Conference/Workshop/Training Expense Guide

Scope

• This document outlines the requirements that must be met when using WESD funds to request reimbursement for conferences and other related expenses according to employee’s respective CBA.  It also outlines the process for submitting items to accounts payable for processing.

Responsibility

• It is the responsibility of the employee to obtain prior approval for:
  • Conference registration
  • Conference reimbursement
  • Conference travel
  • Out-of-state conferences
• It is the responsibility of the employee to turn in all required, itemized receipts and documentation within 60 days per Board Policy DLC-AR.

• All regular employees may apply for reimbursement if the conference is directly related to the employee’s position or professional development goals.
• All regular employees whose job duties require them to either attend or present at conferences.

• Immediate Supervisor
• Department Director
• Director of Human Resources
• Superintendent as applicable

• 60 Day Deadline:  A claim must be submitted no later than 60 calendar days of incurring the expense per Board Policy DLC-AR.
• Agenda:  An outline describing the time, date, and activities of the conference.
• Certify: Expense reimbursement software located at www.certify.com.
• CBA: Collective Bargaining Agreement between employee unions and WESD; employees should refer to their CBA for benefits (licensed, classified, administrator).
• Claimant:  The person requesting reimbursement or per diem.
• Conference:  Usually large events in which the attendees have a common field, goal, or purpose. Conferences are day-long or multi-day events that include speakers, training and/or workshops.
• Direct Pay: Payment made directly to a vendor (instead of a reimbursement to an employee).
• Employee Requested: A conference, workshop and/or training an employee requests to attend, not required by the employer.
• Employer Required: A conference, workshop and/or training an employee is required to attend by their employer.
• Fees: A sum paid or charged, such as a workbook fee.
• Flight Itinerary: Airline booking document with flight details.
• Folio: A hotel folio contains all transactions, both cash and credit incurred by the traveler.
• GSA Rate: The current GSA (General Services Administration) rate for your destination.
• Invoice:  An itemized bill for goods sold or services provided, containing individual prices, the total charge, and the terms.
• Itemized Receipt: Proof of payment with ALL of the following information on it: 
  • Business Name 
  • Date
  • Item(s) Purchased
  • Price of Each Item
  • Total Amount of Bill 
  • Method of Payment
• Mileage: Mileage claimed for conference related travel (rental car mileage excluded), reimbursed at GSA rate – see section 7.3.2 for appropriate coding.
• Per Diem: A daily allowance for meal expenses based on the GSA rate of your destination
• Registration: A document verifying that the employee has registered.
• Reimbursement: Payment to an employee for an out-of-pocket expense and/or per diem
• Statement: Document issued to a customer, listing transactions over a given period, normally monthly. It will include details of invoices, payments received and any credits approved with a resultant balance payable by the customer.
• Training: Events in which a speaker(s) imparts knowledge to an audience that may or may not be agency employees.
• Workshop: Events in which the attendees work to accomplish specific stated goals.

• Licensed Employees
  • PRIOR approval is required.
  • The Tuition, Conference & Workshop Pre-Authorization Form must be completed and signed by the employee’s supervisor, the department director and Director of Human Resources. The form can be found on the Human Resources webpage.
  • Licensed employees may request conference reimbursement according to the terms of the Licensed CBA that can be found on the Human Resources webpage.
• Classified Employees
  • PRIOR approval is required.
  • The Tuition, Conference & Workshop Pre-Authorization Form must be completed and signed by the employee’s supervisor, the department director and Director of Human Resources. The form can be found on the Business Services webpage.
  • Classified employees may request conference reimbursement according to the terms of the Classified CBA that can be found on the Human Resources webpage.
• Administrative Employees
  • PRIOR approval is required.
  • The administrator is responsible for monitoring that expenditures do not exceed the professional development allocation and obtaining any required approvals necessary.

• Documentation
  • All documents must be scanned and uploaded into the employee’s Certify account by category.
  • The following documentation is required for all staff:
    • Fully signed Tuition, Conference & Workshop Pre-Authorization Form
    • Conference agenda
    • Original itemized receipts/hotel folio for all reimbursement requests
• Related documentation as applicable
  • Registration
    • Invoice or receipt
  • Transportation
    • Airfare
      • Flight Itinerary - with traveler name(s), dates, departure and arrival time, destination, price of flight, return departure and arrival time, luggage fees
    • Mileage
      • Must be submitted through Certify
    • Rental Car
      • Invoice or receipt
        • Rental agreement
    • Parking
      • Receipt with date and amount paid
    • Fuel (Rental Car Only)
      • Receipt with date and amount paid
    • Taxi/Shuttle
      • Receipt with date and amount paid
  • Lodging
    • Itemized receipt/hotel folio obtained at check out with traveler’s name, dates of stay,
      itemized charges payment type and amount
    • Must not exceed GSA Rate unless: 
      • It is the conference hotel with a block of rooms
      • There is a compelling reason
        Documentation is required for both of the above if GSA Rate is exceeded
  • Per Diem
    • Must be submitted through Certify
      • Time of departure & return are required on first and last day of travel
        • Initial Day of Travel (leave)
          • Prior to 6:00am: 100%
          • 6:00am to Noon: 75%
          • 12:01pm to 6:00pm: 50%
          • After 6:00pm: 25%
        • Final Day of Travel (return)
          • Prior to 6:00am: 25%
          • 6:00am to Noon: 50%
          • 12:01pm to 6:00pm: 75%
          • After 6:00pm: 100%
      • Use current GSA Rate of your destination to claim reimbursement – do not submit meal receipts
        • Deduct per diem for any meal provided at conference or hotel
          • Example: You leave to go to a conference at 8 am.  The original per diem rate is $51 per day (found on the GSA website): Lunch is 25% ($12.75), Dinner is 50% ($25.50).  You are only eligible for up to 75% of the per diem rate based on leaving at 8 am.  Your new per diem rate is $38.25.  You’re not eligible for breakfast, and lunch was provided at the conference, so you only had to purchase dinner.  Any provided meals must be subtracted from the new per diem first; the amount left over is the allowable per diem for your meal.  Subtracting lunch ($12.75) from the new per diem ($38.25) leaves $25.50, meaning you can receive the full dinner amount.
            • Original Per Diem: $51
            • New Per Diem (75%): $38.25
            • Lunch (25% of original per diem): $12.75
            • Dinner (50% of original per diem): $25.50

Combining Business Travel with Personal Travel

• Refer to Travel Expense Guide and Board PolicyTravel Advances

Refer to Travel

• Expense Guide and Board Policy

Associated Documents

• Licensed and Classified Bargaining Agreements

• Licensed Tuition, Conference & Workshop Pre-Authorization Form

• Classified Tuition, Conference & Workshop Pre-Authorization Form

• Administrator Tuition, Conference & Workshop Pre-Authorization Form

• Board Policies:

  • DLC-AR

  • DJ-AR