Lodging

Check With Your Department First

Reservation & Payment

• Make your hotel reservation and use your VISA individual travel account to hold the dates.
• Pay your bill with your VISA travel account, another charge card, with funds you got via a per diem advance, or your own funds and keep your itemized receipt (folio) to submit with your travel expense voucher (TEV) for reimbursement when you return.

When Can I Be Reimbursed for Lodging?

1. You may be reimbursed for lodging when you are traveling on university business, your destination is more than 50 miles (most direct route) of the closer of either your official residence or official station and you stay in a commercial lodging facility.
• A commercial lodging facility is a business, non-profit or governmental entity that provides lodging accommodations for a fee. A commercial lodging facility other than a hotel must be supported by a tax ID number or a published advertisement. The facility must be available to the general public to qualify as commercial lodging (i.e. listed with a rental agency, newspaper ad, etc.). Reimbursements for lodging at private residence not supported by a tax ID number or a rental listing are not allowed under State and University policies and procedures.
2. You may be reimbursed for lodging within 50 miles of your official residence or official station under one of the following conditions:
   • You are attending back-to-back late night/early morning meetings and you have prior written approval from an authorized person .
   • You are acting in a custodial or leadership role and must, as part of your duties, lodge with students or other clients (i.e. coaches lodging with student athletes) and you have prior written approval from an authorized person .
   • You need to stay in a commercial lodging facility to avoid driving in severe inclement weather or your health and safety is of concern and you have an approval letter from an authorized person.

   • Your department determines that you perform critical functions and must remain at your workstation during emergency situations and you have an approval letter from an authorized person .

   The approval letter must be included with your TEV in order to claim reimbursement.

3. You may be reimbursed for lodging if you need to spend extra time at your current UW business destination due to multiple meetings and it is not feasible to return to your duty station prior to the next UW business meeting.
• You must demonstrate by calculation that direct savings will accrue to the University. The calculation of the direct savings is to include a comparison of the commercial transportation costs, per diem costs (lodging & meals), and when applicable, your salary and fringe benefit costs. Such comparisons are to be documented and included with your TEV to claim reimbursement.
4. You may be reimbursed for lodging during the normal return night under one of the following conditions:
   • Since you should return as soon as possible to either your official station or official residence when the UW business is completed on the normal return night regardless whether you fly or drive, you must demonstrate that the overnight stay is more economical. Justification must be attached to the TEV.

   You should also consider the following when determining whether to depart on the normal return night:

   • What time will the UW business end?
   • Where is the location of the UW business trip?
   • Will you arrive to either your official station or official residence at a reasonable time (by 9pm) if you depart on the normal return night to observe the next day regularly scheduled working hours regardless whether the next day is a normal work day, weekend, or holiday?

     If you anticipate you will not arrive at a reasonable time if you depart on the normal return night, you must return to either your official station or official residence the next day as soon as possible.

   • Your health and safety is of concern and can be used to justify an overnight stay.
   • You are complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which can be used to justify an overnight stay.

Reimbursement Amount

• Actual costs based on single occupancy as evidenced by the hotel itemized receipt (folio) and up to the maximum allowance for the location as specified in the per diem rate schedules.
• You may claim an exception if actual expense exceed the maximum allowance for the specific location.

Lodging Allowance

• Domestic Per Diem Schedule
  • Includes the 48 contiguous States and District of Columbia.
  • Lodging allowance schedules are room rates only excluding taxes. Compare the actual room rate only to the lodging allowance rate when preparing the TEV. If the actual room rate only is equal or under the lodging allowance rate, you may claim the actual room rate plus taxes without an exception.
• Non-Contiguous Per Diem Schedule
  • Includes Alaska, Hawaii and other U.S. territories.
  • Non-contiguous lodging allowance schedules are room rates only excluding taxes. Compare the actual room rate only to the lodging allowance rate when preparing the TEV. If the actual room rate only is equal or under the lodging allowance rate, you may claim the actual room rate plus taxes without an exception.

