Employees traveling on behalf of the school district and performing approved school district business will be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses. Actual and necessary travel expenses will include, but not be limited to, transportation and/or mileage costs, lodging expenses, meal expenses and registration costs.
Travel Outside the School District
Travel outside of the school district must be pre-approved. Pre-approval will include an evaluation of the necessity of the travel, the reason for the travel and an estimate of the cost of the travel to qualify as approved school district business. Travel outside the school district by employees, other than the superintendent, is approved by the superintendent. Travel outside the district by the superintendent will be approved by the board president.
Reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses may be allowed for travel outside the school district if the employee received pre-approval for the travel. Prior to reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses, the employee must provide the school district with a detailed receipt, indicating the date, purpose and nature of the expense for each claim item. In exceptional circumstances, the superintendent may allow a claim without proper receipt. Written documentation explaining the exceptional circumstances is maintained as part of the school district's record of the claim.
Failure to have a detailed receipt will make the expense a personal expense. Personal expenses, including mileage, in excess of that required for the trip are reimbursed by the employee to the school district no later than 10 working days following the date of the expense.
Reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses for travel outside the school district will be limited to the pre-approved expenses. Pre-approved expenses for registration are limited to the actual cost of the registration.
Pre-approved expenses for transportation within three-hundred miles of the school district administrative office will be by automobile. If a school district vehicle is not available, the employee will be reimbursed at the federal mileage rate per mile. If a school district vehicle is available, the employee will be reimbursed at the federal rate to those employees submitting a log of their mileage.
Travel Within the School District
Employees required to travel in their personal vehicle between school district buildings to carry out the duties of their position may be reimbursed at the federal rate. It is the responsibility of the superintendent to approve travel within the school district by employees. It is the responsibility of the board to review the travel within the school district by the superintendent through the board's audit and approval process.
Employees who are allowed an in-school district travel allowance will have the amount of the allowance actually received during each calendar year included on the employee's W-2 form as taxable income according to the Internal Revenue Code.
The superintendent is responsible for developing administrative regulations regarding actual and necessary expenses, in-school district travel allowances and assignment of school district vehicles. The administrative regulations will include the appropriate forms to be filed for reimbursement to the employee from the school district and the procedures for obtaining approval for travel outside of and within the school district.
Use of District-Owned Vehicles
Certain district employment positions may require regular and extensive travel. Due to the required duties of these positions, the district may provide certain positions with use of district-owned vehicles. Employees who utilize district-owned vehicles during the course of their job duties are fulfilling the public purpose of meeting the needs of the educational community in an efficient, and time-sensitive manner. District-owned vehicles are purchased and maintained with public money and must be used strictly in accordance with fulfilling a public purpose. These vehicles represent the district in carrying out its educational mission. Therefore, district-owned vehicles will be clearly marked at all times to identify the district.
The superintendent is responsible for developing administrative regulations regarding actual and necessary expenses, in-school district travel allowances and assignment and proper use of school district vehicles. The administrative regulations will include the appropriate forms to be filed for reimbursement to the employee from the school district and the procedures for obtaining approval for travel outside of and within the school district.
MEAL REIMBURSEMENT
Approved expenses for meals may be reimbursed at $50 per day with not one meal exceeding $25. Although the policy does not set a tip rate, 18% has been recognized as best practice. All meals require an itemized receipt and charge slip submitted with a Payment Request or Purchase Order submitted to the immediate supervisor for approval. If itemized receipts are not submitted, the expense will become a personal expense to the employee.
Legal Reference: Iowa Constitution, Art. III, § 31.
Iowa Code §§ 70A.9-.11 (2013).
1980 Op. Att'y Gen. 512.
Date of Adoption: August 11, 1975
Date of Review: September 11, 2023
