Travel policy is set forth in sections 16.53 and 20.916, Wisconsin Statutes and in the Uniform Travel Schedule Amounts (UTSA). The Secretary of the Department of Employment Relations, with the approval of the Joint Committee on Employment Relations, establishes the UTSAs. These include: automobile, motorcycle and personal airplane mileage reimbursement rates; porterage tips; moving expense temporary lodging allowances; and meals and lodging rates.

All travel paid or reimbursed to employees from university-administered funds must be done in compliance with the university travel policies, regardless of the funding source, i.e., federal grants and contracts, auxiliary operations, general operating funds and restricted funds. At the discretion of an institution, and where not in conflict with union contracts, more stringent travel policies may be established.

UW System Travel Regulations are issued as Financial and Administrative Policy (F36). The UW System Travel Page located on the World Wide Web gives you access to this Policy Paper and a wealth of other travel information including a Travel Expense Report form for Excel and a Travel Pocket Guide. Excerpts from this guide follow this section. The Web address is: http://www.uwsa.edu/fadmin/fppp/fppp36.htm. Travel Expense Report (TER) forms may be downloaded from the Accounting Services website, at http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/acct/forms.html.

EXCERPTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM TRAVEL GUIDE

GENERAL POLICY

The information delineated in this document is only a summary of UW Travel Policy from the UW System Travel Regulations (FPPP #36). Refer to UW System Travel Regulations for more detail concerning travel and for directions on report preparation. Information can be found online at http://www.uwsa.edu/fadmin/travel.htm.  

Employees in travel status are expected to exercise good judgment when incurring travel costs. Only travel expenses related to UW business shall be reimbursed. Reimbursement should not be claimed for items provided free of charge, not personally paid for by the claimant, previously reimbursed by any source, or costs which will be paid or reimbursed from any other source in the future. Any reimbursement which is received from another source after reimbursement has been received from the UW shall be deposited back to the UW funding source which was initially charged.

It is recommended that a competitive process be used in procuring travel services. Use of the UW/State's contract vendors, i.e., corporate card, car rental, hotel, travel agency, moving, is encouraged and in some instances may be mandatory.

Travel claims of all employees must be personally approved by the employee's supervisor.

AIR TRAVEL

Most federal grants require that U.S. flag carriers be used to the maximum extent possible for air travel.  

Often a lower fare can be obtained by adding additional days to the trip, e.g., staying over a Saturday or flying on particular days. Reasonable expenses for lodging and meals for the minimum necessary additional days may be claimed if the total cost of the reduced fare plus the additional days' expenses are less than the lowest available airfare would have been without the additional days of travel. Documentation of the cost savings to the UW must be provided with the travel expense report (TER). Reimbursement may only be granted under this provision for weekends and holidays.

TAXI AND LIMOUSINE

Reasonable and necessary charges for taxi or limousine service are reimbursable. However, limousine shuttle service (usually less expensive or free) should be utilized in place of a taxi whenever possible. Receipts are required for one-way fares exceeding $25.

AUTOMOBILE TRANSPORTATION

When using fleet vehicles, passengers must be limited to UW/State employees or students engaged in UW/State activities. When using privately owned vehicles, reimbursement is limited to business related travel at the mileage rates listed below. The daily starting point and destination should be stated on the TER.  Explanations are required for mileage in excess of normal map mileage.

VEHICLE RENTALS

Rental vehicles should be used only when the efficient conduct of UW business precludes the use of other means of transportation or the car rental is the most economical mode.

The vehicle rented should be reasonable in terms of size, cost, number of passengers and cargo to be transported. Claims for reimbursement of other than subcompact, compact or mid-size models for reasons such as three or more passengers, bulky equipment, etc., must be documented in writing.

Refer to vehicle rental contract vendors at:  http://www.uwsa.edu/fadmin/fppp/fppp36c.htm. 

MEALS

Meal claims must be actual, reasonable and necessary and represent the amount actually spent. For a claim to be reimbursed in excess of the maximum, a receipt or charge card credit slip must be provided, and there must be documentation showing that the cost was incurred outside of the employee's control. This generally means that the employee had no choice in selection of the restaurant or the menu items therein. The maximums, which should not be used as per diems, are listed online at www.uwsa.edu/fadmin/fppp/fppp3610.htm.  To be allowed breakfast, departure must be before 6:00 A.M.; lunch, departure must be before 10:30 A.M. and return after 2:30 P.M.; dinner, employee must return after 7:00 P.M.

On any particular day, an employee entitled to reimbursement for two or more consecutive meals, may divide claims between meals as desired, as long as the maximum is not exceeded. Each day is considered separately for application of this policy. If meal maximums are not reached on one day, the savings do not accrue and cannot be applied to meal or other costs incurred on another day.

LODGING

UW employees should rarely have to pay rack rate for lodging. Government and contracted rates should be requested when making reservations or registering at hotels/motels. Employees should carry an ID that identifies them as a UW and state government employee, because it may be required to obtain the discounted/contract rates. Reimbursement is limited to the single rate. Tips and gratuities to hotel employees are $2.00 per day of arrival, $2.00 per day of departure, plus $2.00 per night of stay. Therefore, staying two days but one overnight is limited to $6.00 ($2.00 for day of arrival, $2.00 for night of stay, and $2.00 for day of departure).

UW employees, while traveling in Wisconsin on UW/State business, are exempt from paying taxes on lodging under provision s.77.54(9a) Wis. Stats., and should avoid such by furnishing the retailer with written documentation stating they are traveling on UW business. The UW-Madison's tax exemption number is ES 40706. "Wisconsin Sales & Use Tax Certificate" (http://www.uwsa.edu/fadmin/fppp/fppp36h.htm) 

The UW and Big 10 have contracts with hotels in many frequently traveled to cities. More specifics on locations, rates, phone numbers and booking codes is listed in Appendix E (http://www.uwsa.edu/fadmin/fppp/fppp36e.htm) of the Travel Regulations. Government and contract rates are also available to UW employees at various chains.

MISC EXPENSES

One personal telephone call is reimbursable up to $5 per call for each night in travel status, for an unscheduled geographical location change, or for an unscheduled change in travel status resulting in more than an hour extension to the employee's originally scheduled return home.

Business calls (local, long distance, email access and FAX) incurred in travel status may be reimbursed. Employes should provide an explanation of the official business and a receipt is required if the claim is in excess of $5.00.

Reimbursement for porterage at airports or bus terminals is limited to $1.00 per piece of luggage. A full explanation of the claim is required.