The State agrees to reimburse employees for actual, necessary
and appropriate business expenses and travel expenses incurred 50 miles or more
from home and headquarters, in accordance with existing DPA rules and set forth
below. Lodging and/or meals provided by the state or included in hotel expenses
or conference fees or in transportation costs such as airline tickets or
otherwise provided shall not be claimed for reimbursement. Snacks and
continental breakfasts such as rolls, juice and coffee are not considered to be
meals. Each item of expenses of $25 or more requires a receipt; receipts may be
required for items of expense that are less than $25. When receipts are not
required to be submitted with the claim, it is the employee’s responsibility to
maintain receipts and records of their actual expenses, and make them available
for audit upon request by their department, state control agencies and/or the
Internal Revenue Service. Each State agency shall determine the necessity for
and method of travel.
A. Meal/Incidentals. Meal expenses for breakfast, lunch and
dinner will be reimbursed in the amount of actual expenses up to the maximums.
Receipts for meals must be maintained by the employee as substantiation that the
amount claimed was not in excess of the amount of the actual expense. The term
"incidentals" includes but is not limited to, expenses for laundry, cleaning and
pressing of clothing, and fees and tips for service, such as for porters and
baggage carriers. It does not include taxicab fares, lodging taxes or the costs
of telegrams or telephone calls.
1. Rates. Actual meal/incidental expenses incurred will be
reimbursed in accordance with the maximum rates and time frame requirements
outlined below.
If the fractional day includes an overnight stay, receipted
lodging may be claimed. No meal or lodging expenses may be claimed or reimbursed
more than once on any given date or during any 24-hour period.
For continuous travel of less than 24 hours, the employee will
be reimbursed for actual expenses up to the maximum as follows:
Travel begins at or before 6 am and ends at or after 9 am:
breakfast may be claimed
Travel begins at or before 4 pm and ends at or after 7 pm:
dinner may be claimed
If the trip extends overnight:
receipted lodging may be
claimed
No lunch or incidentals may be claimed on a trip of less than
24 hours.
B. Lodging. All lodging reimbursement requires a receipt from a
commercial lodging establishment such as a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast inn,
or public campground that caters to the general public. No lodging will be
reimbursed without a valid commercial lodging establishment receipt.
1. Regular State Business Travel:
a. Statewide, in all California locations not listed in b or c
below, for receipted lodging while on travel status to conduct state business,
actual lodging up to $84.00 plus applicable taxes.
b. When employees are required to do business and obtain lodging in the counties of Los Angeles and San Diego,
actual lodging up to $110 plus applicable taxes.
c. When employees are required to do business and obtain lodging
in the counties of Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara,
reimbursement will be for actual receipted lodging to a maximum of $140 plus
applicable taxes.
2. State Sponsored Conferences or Conventions:
a. For receipted lodging while attending state sponsored
conferences and conventions, when the lodging is contracted by the state sponsor
for the event, and the appointing authority has granted prior approval for
attendance and lodging at the contracted rate and establishment.
b. Statewide, with a lodging receipt: Actual lodging up to $110
plus applicable taxes.
3. Non-State Sponsored Conferences or Conventions:
a. For receipted lodging while attending Non-State sponsored
conferences and conventions, when the lodging is contracted by the sponsor for
the event, and the appointing authority has granted prior approval for
attendance and lodging at the contracted rate and establishment.
b. Statewide, with the lodging receipt: Actual lodging when
approved in advance by the appointing authority.
Reimbursement of lodging expenses in excess of specified
amounts, excluding taxes require advance written approval from DPA. DPA may
delegate approval authority to departmental appointing powers or increase the
lodging maximum rate for the geographical area and period of time deemed
necessary to meet the needs of the State. An employee may not claim lodging,
meal or incidental expenses within 50 miles of his/her home or headquarters.
C. Long-term Travel: Actual expenses for long term meals and
receipted lodging will be reimbursed when the employee incurs expenses in one
location comparable to those arising from the use of establishments catering to
the long-term visitor.
1. Full Long-term Travel: In order to qualify for full long-term
travel reimbursement, the employee on long-term field assignment must meet the
following criteria:
• The employee continues to maintain a permanent residence at
the primary headquarters, and
• The permanent residence is occupied by the employee’s
dependents, or
• The permanent residence is maintained at a net expense to the
employee exceeding $200 per month.
The employee on full long-term travel who is living at the
long-term location may claim either:
a. Reimbursement for actual individual expense, substantiated by
receipts, for lodging, water, sewer, gas and electricity, up to a maximum of
$1130 per calendar month while on the long-term assignment, and actual expenses
up to $10.00 for meals and incidentals, for each period of 12 to 24 hours and up
to $5.00 for actual meals and incidentals for each period of less than 12 hours
at the long-term location, or
b. Long-term subsistence rates of $24.00 for actual meals and
incidentals and $24.00 for receipted lodging for travel of 12 hours up to 24
hours; either $24.00 for actual meals or $24.00 for receipted lodging for travel
less than 12 hours when the employee incurs expenses in one location comparable
to those arising from the use of establishments catering to the long-term
visitor.
