Scope: This document outlines the requirements for using WESD funds for business travel purposes, including conferences and workshops. For more detailed information on WESD travel policies, please refer to WESD Board Policy DLC-AR.
Responsibility: A WESD Pre-Authorization form is required when the total expense is expected to exceed $250. It is the responsibility of the employee to obtain PRIOR approval for:
Conference travel
Out-of-state conferences
Conference/Training/Workshop registration
Definitions
60 Day Deadline: A claim must be submitted no later than 60 calendar days after incurring the expense per Board Policy DLC-AR.
Block Rate: A discounted price for a group of hotel rooms set aside for a conference.
CBA: Collective Bargaining Agreement between employee unions and WESD. Refer to the CBA for benefits, located on the Human Resources webpage.
CTM: Corporate Travel Management is a travel agent available to WESD employees for searching and making flight reservations.
Conference: Typically, large events where attendees share a common field or purpose. Conferences are day-long or multi-day events that include speakers, training and/or workshops.
Day Travel: Travel to a one day or less conference when no overnight travel is needed. No meal reimbursements or per diem is available for day travel.
Direct Pay: Payment made directly to a vendor (instead of a reimbursement to an employee).
Employee Requested: A conference, workshop, or training that an employee seeks to attend to improve their knowledge, skills, or abilities relevant to their job. This may also include training aimed at maintaining licensure necessary for their specific field of work.
Essential Training/Required: A conference, workshop, or training that provides essential skills or knowledge directly relevant to an employee’s job responsibilities. This requirement differs from activities that merely enhance general knowledge, skills, or abilities. This category also includes scenarios where it is essential for a staff member to conduct presentations, staff recruitment, or service promotion, as well as any situation in which attendance is required by the employee’s supervisor.
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 rate for your travel expenses as decided by the General Services Administration (GSA). The GSA establishes per diem and reimbursement rates for government employees to remote efficient operations.
Invoice: An itemized bill for goods sold or services provided, containing individual prices, the total charge, and the terms
Lodging: Acceptable conference lodging refers to the conference hotel or other commercial hotel if conference hotel is fully booked. Non-commercial private residences such as Airbnb, VRBO, Condo’s etc. are not encouraged but may be allowed with supervisor approval.
Mileage: Mileage claimed for conference or work-related travel (rental car mileage excluded), reimbursed at GSA rate.
Out-of-state Travel: Travel to a different state for WESD business.
Per diem: A fixed daily allowance for meal and incidental 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.
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.
Private Vehicle Use for Travel
When conducting WESD business that requires travel (excluding flights), private vehicles (as opposed to WESD-owned) may only be used with prior program administrator approval. Approval may be granted by the program administrator for individual trips or blanket approval, as deemed appropriate.
All WESD employees operating private vehicles on approved WESD business are required to
Rental Vehicle Use for Travel
All WESD employees operating private vehicles on approved WESD business are required to maintain liability insurance that meets or exceeds Oregon statutory minimum limits.
Employees must use, within reason, the most economical rental vehicle.
WESD carries rental car coverage as part of its agency insurance policy. If coverage is not available, employees will be notified and authorized to purchase insurance coverage from the rental agency at WESD expense.
Additional rental fees such as insurance (when not notified by WESD) or upgrades are the responsibility of the employee.
More information about vehicle use can be found in Board Policy DLC-AR.
Initial Day of Travel – Leave
Prior to 6:00 AM: 100%
6:00 AM to 12:00 PM: 75%
12:01 PM to 6:00 PM: 50%
After 6:00 PM: 25%
Final Day of Travel – Return
Prior to 6:00 AM: 25%
6:00 AM to Noon: 50%
12:01 PM to 6:00 PM: 75%
After 6:00 PM: 100%
Commercial Travel
Reservations are made by the employee, or by someone designated within their department.
Flight reservations are encouraged to be made through Corporate Travel Management (CTM) and are automatically charged to WESD’s corporate account.
Employee must use, within reason, the most economical means of transportation.
For commercial flights, this will typically mean booking flights out of Portland International Airport (PDX). Alternative airports may be used when the overall cost to the district would be less expensive than using PDX (including airfare, mileage reimbursement, and parking).
