Responsibilities

The University of Washington is accountable for the administration of all travel funds in accordance with state regulations and internal rules the University may establish to ensure the proper use of funds. The University must apply the same regulations and approval requirements to the expenditure of grant and contract funds that it applies to general funds. These policies pertain to all types of travelers including Non-UW travelers except as noted below.

EXCEPTION: Non-UW individuals who receive an honorarium or a consulting fee.

Department

Department heads for directing travel and approving reimbursement are to:

• Ensure that any travel costs incurred are:
  • Directly work related;
  • Obtained at the most economical price;
  • Allowable per State and University travel policies and procedures; and
  • Both critical and necessary for state business.

• Exercise prudent judgement in approving travel-related costs.
• Establish an effective system for management and control over travel-related costs. This system should include:
  • Written internal policies and procedures.
  • Authorization or approval of travel costs by the department head or authorized designees.
  • Clearly defined roles and responsibilities to include the level(s) to which department head responsibility has been delegated.
  • It's recommended that the preparer of the TEV and the approval signature are not the same person for the purpose of segregation of duties.
• Review airline ticket purchases to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of state airline contracts.
• Ensure travelers are not treated differently under like travel circumstances.
• Ensure the department uses the required travel charge card method.
• Ensure the itinerary of an employee is planned to eliminate unnecessary travel in the performance of work assignments.
• Ensure the number of University employees attending a particular meeting be the minimum necessary, consistent with the benefit to be derived therefrom.

Traveler

When you travel on official state business you are responsible to:

• Be familiar and comply with State, University and department travel policies and procedures before embarking on travel.
• Secure prior authorization for travel when required.
• Select the travel alternative that is allowable per the State, University and department travel policies and procedures.
• Select travel options that are most economical to the State and University .
• Exercise the same care in incurring expenses and accomplishing the purposes of the travel that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business. Excess costs, circuitous routes, delays, or luxury accommodations unnecessary or unjustified in the performance of official state business travel are not acceptable.
• Pay any excess costs and any additional expenses incurred for your personal preference or convenience.
• Verify that all travel arrangements are confirmed prior to departure.
• Return as promptly as possible to either the official station or official residence when the state business is completed.
• Ensure the Travel Expense Voucher is prepared in a timely manner and provide appropriate receipts and documentations as required.

Change or Cancellation of Travel Plans

• Contact your travel agent or the airline to change your ticket if your travel plans change before you start your trip or you need to cancel your trip.
• The entire cost of the ticket is forfeited if you do not cancel your reservation before your flight leaves. The ticket will have no value and cannot be rebooked.
• Contact the airline and use your UW Travel Charge Card to pay fees and any additional airfare if your plans change while you are traveling.
• Contact the hotel and conference organizers (if applicable) to cancel and or request a refund for any hotel deposit or registration fee.

Reimbursement

In order to claim reimbursement for a change/cancellation/penalty fee, nonrefundable registration fee, increased airfare/nonrefundable cancelled ticket, or lodging deposit the reason must be due to:

• UW business
• Unexpected death of a family member
• Your own unexpected illness which kept you from taking the business trip or continuing your trip as planned and is not due to your own misconduct.

Fees incurred resulting from any other reasons are not reimbursable unless charged on a 64-xxxx discretionary budget.

Enter the explanation on your TEV and attach the adjusted itinerary to your TEV if there was an additional amount added to the cost of the original airfare.

Personal Travel/Time During a Business Trip

State Policy

Identifying Cost of Airfare for UW Business and Reimbursement

• Use a contract travel agency or Azumano (contract internet provider) and obtain a printout of an itinerary for the UW business trip only. This comparison itinerary must be printed before the trip and priced at the lowest available coach fare. It must be printed from the same source and with the same date that the actual ticket with the personal trip was issued.

• Submit the comparison itinerary and your actual ticket that includes the personal portion. You may be reimbursed the actual cost of your ticket or the value of the comparison itinerary whichever is LESS.

Comparison itineraries with no date on the printout or with a date that was not computer generated will not be accepted.

• Retain the passenger airfare receipt coupon or request an itinerary statement from a contract travel agency showing the fare calculation breakdown (the price of each segment of the trip). You must request the fare calculation breakdown at the time of booking. You may use the "Send a Note to Agent" during the online reservation with Azumano to request the fare calculation breakdown. The fee is $20 as an agent-assisted service.

• Submit the actual passenger airfare receipt coupon or the itinerary statement that lists the fare calculation breakdown. You may be reimbursed the airfare for the UW business portion times two (the cost of going to the business location and returning to your duty station) plus applicable taxes or the actual cost of your ticket, whichever is LESS.

Last Alternative AFTER the Trip

If you were unable to use any of the methods listed above, you must use Azumano (contract internet provider) to identify the lowest available coach airfare for the UW business portion. Since past airfares are not available, use current dates to recreate an itinerary with the UW flights you would have taken without the personal trip. Use the same advance purchase time and days that would have been traveled had there been no personal time included.

You may be reimbursed the actual cost of your ticket or the value of the comparison itinerary as identified in Azumano, whichever is LESS.

Limits of Expenses and Requirements of Travelers

Expenses that exceed the limitations may be reimbursed on a 64 discretionary budget.

Financial Services
Travel Office Box 351117
(206) 543-5858
Modified: June 27, 2008