All Personnel

TRAVEL EXPENSES
                                                               

Travel Outside the Borough 

1.  a) Travel shall be authorized and approved by the responsible administrator. Final approval of all out-of-district travel will be issued by the  Superintendent. 
   
   b) Travel requests will be submitted on district authorized forms. Approved in-state travel requests must be submitted to the Business Office at least two weeks prior to the travel date. Approved out-of-state travel must be submitted to the Business Office at least 30 days prior to the travel date. 
   
   c) Approved travel is required for a district employee to be covered by the district’s insurance and/or worker’s compensation.
   
   
2. a) Air travel shall be purchased by the district at the lowest reimbursable fare available. Non-reimbursable saver fares should be avoided. Purchase of first class and premium upgrades are prohibited.
   
   b) All air travel purchased through Alaska Airlines shall be purchased through the district’s Easy Biz account.
   
   c) Airfare purchased by an employee of the district shall only be reimbursed if the purchase was preauthorized for reimbursement by the Superintendent.  Reimbursement on airfare will only be issued at the lowest available reimbursable fare available at the time of purchase.
   
   d) Air travel paid for by the district may be changed by individual employees at their own expense. Should a change result in a credit on a fare purchased by the district, that credit must be issued back to the district.
   
   e) Travel purchased by an individual’s personal award miles will not be reimbursed. Purchase of air travel for district business utilizing a personal companion fare is prohibited.
   
   f) Air travel on personal aircraft is strictly prohibited.
   
   g) Baggage charges paid or reimbursed by the district shall be limited to the authorized traveler’s personal luggage or district baggage necessary to carry out the approved travel. Excess baggage charges will not be covered by the district.
   
   
3.  Ground transportation to and from the airport and to and from the event shall be reimbursed upon submission of receipts. Ground transportation to and from locations traveled for personal reasons shall not be reimbursed.
   
   
4. Vehicle rentals can be authorized at the discretion of the Superintendent and shall be reimbursed only at those times when the conduct of school district business warrants the use of an automobile.
   
   
5.  a) Lodging shall be approved by the administrator and will be arranged through the business office. Whenever possible, lodging will be paid for with use of the district's travel credit card.
   
    b) Lodging paid for by an employee of the district shall only be reimbursed at cost and if preauthorized for reimbursement by the Superintendent.
   Lodging expenses should not exceed the location-specific federal per diem rate for lodging.
   
   c) Lodging expenses covered by the district are limited to the nightly room rate and associated taxes. Incidentals charged to lodging will be the responsibility of the employee.
   
   
6. Per diem shall be issued by check at $50.00 for each night outside the Borough, plus the cost of roundtrip ferry fare for the airport ferry. Per diem is intended to cover meals and other personal incidentals while traveling.
   
   
7. Each person traveling for school district business shall be reimbursed for business-related expenditures. Receipts are required to be submitted with  any reimbursement request. All receipts for reimbursement must be submitted with a requisition within 30 days of return from approved travel to ensure reimbursement.
   
   
8.  a) Travel should be by the most direct route available, unless cost prohibitive. Any changes to travel needed as a result of district-related business or unforeseen delays that are not the fault of or in the control of the employee shall be authorized and paid for by the district. This includes additional lodging, per diem, or ground transportation.
   b) Should unforeseen delays occur or itineraries or accommodations go unused as the result of circumstances that were within the employee’s control, costs that cannot be reimbursed will be the responsibility of the employee.
   c) Travel costs associated with the change of any itinerary for personal reasons will be the responsibility of the employee, including but not limited to: cancelled or additional lodging, cancelled or extended car rentals, additional airfare costs, meals, ground transportation.
   
   
9. Work-related travel that requires employees to be away from their regular work assignment shall be covered by the appropriate leave. Employees who extend travel days for personal reasons will be required to use personal or vacation leave. Leave must be requested and approved by the employee’s supervisor prior to travel.

Using Personal Vehicles

1. Compensation to administrators for the continuous use of personal vehicles in the conduct of District business shall be determined by the superintendent, unless otherwise contracted by the Board.  The extent of required use will be the primary determining factor in the amount of compensation allowed for each administrator.
   
   
2. Mileage reimbursement shall be provided to staff who are required to use their personal vehicles to conduct School District business or perform their regularly assigned duties.                                            
   
   
3. A vehicle log will be kept by employees requesting mileage reimbursement.  The log shall account for all usage pertaining to school district business.
   
   
4. Mileage attributed to vehicle use for school district business shall be determined by the Superintendent or his designee, upon review of the employee’s vehicle log.
   
   
5. Approved mileage reimbursement shall be issued at the current IRS approved standard rate. 

KETCHIKAN GATEWAY BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Revision Date:  8/25/08
Revision Date: 7/27/16
Revision Date: 9/18/2019