Loading...
1384 ORDINANCE NO. 1384 (# 27 - 09) AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND AND MODIFY JACKSONVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE § 2,44,010 (EMPLOYEE POLICY MANUAL); AND, FOR OTHER PURPOSES. WHEREAS, by Ordinance Nos. 1000, 1042, and 1064, the Jacksonville City Council designated specific policies and procedures for the employees of the City of Jacksonville entitled the City of Jacksonville Employee Policy Manual; and, WHEREAS, because of the need for updated policies and procedures for employee travel purposes, the City Council deems it appropriate to revise the City's designated policies as they apply to travel expenses and procedures. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED AND ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS, THAT: SECTION ONE; Jacksonville Municipal Code § 2.44.010 is hereby amended and modified to provide the following: r The City of Jacksonville Employee Policy Manual shall be amended and modified to include Section 60. Travel Policy, which shall incorporate all provisions as outlined on the attached document entitled TRAVEL POLICY. SECTION TWO: All Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict. SECTION THREE: This Ordinance shall be in force and effect from and after its date of passage. APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS it DAY OF OCTOBER, 2009. CITY OFJACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS ir- ` HER, OR ATTEST: SUSAN DA' CITY LERK APPROVED AS TO FORM; — ROBERT E, BAMBURG, CITY ATTORNEY c cvY OP 9 1 d /4 ; ( g R f n e b 1870 TRAVEL POLICY AND PROCEDURES RESPONSIBILITY Determination of reimbursement rates for mileage, meal, lodging, and other travel expenses will be made by the Mayor. The Finance Department will be responsible to insure conformity to the proper procedures as prescribed herein. Normal audit rules will be applied to establish conformity among City departments and employees. Department Directors or their assigned representative(s) is /are responsible for dissemination of policies and procedures to all employees within their Department. The Department Director(s) or their assigned representative(s) is /are responsible for verification and approval of all Requisitions, Travel Expense Reports, and receipts /requests for reimbursement. Individual employee(s) are responsible for submission of all required information, receipts, and other related documents to the Finance Department. The employee must submit a completed Travel Expense Report to their Department Director or their assigned representative within Five (5) days of their travel return. The Department Director or their assigned representative is then responsible for submitting said information to the Finance Department within Ten (10) days of the employee's return date. Any employee(s) traveling on official business is responsible for insuring he /she understands these policies and procedures and complies accordingly. Any unusual circumstances or exceptions must be clarified and pre- approved, as should any deviations from policy (in writing) by the Department Director or the assigned representative. "Reimburse" or "reimbursement" as it appears anywhere in this Policy requires that detailed documentation must be provided with any submitted final Travel Expense Report before reimbursement will occur. POLICY In order to afford employees maximum flexibility in the accomplishment of their assigned tasks, the City of Jacksonville will pay travel expenses directly related to official business in accordance with amounts authorized herein. Travel expenses for official business may include the cost of out -of -town conferences, professional associations dues or membership fees, intensive training of the "short course" nature on particular relevant topics /issues, and attendance costs for meetings with state and federal authorities on City /Department related matters. All travel expenses for employees must be approved by their Department Director or their assigned representative. Travel expenses for Department Director(s) must be approved by the Mayor or their designated representative(s). PROCEDURE The Department Director or their assigned representative must approve all requests for official travel using the Request for Travel Form (See Appendix B - Travel Forms) prior to any employee's departure for said trip. The Department Director or their assigned representative will evaluate the impact of travel requests against factors to include but not be limited to budgetary constraints, the related nature of the traveling employee's proposed activities in relation to the expense(s) to be incurred, and the applicability of said expenses to the overall improvement of services to the citizens before approval /denial is made. 1 City of Jacksonville Travel Policy 11/19/2009 Transportation: An employee may choose to extend travel beyond the time required to conduct their training or City matters. However, time and any relevant expense(s) incurred in excess of the City's intended purpose(s) are the sole responsibility of the employee. Such arrangements must be approved in writing in advance, other than unforeseen emergencies, by the employee's Department Director or their assigned representative. Airline ticket payment will be made for actual coach cost incurred. The employee has the option of using their own resources (cash, credit card, etc.) to purchase reimbursable tickets, or the following procedure may be utilized for the City to purchase tickets. A Purchasing Requisition payable to American Express combined with an approved Airline Itinerary and Confirmation Locator Number (supplied by the airline for tickets placed on 24 -hour hold) must be submitted to the Finance Department as soon as reservations are made. (See Appendix A: Obtaining Airline Tickets Policy, for more details and requirements.) Mileage reimbursement for use of a private vehicle is allowable only if a City vehicle is not available for use by the employee. An employee must request use of a City vehicle by your Department Director or their assigned representative. If a City vehicle is not available, then mileage will be reimbursed