2. An employee on long-term field assignment who does not
maintain a separate residence in the headquarters area may claim long-term
subsistence rates of up to $12.00 for actual meals and incidentals and $12.00
for receipted lodging for travel of 12 hours up to 24 hours at the long-term
location; either $12.00 for actual meals or $12.00 for receipted lodging for
travel less than 12 hours at the long-term location.
D. Out-of-State Travel: For short-term out-of-state travel,
State employees will be reimbursed actual lodging, supported by a receipt, and
will be reimbursed for actual meal and incidental expenses in accordance with
above. Failure to furnish lodging receipts will limit reimbursement to the
meal/incidental rate above. Long-term out-of-state travel will be reimbursed in
accordance with the provisions of Long-term Travel above.
E. Out of Country Travel: For short-term out of country travel,
State employees will be reimbursed actual lodging, substantiated by a receipt,
and will be reimbursed actual meals and incidentals up to the maximums published
in column B of the Maximum Travel per Diem Allowances for Foreign Areas, Section
925, U.S. Department of State Standardized Regulations and the meal/incidental
breakdown in Federal Travel Regulation Chapter 301, Travel Allowances, Appendix
B. Long-term Out of Country travel will be reimbursed in accordance with the
provisions of Long-term travel above, or as determined by DPA.
Subsistence shall be paid in accordance with procedures
prescribed by the Department of Personnel Administration. It is the
responsibility of the individual employee to maintain receipts for their actual
meal expenses.
F. Transportation: Transportation expenses include, but are not
limited to airplane, train, bus, and taxi fares, rental cars, parking, mileage
reimbursement and tolls that are reasonably and necessarily incurred as a result
of conducting State business. Each State agency shall determine the method of
and necessity for travel. Transportation will be accomplished and reimbursed in
accordance with the best interest of the State. An employee who chooses and is
approved to use an alternate method of transportation will be reimbursed only
for the method that reflects the best interest of the State.
1. Mileage Reimbursement:
a. When an employee is authorized by his/her appointing
authority or designee to operate a privately owned vehicle on State business the
employee will be allowed to claim and be reimbursed at the Federal Standard
Mileage Rate (FSMR). Mileage reimbursement includes all expenses related to the
use, and maintenance of the vehicle, including but not limited to gasoline,
up-keep, wear and tear, tires, and all insurance including liability, collision
and comprehensive coverage; breakdowns, towing and any repairs, and any
additional personal expenses that may be incurred by an individual as a result
of mechanical breakdown or collision.
b. When an employee is required to report to an alternative work
location, the employee may be reimbursed for the number of miles driven in
excess of his/her normal commute.
2. Specialized Vehicles: Employees who must operate a motor
vehicle on official State business and who, because of a physical disability,
may operate only specially equipped or modified vehicles may claim reimbursement
at the FSMR, with certification. Supervisors who approve claims pursuant to this
Subsection have the responsibility of determining the need for the use of such
vehicles.
3. Private Aircraft Mileage: When an employee is authorized by
his/her department, reimbursement for the use of the employee’s privately owned
aircraft on State business shall be made at the rate of 50 cents per statute
mile. Pilot qualifications and insurance requirements will be maintained in
accordance with DPA rule 599.628.1 and the State Office of Risk and Insurance
Management.
4. Mileage to/from a Common Carrier: When the employee’s use of
a privately owned vehicle is authorized for travel to or from a common carrier
terminal, and the employee’s vehicle is not parked at the terminal during the
period of absence, the employee may claim double the number of miles between the
terminal and the employee’s headquarters or residence, whichever is less, while
the employee occupies the vehicle. Exception to "whichever is less": If the
employee begins travel one hour or more before he/she normally leaves his/her
home, or ends travel one hour or more after the end of the work day or travel
occurs on a regularly scheduled day off, mileage may be computed from/to his/her
residence.
G. Receipts: Receipts or vouchers shall be submitted for every
item of expense of $25 or more. In addition, receipts are required for every
item of transportation and business expense incurred as a result of conducting
State business except for actual expenses as follows:
1. Railroad and bus fares of less than $25.00 when travel is
wholly within the State of California.
2. Street car, ferry fares, bridge and road tolls, local rapid
transit system, taxi, shuttle or hotel bus fares, and parking fees of $10.00 or
less for each continuous period of parking or each separate transportation
expense noted in this item.
3. Telephone, telegraph, tax or other business charges related
to State business of $5.00 or less.
4. In the absence of a receipt, reimbursement will be limited to
the non-receipted amount above.
5. Reimbursement will be claimed only for the actual and
necessary expenses noted above. Regardless of the above exceptions, the
approving officer may require additional certification and/or explanation in
order to determine that an expense was actually and reasonably incurred. In the
absence of a satisfactory explanation, the expense shall not be allowed.
H. Overtime Meal Allowance: An overtime meal allowance up to
$7.50 will only be provided when an employee is required to work two (2)
consecutive hours prior to or two (2) consecutive hours after the regular work
shift. To be eligible for an over-time meal allowance on a holiday or regular
day off, employees must work the total number of hours of their regular work
shift and work either two (2) consecutive hours prior to or two (2) consecutive
hours after the start or end of their regular work shift.
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