal awards.

T.C. 10/23/23
T.C. 3/11/24
T.C. 7/23/24
Revised 1/7/25
T.C. 10/1/25

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