335City of Anaheim Administrative Regulation
CHAPTER 3 - FINANCE
Subject: Travel and Meeting Expense A.R. 335
Allowance Issue Date: Aug. 20, 1990
Revised: May 1999
Sept.17, 2003
Page (1) of (4)
Purpose:
The purpose of this Administrative Regulation is to establish uniform policies and
procedures concerning expenses incurred by City employees while traveling or attending
events on City business.
Procedures:
Advance payments:
Advance payments may be requested from the Accounting Division when the estimated
expense for contemplated travel is $100 or greater, but in no event, greater than $750
without City Manager's Office approval. Requests for advance payments, with an
itemized list of estimated expenses, shall be submitted on the Expense Claim form
"STOR 5" and be received by the Accounting Division at least three (3) days prior to the
event It must have the approval of the Executive or Administrative Manager of the
requesting department and the Finance Director or his designee. Funds will be released
no more than five (5) days prior to the event or trip departure date.
Travel advances will not be issued to employees to whom City Purchasing Cards have
been issued.
All advance payments for travel and/or event expenses must be reconciled on the
approved Expense Claim form "ACC-14" following the procedures set forth in the
Reimbursement Section of this Administrative Regulation. Approval of an advance
payment does not constitute approval of the funds -- this approval is made when the
Expense Claim reconciliation is submitted. Employees are responsible for reimbursing
the City for any funds advanced that do not receive subsequent approval as specified in
the Reimbursement Section.
All Expense Claims for the settlement of advance payments shall be submitted to the
Accounting Division within five (5) working days after the trip or event. Expense Claims
reconciling an advance payment should not include expenses unrelated to that event or
trip.
Advance checks will be made payable to the employee only. Payment to third parties
must be requested on a separate Request for Check Form.
City of Anaheim Administrative Regulation 335
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Expenses Approved for Reimbursement:
The following expense classifications are for information and guidance of City officials
and employees in determining expenses that are appropriate when traveling on City
business. The list is intended as a guide and is not necessarily all-inclusive. Discretion is
allowed the Finance Department in approving travel and event expenses in order to
provide for unusual circumstances.
Items specifically prohibited include purchase of personal items, alcoholic beverages and
entertainment, unless such items are necessary in the conduct of business away from the
City. Expenses incurred by members of the employee's family are not reimbursable with
the exception of a spouse's registration at business -related conference activities and the
incremental cost for a double room to accommodate a spouse.
Transportation:
Economy class airfare will be considered the standard means of travel. Receipts for major
transportation expenditures, including taxis, limousine and shuttle service must be
obtained and submitted with the Expense Claim. In the event the airline is offering a
"super saver" fare by extending a trip to include a Saturday night stay, reimbursement for
the meals and lodging for the additional day(s) may be approved provided the cost of the
extra meals and lodging, combined with the "super saver" fare does not exceed the cost of
the normal airfare. Further, the cost savings by extending the trip must be clearly
identified in the reconciliation on the bottom of the Expense Claim.
Use of personal vehicles may be approved when the convenience of the employee and/or
the City is served. When personal automobiles are approved as a mode of travel, a flat
rate per mile, as established by the City Council, will be allowed. However, the total
allowance for transportation shall, in no case, exceed the cost of economy class airfare
when such service is available. If economy class airfare is not available, the Accounting
Division shall determine the allowance for use of the personal vehicle.
All requests for mileage reimbursement shall be at the current approved mileage rate and
shall include the date, point of departure, point of destination, and actual miles traveled.
Actual miles traveled shall be measured from the worksite-to the destination -to the
worksite or home -to the destination -to home, whichever is the lesser of the two.
City of Anaheim Administrative Regulation 335
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The instances where use of personal car for out-of-state travel is allowed for the
convenience of the employee, lodging, meals and other expenses will be allowed on the
same basis as if the employee had traveled by air. Travel time will also be allowed on the
same basis as if the employee had traveled by air. The employee will charge to the City
only the time that would have been required to make the trip using air transportation. All
time used in excess of air travel time will be charged to vacation.
If rental cars are used, adequate justification, plus a receipt, shall be submitted with the
Expense Claim.
Travel in City vehicles may be approved under certain circumstances. If the employee
using the City vehicle is not a purchasing cardholder, a gasoline credit card may be
obtained from the Finance Director's Office for the purchase of gasoline, oil, and other
routine supplies. Amounts charged on the gasoline credit card should not be entered on
the Expense Claim, but a notation "City vehicle used" should be made. If emergency
repairs are necessary, the gasoline credit card should be used if possible, or the person to
whom the car is assigned should pay the repair bill. Receipts for such payments must be
submitted on an Expense Claim Form in order to obtain reimbursement.
Lodging
Expenses will be allowed for adequate lodging. Hotel accommodations should be
appropriate to the purpose of the trip. Many hotels offer up to fifty percent discounts to
Governmental agencies. Inquiries should be made as to whether such discounts are
available prior to making reservations. Receipts for lodging are required to be submitted
with the Expense Claim Form. When more than one employee shares the same room, the
employee submitting the Expense Claim Form shall include name(s) of other
employee(s) to justify charges.
Telephone:
Telephone expenses will be allowed for official City business.
Meals:
Expenses for meals will be reimbursed at actual costs. Expense claims for meals for
people other than the claimant shall include the following information:
1. Date expense incurred
2. Parties participating
3. Purpose of meeting
Claimants must submit a receipt as documentation for any meal that exceeds $25 and are
encouraged to submit receipts for all expenditures, including those less than $25.
City of Anaheim Administrative Regulation 335
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Reimbursement:
Expense Claims for other than settlement of travel advances shall be submitted on
Expense Claim form "STOR-5" on a timely basis to the Accounting Division by the
Department/Division Head who approves the Expense Claim forms. Such Expense
Claims totaling less than $100 should be processed out of Petty Cash accounts (see A. R.
340).
Expense Claims and settlement of travel advances for trips shall be made on form "ACC-
14", which will provide detailed information for all expenses incurred by the claimant.
No reimbursement will be made or travel advance settled until the Expense Claim has
been completed and approved by the employee's Executive or Administrative Manager
and the Finance Department. The Executive or Administrative Manager shall review the
statement for reasonableness and the claim shall be reviewed by the Finance Department
for accuracy of all figures and compliance with the regulations provided in the A.R.
Purchasing Card Holders:
Employees traveling on City business and using a City issued purchasing card do not
submit travel expenses on an Expense Report Form. Trip expenses paid for using the
purchasing card will appear on the cardholder's monthly statement. The business purpose
of the trip must be included in the backup to the monthly statement and authorized by the
cardholder's supervisor along with all other charges on the monthly statement.
Separate rules and procedures governing the use of the purchasing card can be found in
the Purchasing Card Program Policy and Instruction Manual. This manual is assigned to
each cardholder at the time the purchasing card is issued to the cardholder.
Attachments: None