on a per mile basis at the current reimbursement rate. Trip distances will be computed (and printed) using a travel website. However, personal vehicle mileage reimbursement cannot exceed the lowest coach airfare available at the time of the travel request (documentation must be provided), nor can food and lodging expense be for more than One (1) additional day of travel time to and /or from the destination location. Any exceptions to such a limitation must have prior written approval from the Department Director or their assigned representative before reimbursement will be eligible. Reimbursement for use of personal vehicles to travel to and from the airport will be One (1) 1 round trip if utilizing airport parking, or Two (2) round trips if not utilizing airport parking. Mileage is paid from either City Hall or the employee's normal residence, whichever is closer to the departure venue (i.e. airport, train station, etc.). If travel is mandated by the Department Director or their assigned representative on a non - regularly scheduled workday, round trip mileage from the traveler's home of record is authorized. Taxi fare and similar public transportation is reimbursable for all necessary City business related trips. Rental vehicles for official City travel require prior written approval from the appropriate Department Director or their assigned representative. Written justification for renting vehicles as well as cost estimates for the rental of the vehicle and the required collision insurance must accompany all requests for travel. Actual costs of mid -sized or smaller vehicles rented from nationally recognized car rental agencies are reimbursable. Fuel for City -owned vehicles is reimbursable. Use of City -owned vehicles outside City limits requires written justification from the traveling employee's Department Director or their assigned representative. Where practical, employees must use the City's fuel card. City of Jacksonville Travel Policy 11/19/2009 Food and Beverage Detailed meal receipts which include individual items purchased are required for reimbursement. Allowance for meal expense(s) will be paid on a daily, partial day, or weekly rate, depending upon departure and return times. Purchase of snacks is allowed but will be deducted from your daily meal allowance and must be accompanied by a receipt. Breakfast allowance is not provided for travel with an initial departure time later than 8:00 AM. Dinner allowance is not allowed for a final arrival time earlier than 6:00 PM. For travel within Arkansas, the per diem allowance, including tips, is Forty -five Dollars ($45.00). A per meal allowance will be: Breakfast - Ten Dollars ($10.00); Lunch - Ten Dollars ($10.00); and, Dinner - Twenty -five Dollars ($25.00), for a daily total of Forty -five Dollars ($45.00), including tips. In cases where a meal(s) is provided by the attended function's sponsors, no allowance will be paid for such meal(s). For out -of -state travel, any variation of the above amounts will be determined and authorized by the Director of Finance using current IRS regulations. Reimbursement of meals for other purposes (Le., meetings, training sessions, event sponsorship, etc.) must state the name of guest(s), nature of City business being conducted, and must be pre- approved in writing by the Department Director or their assigned representative. EXCEPTION: The City will not reimburse costs for alcoholic beverages. Lodging The City will reimburse charges for single room rate, taxes, and phone calls made on behalf of the City where it is reasonably expected that a prudent traveler could not return to their residence. Daily lodging reimbursement in excess of One Hundred Twenty Dollars ($120.00), together with applicable and charged taxes requires pre - approval by the Department Director or their assigned representative Tips Food- Fifteen Percent (15 %) is the maximum tip allowed for reimbursement when any such expense is not automatically included in the bill. Non - food tips such as taxi, bell hop, shuttle, etc., are reimbursable at a maximum of Ten Percent (10 %) per service event. Parking Expenses incurred for parking are reimbursable with receipt. Any airport parking will be reimbursed at the long -term parking rate. Other Miscellaneous Expenses Business related miscellaneous expenses (manuals, tapes, publications, etc.) purchased for and becoming the property of the City may be reimbursed with written approval by the Department Director or their assigned representative. Unless included in any applicable registration fee(s), leisure activities are not reimbursable. An employee is responsible for any and all expenses incurred by family members /companion(s) who accompany the employee on travel. Request for Advance Travel Expense Processing Advance payment may be requested for meals, mileage, taxi, tips, etc. The traveling employee must submit the required Purchasing Requisition, showing estimated expenses, along with a copy of the pre- registration form for the event attending and a copy of the travel expense report to the Department Director or their assigned representative. The Department Director or their assigned representative will evaluate these requests and forward them to the Finance Department at least Seven (7) business days prior to the intended travel for issuance of advance travel expense checks. City of Jacksonville Travel Policy 11/19/2009 The Finance Department will not make advance travel payments if there are outstanding post - travel forms or refunds past due from the requesting employee unless approved by the Director of Finance. Submission of Actual Reimbursable Expenses: An employee requesting reimbursement must submit a completed copy of the Travel Expense Report, with all accompanying receipts and request(s) for reimbursements, to the Department Director or their assigned representative within five (5) business days of the employee's return from travel. (See Appendix B- Travel Form.) After review and approval by the Department Director or their assigned representative, all documents must be forwarded to the Finance Department within Ten (10) business days of the employee's return