• Foreign Per Diem Schedule
  • Includes all foreign locations and the rates are listed in U.S. dollars. Actual lodging expense must be converted to U.S. dollars for travel reimbursement.
  • Foreign lodging allowance schedules include taxes. Convert the actual room rate plus taxes to U.S. dollars and compare the total amount to the lodging allowance rate when preparing the TEV. If the total amount of the actual room rate plus taxes is equal or under the lodging allowance rate, you may claim this amount without an exception.

Exceptions to the Lodging Allowance

• You have prior approval from an authorized person .

AND

• One of these exceptions exists.

1. You attend a meeting, conference, or training session where you are expected to have business interaction with other participants in addition to scheduled events, and it is anticipated that maximum benefits will be achieved by authorizing you to stay at the lodging facility where it is held.
2. Lodging accommodations in the area of the temporary duty station are not available at or below the maximum lodging allowance, and the savings from staying at a less expensive but more distant location are consumed by increased transportation and other costs.
3. Your business requires you to have a suite or other quarters you would not normally need.
4. Costs in the area have increased for a brief period of time because of special events or disaster.
5. This is needed to comply with provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act or when your safety and/or health as a traveler is at risk.

150% Allowance

• For example: The actual lodging cost is $120 and the total tax is $20 for a hotel in Los Angeles, California. The daily per diem allowance rate for this location in 2007 are $110 (lodging) and $64 (meals) for a total of $174. Multiply the allowance total ($174) by 150% which equals $261. This amount is the 150% allowance. Compare the actual room rate ($120) only to the 150% allowance ($261). If the actual room rate only is equal or under the 150% allowance, you may claim the actual lodging expense ($120) plus tax ($20) with the appropriate exception reason. This formula does not affect the allowance rate for meals. You may still claim $64/day for meals.

Compare the "150% allowance" amount to the actual room rate including taxes for foreign areas.

• For example: The actual lodging cost is $190 and the total tax is $40 for a hotel in Victoria BC, Canada. The daily per diem allowance rate for this location in June 2007 are $208 (lodging) and $122 (meals) for a total of $330. Multiply the allowance total ($330) by 150% which equals $495. This amount is the 150% allowance. Compare the actual room rate plus tax ($190+$40=$230) to the 150% allowance ($495). If the actual room rate plus tax is equal or under the 150% allowance, you may claim the actual total lodging expense ($230) with the appropriate exception reason. This formula does not affect the allowance rate for meals. You may still claim $122/day for meals.

Over the 150% Allowance

In rare circumstances, the actual lodging cost may exceed the 150% allowance. The University may reimburse the actual cost in excess of 150% allowance if:

• You have prior approval from an authorized person .

AND

• The traveler is required to attend a meeting, conference, convention, or training session where the travelers is expected to have business interaction with other participants in addition to scheduled events. It is anticipated that maximum benefit will be achieved by authorizing the traveler to stay at the lodging facilities where the meeting, conference, convention, or training session is held.

• Note: It is the responsibility of the department and the traveler to ensure that the above conditions apply and that the benefits along with the state policy of "most economical" travel arrangements are considered.

Using a Trailer/Camper Instead of Commercial Lodging Facilities

When a trailer or camper is used for the convenience of the employee, reimbursement is allowed only on the following basis:

• Meals - Meals are reimbursed at the standard cost location rate.
• Lodging - The traveler may be reimbursed for actual space rental costs, when evidenced by a receipt, up to the daily maximum listed as the standard cost location rate for lodging. The traveler will not be reimbursed for the rental or lease cost of the trailer or camper.

When a privately-owned trailer or camper is used because suitable commercial lodging and/or state or University lodging is not available, and when it is beneficial to the state (with the employee's concurrence) for the employee to remain at the temporary workstation rather then commute, then reimbursement is made when evidenced by a receipt, up to the daily maximum listed as the standard cost location rate for lodging.

Financial Services
Travel Office Box 351117
(206) 543-5858
Modified: January 29, 2008