TRAVEL ADVANCES AND TRAVEL EXPENSES – REQUIREMENTS - 8116

Agencies/Departments may issue a revolving fund check for a travel advance to an employee or reimburse the employee who uses personal funds for travel expenses while conducting official state business.

Requirements for issuance of travel advances and submission of travel expenses:

1. The agency/department will issue a travel advance within ten calendar days of when the anticipated expenses are to be paid or incurred. Agencies/Departments may issue travel advances within 20 calendar days of when the anticipated expenses are to be paid or incurred when the travel advance is required to be mailed to the employee.

    

2. The travel advance amount must be reasonably calculated not to exceed the estimated expenses to be paid or incurred on the trip. The person who authorizes the trip should review and approve the travel advance request to ensure that the travel advance amount is not excessive.

    

3. The employee must return the travel advance immediately for a canceled or indefinitely postponed trip.

    

4. The employee must submit a properly prepared Travel Expense Claim (TEC) no later than ten calendar days after the trip(s) to substantiate the travel expenses. If the travel advance exceeds the substantiated expenses, the employee must also submit a check or money order to return the excess travel advance amount. For employees who are not required to travel on more than one trip per month, additional advances will not be issued for future travel unless the outstanding advances have been cleared. Agencies/Departments may issue additional travel advances for employees required to travel on multiple trips within a month. Additional advances will not be allowed if the employee does not submit a TEC or return the excess advance amount within ten days of each trip.

    

5. If the substantiated expenses exceed the travel advance, the agency/department will pay the employee the difference with a revolving fund check or SCO warrant/direct deposit payment.

Agencies/Departments must comply with the above time requirements to avoid reporting travel advances as taxable wages discussed in SAM Section 8116.3.