| Coalition of University Employees (CUE) | 2855 Telegraph Ave., Suite #302, Berkeley, CA 94705 Contact CUE (510) 845-2221 (phone), (510) 845-7444 (FAX) |
Modified 9/15/04
Basic Principles
As a non-profit we are always working with significant budgetary constraints, but we do want our members to be relaxed and effective when they are traveling. We rely on you to make choices that are in the best interests of the organization and your own well being. Book your travel well in advance, unless circumstances make last minute arrangements unavoidable. Remember that money saved on travel expenses can be spent on other program needs.
Travelers are strongly encouraged to share hotel rooms to save money, but it is not required.
We encourage travelers to minimize costs by staying with relatives or friends. Those who are able to save the organization money by staying in private accommodations may take their host/s out for dinner. The cost of the meal is limited to $40 for the member and $40 for her/his host. (Note: In cases where a member does spend $40 to participate in a "gift" dinner, we would expect her/his meal expenses for the rest of the day to be very modest.) Such meal "gifts" are limited to one per host for each trip.
Airfare
If you do not get your airline ticket from CUE's travel agent (Trips Out Travel), but ask for reimbursement for a airline ticket purchased by you, for each plane ticket purchased you must provide the Bookkeeper the original passenger receipt attached to a travel voucher.
Hotels
If you pay for your own hotel stay, you must provide the Bookkeeper with a copy of the folio which the hotels produce (i.e., the detailed statement of all the charges). If you use express checkout at a hotel, you must instruct them to fax the folio to the Bookkeeper. If more than one person's charges are reflected on a folio, who incurred each expense must be noted. You must indicate the account to which the expenses are to be charged.
Cars: Personal
When a traveler drives her/his car for CUE business, we pay for non-commute miles at the current IRS reimbursement rate (37.5 cents per mile; this rate includes gas, so gas is not reimbursed when mileage is claimed). Please list mileage, start to finish (car mileage expenses will NOT be
reimbursed without mileage listing). We also pay for tolls and parking (with receipts unless they are not available).
Cars: Rental
In those circumstances where required (no other transportation available, or if renting a car is less expensive than other forms of transportation), CUE will pay for the cost of renting an economy or
budget car. In those instances when an entire group needs transportation, we will pay for a larger car or van. CUE does not pay for rental of sports or luxury cars or SUV's. CUE will pay for insurance coverage for rented vehicles.
Meals
CUE pays up to $65 per day for receipted meal expenses for travel ($15 breakfast - $20 lunch - $30 dinner). If you are the host of a meal, list each guest by name. CUE does not pay for alcohol, which should be on a separate check, and paid for by the traveler.
Phone Calls
We ask that staff members use the cheapest means available to place necessary calls (phones in offices where we are attending meetings, cell phone, personal credit cards, etc.). Most expensive and least desirable is going through hotel operators; and we encourage you to avoid this method.
CUE understands that a traveler may have to call home to check in with family members. One or two brief calls home daily are considered by us to be part of our business expenses.
Expense Reimbursement
Expense reports must be turned in to the Bookkeeper within 30 days of the completion of a trip. Any requests for reimbursement turned in after 60 days after the completion of the trip, will not be paid.
Each item on the report must have a corresponding receipt, except for those rare instances when it is absolutely impossible to obtain a receipt (e.g., BART; some cab rides).
Each item (or the report as a whole if it was for a single trip with a single purpose) must include the who, what, when, where, why of it.
We expect and appreciate your cooperation with all of these procedures. They save us a great deal of time and money if used consistently and accurately.
Thank you.