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Travel Expense Reimbursement

Travel expenses should be submitted as soon as practicable after returning from your trip so that expenses are posted to the award timely.

  • Best practice is within 30 days from your return
  • Expenses submitted after 90 days could result in reimbursements that are taxable to the employee or not chargeable to the award due to award term or lack of funding balances

Travelers must obtain PI or supervisor signature before submitting the Travel Expense Voucher.

Please submit Travel Expense Vouchers electronically to [email protected].

Filling out your voucher

  • Date and Time of Departure and Return: Travel times determine meal per diem eligibility
  • Destination: Enter county; determines which per diem rates to use for your trip
  • Purpose of Trip: Your Travel Expense Voucher should substantiate the need for the travel, including overnights. Elements to include in the purpose of trip:
    • How did your trip benefit the project? Which task were you completing?
    • Did you present results at a conference or participate on a panel?
    • Was it a meeting with project partners?
    • Did you visit state forests or parks? Which ones and what were you looking for?
    • If working on multiple projects, you will need to allocate the costs appropriately
    • Attach an extra sheet if necessary
  • Transportation: The headings of the columns on the travel voucher can be edited to reflect your travel expenses
    • Include: mileage, car rental fuel, tolls, airfare, bus fare, taxis, parking
    • Don’t include: the cost of car rental if it was direct-billed
  • Lodging and Meals: Enter a line for each day of travel including the date, hotel name, amount paid, and allowable meals. Total the line across. Refer to federal per diem rates.
  • Miscellaneous Expenses: There should be very few instances where miscellaneous expenses are incurred. Provide a detailed description and need for the expense, as well as an itemized receipt. Examples include:
    • Conference Registration if paid at the conference location
    • Other Travel – baggage fees

Receipts

Receipts, agendas and email communications substantiate expenses and should include dates and times as appropriate.

Expense Type Documentation Required
Transportation by Common Carrier (e.g., train, bus, airplane, subway) Ticket stub if purchase price is printed on the stub; receipt and ticket stub if purchase price is not printed on the stub
Taxi/Uber/Lyft Receipt/screenshot/email receipt
Rental Car Receipt showing time of return
Tolls - EZ Pass EZ pass statement with applicable charges indicated
Tolls - Cash Receipt
Gas Receipt
Hotels - Receipted (Method 2) Receipt
Miscellaneous and incidental expenses Receipt

 

The Travel Team has the discretion to allow reimbursement if a receipt is missing. If you have lost a receipt and are unable to obtain a copy, include the following details when sending your Travel Expense Voucher:

  • Amount - What was spent
  • Date - When it was spent
  • Place - Where it was spent
  • Business Purpose - Why it was a business expense

This process cannot be used for hotel, airfare, Amtrak, car rental or Uber, as copies can easily be obtained. Credit card statements can be provided to help substantiate your claim. Continued failure to provide receipts may result in possible travel restrictions or non-reimbursement.

Reimbursement Methods

Paper checks are the default payment method for all out-of-pocket expenses. However, employees and students are encouraged to enroll in a separate direct deposit for travel and other expense reimbursements. This is in addition to your direct deposit for payroll.

How to fill in the form:

  • Supplier Name is the traveler’s full name as it appears on their paychecks and reimbursement checks
  • Identifying # is the traveler’s RF employee ID # (username for Self Service)
  • Telephone # should match the traveler’s personal information in the HR system

Timeline for Reimbursement

Allow 3-5 days from the date of submission to [email protected] for campus review of travel documents and entry into the payment system.

Direct Deposit Payments (Employees and Students Only)

Direct deposit payment is the fastest method of reimbursement. Allow an additional 3-5 days after document review for payment processing, for a total of 6-10 days. Traveler’s will receive an automated email when a direct deposit is on its way to their account.

Paper check (Employees and Non-Employees)

The RF uses Key Bank services for paper check preparation and mailing. Checks are issued every Thursday and mailed on Fridays. Allow a week for check issuance and another week for US Postal Service delivery, for a total of 17-19 days from start to finish.

Things that might slow down payment

  • Incomplete details on the Travel Expense Voucher, including missing approvals
  • Missing supporting documentation
  • Award has insufficient funds or is no longer active (submit reports timely)