For commercial flights, “main cabin” ticketing is allowed. Additionally, WESD will cover the cost of a carry-on (if not included) and the first checked bag. Fees for extras such as additional personal luggage, seat assignments or seat upgrades, and travel insurance are the employee’s responsibility. Exceptions can be made by the employee’s supervisor for Human Resources Department approved ADA accommodations or in response to a signed doctor’s note requiring a temporary accommodation.
Due to state ethics laws, employees are not permitted to personally benefit from travel points or rewards through personal credit cards and travel accounts when traveling for WESD business purposes.
Per Diem
When an employee is traveling, the allowable per diem amount is based on GSA rate and not an actual meal cost. Do not turn in receipts for reimbursement.
Meals not involving overnight travel will not be reimbursed unless the meal occurred during an official district business meeting. An official district business meeting is defined as two or more employees or persons assembled for the benefit of the district, to conduct official district business. Official district meetings include conferences, trainings, workshops, testing, seminars, and other similar gatherings to conduct official district business. A travel expense report must be submitted when requesting reimbursement. The report will include:
Names of guests
Organizations involved
Full explanation of the district business purpose of the meeting
Breakfasts provided by the hotel are not deducted from the per diem amount calculation.
Meals provided by a conference are to be deducted from the per diem amount calculation. (see below)
A travel advance may be requested when there are a financial need and the estimated cost for per diem exceeds $100. In the event of loss, the employee is personally responsible for the cash advance issued.
More information about per diem can be found in Board Policy DLC-AR.
Lodging
If available, block rate rooms are preferred. Otherwise, refer to the GSA lodging rate for your destination. When reasonable accommodations within the GSA lodging rate cannot be found, use the most economical accommodation that is reasonable and include a note with the travel documentation explaining why it was necessary to exceed the GSA rate.
Employees are not to share a room with another employee unless they are related or reside in the same household. Persons sharing lodging with a non-employee will be reimbursed for the allowed lodging single room rate expenses for that location (conference rate, if applicable).
Call the Executive Director of Human Resources or the Executive Director of Business Services if an emergency exception is needed.
Reservations may be made prior to approval only if there is a no cancellation fee. When reservations are made prior to approval, any cancellation fee is the responsibility of the employee except in special cases outside the employee’s control, such as:
Conference is canceled
Employee is unexpectedly required to be at work during the conference time
Serious illness (the illness needs to qualify for OFLA, FMLA or PLO and may require a doctor’s note
Because of increased risks associated with home-sharing services like Airbnb and VRBO, their use is not encouraged; however, they are allowed with supervisor approval. Employees are not to share a rental with another employee unless they are related or reside in the same household. Regardless of the number of employees utilizing the rental, reimbursement will be limited to the GSA lodging rate (the rate is inclusive of any costs related to home-sharing services and cleaning fees but excluding taxes). Payment will always be on a reimbursement basis.
Combining Business Travel with Personal Travel
Combining approved WESD and personal travel is discouraged.
Expenses incurred as a part of personal business are the sole responsibility of the traveler.
Documentation must be included showing comparison of business travel only costs versus combined business and personal travel costs.
When personal travel is combined with approved WESD business travel, and the individual is traveling by less than the most expeditious and cost-effective manner, any additional costs must be paid by the traveler.
Time away from work caused by traveling by less than the most expeditious means available for personal purposes must be charged to vacation or other appropriate leave.
Employee Requested Travel is arranged by the employee and all expenses are reimbursement based.
The same WESD agency travel rules associated with Employer Required travel apply to Employee Requested (e.g. GSA limits).
No reimbursement will be made if the employee does not fully participate in the approved conference/training/workshop except in special cases outside the employee’s control, such as:
Conference is canceled
Employee is unexpectedly required to be at work during the conference time
Schedule adjustments are not approved for employee requested training.
Serious illness (the illness needs to qualify for OFLA, FMLA, or PLO and may require a doctor’s note).
Associated Documents
Licensed and Classified Bargaining Agreements
Licensed Conference & Workshop Pre-Authorization Form
Classified Conference & Workshop Pre-Authorization Form
Administrator/Non-Represented Conference & Workshop Pre- Authorization Form