from travel. The Department Director or their assigned representative will be promptly notified of any discrepancies discovered by the Finance Department. If any money is due the City, the traveling employee will be notified of the specific amount and is to pay the City Clerk's Office. Any receipt issued by the City Clerk's Office shall first be returned to the Finance Department to attach to the Travel Expense Report, with a copy provided to the employee. After Ten (10) days, any questions or additional action will be completed through the appropriate Department Director or their assigned representative to the traveling employee. If not resolved after an additional 10 days, the amount of money advanced will be deducted from the traveler's next paycheck. If any money is due the traveler, a requisition must be submitted from Department Director or their assigned representative to the Finance Department. Receipts and/or request for reimbursements must document the expenses and explain the p /o q u p p business purposes (who, what, when, where, & why) for the expense(s). Lodging expenses must be itemized by day, and show all miscellaneous expenses. No such expenses will be reimbursed without detailed supporting receipts. r City of Jacksonville Travel Policy 11/19/2009 Travel Expenses Appendix A - Obtaining Airline Ticket Policy PURPOSE /RESPONSIBILITY The City of Jacksonville no longer uses a travel agency to obtain travel reservations for City travel. This responsibility now rests with the individual employee and his /her department. POLICY Employees must obtain the best available airfare by reserving tickets as soon as possible and purchasing a nonrefundable, nontransferable ticket. Best prices are obtained by purchasing the tickets a minimum of Fourteen (14) days prior to any scheduled travel. Such tickets are normally nonrefundable and modifications commonly include fees of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or more. Such changes also must be made prior to any schedule departure date and time or the ticket has no value. Airline policies change frequently. Therefore, be sure and check with your airline to be fully informed of all applicable policies in effect at the time of travel. PROCEDURE Suggestions for more economical and efficient use of travel websites to determine appropriate times and costs of travel are welcome. As well, all major airlines and several specialty travel companies have sites for comparison. Print at least Two (2) itineraries that best fits the travel arrangements. Attach the Two (2) comparable itineraries to your Travel Request Report. Prepare a Payment Requisition to American Express with the Department Director or their assigned representatives' approval so the Finance Department can pay for the tickets when received. Deliver the completed Payment Requisition and all attachments to the Finance Department as soon as possible, and be certain the Finance Department knows the Requisition is for travel so they can call the airline and make the necessary reservation(s). The airline will send a ticket /official itinerary (commonly by e- ticket), and the Finance Department will compare the ticket /e- ticket to the Requisition documents to verify accuracy and forward the ticket /e- ticket to the traveling employee before the travel date. All information the Finance Department receives from the traveling employee and the airline shall provide adequate documentation to pay the credit card bill promptly in order to avoid interest charges. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS The Finance Department must have the following documents before it can process any Request for Travel for Airfare: Purchase Requisition payable to American Express with traveling employee's name, a brief description of the travel involved, the travel expense account number, and copies of the airline itineraries with your preference on top. Print at least Two (2) itineraries for price comparison. City of Jacksonville Travel Policy 11/19/2009 Travel Expenses Appendix B - Travel Form PURPOSE /RESPONSIBILITY The Travel Expense Report must be used for all travel by City employees and non - employees traveling on City business if reimbursement /payment is expected. Responsibility for correct submission of this form rests with the traveling employee and his /her Department Director or designated representative. The Department Director or designated representative must sign the form prior to submission. The Travel Expense Report is located on the public drive for access, or any employee may obtain such from his /her Director or their assigned representative. POLICY Travel expenses incurred for the City must be accounted, not only for individual and Department needs but also for continued public trust. PROCEDURE Travel Expense Report - All official travel must be requested and submitted on this form, whether requesting advance payment or not. Only One (1) Travel Expense Report will be completed for an employee's specific travel package, with all required estimated costs recorded and all required approvals affixed before copies are prepared for the required Purchase Requisition. This report must be approved by the Department Director or their assigned representative. Documentation needed: • Original Travel Expense Report with all signatures. Maintain until your return from travel, and then submit with expenses and receipts. • Copy with Airfare Requisition. • Copy with Rental Car Requisition (if paying Rental Car separately.) • Copy with Lodging Requisition (if paying lodging separately.) • Copy with Registration Requisition (if paying Registration separately.) • Copy for Personal Requisition (Personal Vehicle Mileage, Taxi, Food, Lodging, Registration, & Tips if not paying separately.) All official travel must be finalized by updating the Travel Expense Report with actual expenses. This form will be submitted with attached receipts to the Department Director or the designated representative for verification and approval. This form will then be submitted to the Finance Department to complete the travel package required for reimbursement. City of Jacksonville Travel Policy 11/19/2009