Purpose:
To explain District policy on travel expenditures

Scope:
This Policy applies to all personnel and any person being sponsored by the District.

Policy:
Salton Community Services District recognizes the necessity for its board members and employees to travel to conduct business, training, or attend meetings. This document is intened to clarify what is the District's responsibility and to provide guidelines to its employees and board members.

1. The manager of that particular program shall pre-approve any traveling or expense related to traveling whenever possible.
2. The request should be made in writing, dated and signed by the parties making such a request.
3. Under normal conditions those expenses should be budgeted in that program.
4. For non-budgeted travel the General Manager or his/her designee shall have the authority to approve or deny any request made.
5. Request should include cost of transportation, hotel, meals, vehicle rental, parking and incidentals.
6. If the person wants to travel by his/her personal vehicle they must receive pre-approval by the manager of that program.
7. If the distance travel is greater than 700 miles round trip, it is expected that the employee will travel by air. However if the employee wants to use her/his own vehicle they can with the approval of the program manager. Unless other arrangements are made the employee will only receive payment for expenses equal to the lesser cost for traveling.
8. 24-hour and 40-hour employees who qualify for overtime will be paid for the actual hours while in attendance of the class or meeting. For attendance at conferences overtime will be a maximum of 8 hours per day unless the actual hours exceed those hours and will be paid on an hour- for- hour basis.
9. On days for traveling employees will be paid for actual travel time outside of their normal work hours. This will include 1 and ½ hours on either side of their flight time for a total of 3 hours.
10. The exception for this is if the employee decides to use his or her own vehicle instead of using air travel the overtime will be compensated for the equivalent of air travel time plus 3 hours.
11. On meetings that start before 9 am the District will allow the employee to travel the night before if the distance is greater than 200 miles.
12. If the reason for travel ends prior to 6 pm and the travel distance is less than 500 miles it is expected that the employee will return on that day. In the event of any unforeseen circumstances, the Division Chief must be contacted.
13. If there are any questions about what is covered make sure to ask and get approval prior to incurring the expense.
14. Reimbursement for traveling by personal vehicle will be at the standard IRS mileage rate.
15. Per Diem - $46.00 per day for meals for one-day travel or more. For less then one day travel, meal expense compensation shall be $8.00 for breakfast $12.00 lunch, $ 20.00 for dinner and $6.00 incidentals. This per diem shall not include the purchase of alcoholic beverages.
16. Employees will have a choice to either be paid up front the per diem rate prior to leaving or be paid back for actual expenditures based on receipts up to the per diem rate listed in O.
17. All travel and lodging arrangements should be made through the administration office.
18. A request for use of the District’s credit card should be made through your program manager to the administration.