The University System of Georgia does not permit First or Business Class travel unless the circumstances noted in Section 4.6.1 of the Business Manual are met.  http://www.usg.edu/business_procedures_manual/section4/C1189/

Yes. Flights should only be booked 14 to 30 days in advance of the travel dates. Submit an expense report using the Online Expense Module and attach the receipt and flight-cost comparison to the electronic report.

Travelers should only utilize direct-booking options with hotels, car rentals, and airlines. VSU highly discourages the use of these search engines as they often do not provide adequate itemized receipts. Many expenses such as hotel, car rental, and flights cannot be reimbursed without being sufficiently itemized on the receipt.

The average time for a Direct Deposit to pre-note is approximately 10 to 15 working days.

Gas is reimbursed when a car is rented. Actual receipts are required. When a VSU vehicle is used, employees should use the State of Georgia Fuel Card.

Why am I required to itemize my receipts?  State funds cannot be used to pay for certain expenses therefore it is necessary to identify the various charges on a receipt so that Accounts Payable can appropriately allocate the funds.

No. Section 3.1 of the Statewide Travel Policy clearly prohibits the use of lodging with private residencies or any lodging arrangement that isn’t available to the general public.

 Are meal receipts required? No.

The current meal reimbursement rates for travel within the state of Georgia are listed below (must be gone overnight to be entitled to the per diem).  Meals for the first and last day of travel are reimbursable at 75%.

Meal Type

Regular Maximum Allowable

Breakfast

$13.00

Lunch

$14.00

Dinner

$23.00

Day total

$50.00

For travel out side of the state of Georgia please refer to the federal per diem rates (the $5 incidentals is allowed)

 

The current mileage reimbursement rate is .655 cents per mile.

An original receipt is always required per our auditors as it prevents duplication of payment.

A traveler can pay the fee and be reimbursed on the online Expense Report. Also, the fee can be paid with the State of Georgia Purchasing Card. If the vendor will not accept the Purchasing Card, a request for payment can be submitted to the Accounts Payable and Travel office by completing a Prepaid Registration form. An approved Travel Authorization should be referenced.

An employee should never pay for another person’s expenses.  All expenses should be noted on the Cooperative Agreement/Purchase order for the Services.

The state has a mandatory statewide contract with Enterprise and Hertz for in-state rental. Employees should only rent vehicles from one of these vendors when the use of a rental car is the desired form of travel. VSU has a direct-bill option with Enterprise to eliminate employee out-of-pocket expenses. If choosing Enterprise, please contact Financial Services for the account number and billing number to elect for direct-bill.

No, unless it is an out-of-state rental or you can provide proof of unavailability from the vendor(s) on state contract

This process is only allowable for emergencies not exceeding $50 through University Petty Cash Funds. A tax exemption certificate must be presented to the seller.  A tax exemption certificate can be obtained from the Accounting Director in Financial Services. Complete an expense report and turn in the original receipt to be reimbursed. 

Common Mistakes

  • P-card cannot be used for travel

  • Present “Certificate of exemption of local hotel/ motel excise tax” upon arrival at hotels in Georgia.

  • Turn in conference agenda with expense report

  • Turn in car cost comparison/ Flight cost comparison with expense report

  • The 1st and last day of travel, only 75% of allowable pier diem

  • Be sure to take paper copy of expense report for signatures before submitting to travel department

All payments to non-employees should be handled by the Procurement Office.

There are several reasons for this, but the most common is that the amount requested is in excess of the amount approved on the Travel Authorization .  Additionally, your reimbursement may be reduced for the following:

  • Local taxes
  • Unallowable Meals
  • Mathematical error