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Business Office

Travel

  • Travel must be authorized by an employee’s direct supervisor prior to any expenses being incurred
  • Travel expenses related to IWU business may be reimbursed, or charged to an IWU credit card
  • Unless an exception is specified, all documentation requirements are the same for travel expenses as other business related expenses. The following guidelines apply
    • No Receipt is required for
      • Tolls, however both the recipient and signatory must sign the voucher for reimbursement to be considered
      • Parking Meters
      • Minimal tips or gratuities
    • Personal vehicle mileage reimbursement requires only the destinations and number of miles to be documented
    • Currency conversions must be substantiated by a third party source, or from a credit card statement showing the actual amount charged in US Dollars. The credit card statement may only be used to substantiate amounts paid in US Dollars or foreign transaction fees and is not a replacement for receipts.
      • Each purchase with a foreign currency should have the conversion math shown (Foreign Currency Amount * Conversion Rate = Amount in US Dollars) This can be written directly on the receipt if desired.
      • A description must be provided for any receipts in a language other than English
  • Approved Expenses (Non-Exhaustive List)
    • Airfare
      • The most cost effective reasonable flight should be obtained. Permission must be obtained in advance to purchase premium flight services (business class, first class, economy plus, etc.)
    • Automobile
      • Travel expenses may be reimbursed for either personal or rented vehicle
      • Personal vehicle travel will be reimbursed on a per-mile basis. Fuel and all vehicle maintenance are covered by the per-mile reimbursement rate. The individual reimbursed for personal vehicle use should be the registered owner or lessee of the vehicle. Do not submit requests for reimbursement for gasoline or service to personal vehicles.
      • Rental vehicles do not qualify for per-mile reimbursement. Please save
        the receipts for the rental and any fuel purchased.
      • Tolls will be reimbursed if the expense resulted from IWU business travel
      • Parking fines and traffic violations will not be reimbursed
    • Public Transportation
      • Employees should obtain the most cost effective, convenient form of ground transportation reasonable for their travel needs
      • Ground transportation may be by bus, train, taxi, rental vehicle, rented bicycle or others
    • Lodging
      • Employees should strive to obtain cost effective options from hotels or short term rental options (such as Airbnb or VRBO)
      • A paid receipt is required for reimbursement.
      • The cost of lodging should not exceed the Lodging limit for your destination specified at
        https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates
    • Meals
      • An employee may incur reasonable costs for food, non-alcoholic beverages, and snacks.
      • The cost of all meals and other incidental expenses in a day must not exceed the IRS limit for the travel destination. Please use the Meal and Incidental Rate information available at
        https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates to determine the rate for your destination.
      • Meals with a specific business purpose are not subject to the per-diem rate, but should still be reasonable.
  • Items Not Appropriate for Reimbursement
    • Personal entertainment
    • Travel unrelated to IWU activities
    • Daily travel to and from one’s residence to IWU (remote employees should check with their supervisor to see if travel expenses to and from campus can be reimbursed)
    • Personal Laundry
    • Expenses for travel companions
    • Travel insurance