16-A-015 Official Business Location Used For Subsistence Reimbursement (January 29, 2016)
| Informational Circular No. | 16-A-015 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date: | January 29, 2016 | |
Contact Name:
|
Ph:
|
Email: |
| Approval: | DeAnn Hill (Original Signature on File) |
|
| Summary:
Official business location is used for reimbursement of Meals and Incidental Expense (M&IE) and Lodging Rates. |
||
This Informational Circular is issued to clarify that, for state employee travel, the subsistence reimbursement rate is determined by the location of the official state business. The M&IE and lodging rates for the official state business location are used for subsistence reimbursement for the entire trip. This includes travel where lodging may not be available at the official business location. As a reminder, for travel occurring January 1, 2016 and thereafter, the standard subsistence rate is used unless the travel location is specified as a non-standard area, in which case the subsistence rate for that non-standard area is used.
When travel consists of official state business in several locations, including both a standard rate location and a non-standard area rate location, subsistence rates are adjusted as follows:
- The subsistence rate changes to the new appropriate rate for the subsequent official business location beginning with the quarter day in which the employee arrives at the subsequent official business location.
- If there are multiple business locations in the same quarter, the rate for the entire quarter will be based on the last official business location within that quarter.
The Originating Location field should list the employee’s official station or domicile. To ensure the appropriate rates are applied in SMART, the Location field should list the official business location. This includes subsistence expense lines for travel on the day of return to the official station or domicile.
Agencies are reminded of two exceptions related to subsistence reimbursement limitations:
- The established daily lodging expense limitations may be exceeded, upon approval by the agency head or designee, by the lesser of either: (1) an additional 50% of the applicable lodging expense limitation, or (2) the actual lodging expense incurred.
- An agency may pay an employee a reduced amount for M&IE allowance or lodging expense with prior approval of the agency head or designee. The agency should complete form DA-37 Reduced Subsistence Allowance and obtain agency head or designee approval signature and date in advance of the beginning of the date of the travel event.
See the Employee Travel Expense Reimbursement Handbook for additional information: State Employee Travel Center.
DH:jm
Printable Version of 16-A-015
