Individual Overnight Travel |
Meals and certain other incidental travel expenses are reimbursable only for OVERNIGHT official business travel outside the traveler’s official station. Reimbursement for such expenses (including all related taxes and tips) shall be made to the traveler based on a fixed allowance referred to as the meals and incidental expense (M&IE) per diem. Meal expenses incurred during overnight travel cannot be billed directly to the university. The M&IE per diem can only be paid directly to the traveler, even when it can be shown that one traveler incurred the expenses on behalf of another. The M&IE per diem used corresponds to the location of the related overnight lodging for in-state, out-of-state and foreign travel. The applicable M&IE per diem, or fraction thereof, for a departure or return day, is payable to the traveler without itemization of expenses or receipts. |
| Prorations and Reductions |
On a travel departure or return day, 75% of the Meals per diem is reimbursed. For example, if the M&IE rate allows a $46 total reimbursement, $36.00 [($46 - $5 = $41 x .75) = $30.75 + $5 = $35.75 which is rounded up to $36] would be allowable on a travel departure or return day. For trips involving multiple travel destinations, base the reduction on the per diem in effect for where the night was spent as follows:
- Departure Day: Where you spend the night
- Return Day: Where you spent the night before returning to home base.
When meals are provided at no cost in conjunction with travel events, the applicable M&IE per diem reimbursement rate shall be reduced by the amount shown for the applicable meal in the M&IE Rate Table, excluding the incidental allowances. For example, if the M&IE rate allows a $46 total reimbursement, and lunch was provided at no cost, the total allowable reimbursement for that day would be $35 ($46 - $11 lunch).
However, when meals are provided at no cost in conjunction with travel events on a travel departure or return day, the full Meals per diem reimbursement rate is reduced by the full amount of the appropriate meals followed by a 75% proration of the balance. For example, if the M&IE rate allows a $46 total reimbursement, and lunch was provided at no cost on a travel departure or return day, the total allowable reimbursement for that day would be $28 (rounded) [($46 - $11 lunch = $35 - $5 = $30) x .75 = $22.50) +5 = $27.50].
When meals are included with registration or lodging expense as part of a package, the number and type of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) must be recorded on the travel voucher. If a continental breakfast or reception is offered as part of the travel event and the food/timing is sufficient to serve as a meal, the traveler must reduce the per diem by the appropriate allowance amount. If a meal is offered as part of a conference and the traveler has medical restrictions, the traveler should make every effort to have the conference facilitate his/her needs by the deadline specified by the conference. If the conference does not honor the request, the traveler is not required to deduct the applicable meal allowance from the per diem. However, the traveler must include a note or other documentation with the Travel Expense Reimbursement Voucher documenting this information. |
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