FILE: DJD
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
The Orleans Parish School Board shall reimburse employees and School Board members for expenses incurred while on official School Board business, within budgetary limitations. Travel expenses shall be limited to those expenses necessarily incurred by employees or School Board members in the performance of official responsibilities as may be authorized by the School Board or the Superintendent. Reimbursement of expenses shall be based on submission of the forms and documentation designated for that purpose as required by and in accordance with approved administrative procedures. Such expenses may be approved and incurred in line with budgetary allocations for the specific type of expense.
All out-of-state travel by employees shall be approved in advance by the Superintendent or his/her designee. Travel rates for employees and School Board members shall be in accordance with rates authorized by the Louisiana Travel Guide.
All employees who use their private vehicles for official School Board business shall be required to carry liability insurance. When a private vehicle is used for official School Board duties, mileage shall be reimbursed based on the rate authorized by the Louisiana Travel Guide. In no case shall an employee be allowed mileage or transportation reimbursement when the employee has been gratuitously transported by another person.
Claims for reimbursement of out-of-parish/out-of-state travel expense shall be submitted for payment on or before the last day of the month following the month for which travel expenses were incurred. Failure to submit the necessary paperwork and/or documentation in a timely manner may result in non-payment of expenses for that month. In the event any employee is unable to report his/her travel before the end of the reporting period, the Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall approve any extension of the reporting date on a monthly basis.
Any employee or School Board member who submits a false or fraudulent travel claim shall be subject to disciplinary action and shall be reported to the appropriate criminal authorities. The School Board shall be entitled to restitution.
TRAVEL REGULATIONS
Administrative regulations and procedures governing travel reimbursement, allowances, and standard round-trip mileage to various locations, schools, and/or selected cities, as well as forms and charts to be used for requesting travel and subsequent reimbursement of expenses shall be maintained by the Superintendent.
TRAVEL EXPENSES
It shall be the policy of the Orleans Parish School Board to provide advanced payment for air travel, hotel, and registration for employees traveling on official business through School Board authorized travel agent, (district) corporate credit card, or direct payment to vendor (airline, hotel or association).
It shall also be the policy of the School Board that employees traveling on official business shall equip themselves with sufficient funds to cover meals and other routine travel expenses (ground transportation, local/ground travel, mileage, etc.). Advances for such expenses shall be made only for extraordinary travel, and the use of advanced funds shall be documented within ten (10) days of completion of travel with the return of all undocumented advance amounts. Employees provided with travel advances for said expenses shall sign an authorization form authorizing the School Board to deduct any undocumented balance from their paycheck if they fail to properly document any expense.
Exemptions: At the Superintendent’s discretion, cash advances may be allowed for:
Employees whose salary is less than $30,000/year
Employees who accompany students and/or are responsible for students on a group trip.
Employees traveling for extended periods, defined as thirty-one (31) or more consecutive days.
Cost Effective Transportation
The most cost effective method of transportation that will accomplish the purpose of travel shall be selected. Among the factors to be considered should be the length of travel time, employee’s salary, cost of operation of a vehicle, cost and availability of common carrier services, etc. Common carrier shall be used for out-of-state travel unless it is documented that utilization of another method of travel shall be more cost efficient or practical and approved in accordance with district procedure.
SCHOOL BOARD HOSTED CONFERENCES
It shall be the policy of the Orleans Parish School Board that for School Board hosted conferences the School Board Office shall solicit three (3) competitive quotes for conference related expenditures in accordance with School Board procurement policy. School Board members and employees attending or working a School Board hosted conference shall be provided with meals and parking reimbursement in accordance with the schedule of reimbursement approved by the School Board.
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:56, 17:81, 32:861, 32:862, 32:863, 32:863.1, 32:900
Orleans Parish School Board