HMNMH – Hospitalwide Human Resources Manual / Page: 1 of 2
Subject: / Travel Reimbursement / No: 1083
Jan 1, 2007
Created

PURPOSE

Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital (HMNMH) will reimburse employees for travel for required Hospital business.

POLICY

Transportation:

  1. Use of air, train, car or bus transportation shall be selected and approved on the basis of the least total cost to the Hospital after all expense items are tabulated, including travel time and salary costs and/or the most appropriate mode. Wherever possible airfare should be secured 30 days in advance and tickets should be selected as non refundable.
  1. When the use of a private vehicle is selected or approved, reimbursement shall be at the current approved rate set by the Accounting Department. When the use of air transportation is selected and approved, travel shall be in coach class or equivalent service. Private automobile use to and from the airport shall be reimbursed for all miles at the current approved rate. The cost of parking and tolls are also reimbursable.
  1. While traveling, the use of rental vehicles is discouraged. Courtesy shuttles, buses or taxisshould be considered between airports and meeting locations. Rental vehicles shall only be used when no other transportation is available or when alternate transportation would be more expensive or impractical. When rental vehicles are used, the most cost effective vehicle will be allowed.

Wages:

  1. Non-exempt employees
  2. All non-exempt employees will be paid their base hourly rate for all time associated with traveling to and from business meetings or educational programs approved for required attendance by HMNMH. More specifically, non-exempt employees will be paid time spent driving or as a passenger on an airplane, train, car, bus, taxi cab, or other mode of transportation in traveling to and from the location of the event; however, if the travel is in lieu of the employee’s regular commute, only that portion of travel time in excess of the regular commute time will be paid.
  3. All non exempt employees will not be paid for time spent associated with the following activities:
  4. Time spent taking a break from travel in order to eat a meal (but this does not include meals eaten while traveling on an airplane, train, or bus);
  5. Time spent taking a break from travel in order to sleep (but this does not include sleeping while traveling on an airplane, train, or bus);
  6. Time spent engaging in purely personal pursuits not connected with traveling or making necessary travel connections (i.e., spending an extra day in a city before the start or at the conclusion of a conference in order to sightsee).
  7. To the extent travel time results in overtime hoursan employee will be paid appropriate overtime. Overtime is based on current classification, alternative work agreement and/or collective bargaining agreement.
  8. With the exception of hours spent in actual attendance of the business meeting or educational program, travel time outside of the traveling employee’s scheduled work hours is not considered hours worked and thus will not count towards the 1250 minimum hour requirement under the Family and Medical Leave Act or comparable California law.
  1. If the travel expense reimbursement will include wages, approval of the appropriate senior administrator should be obtained prior to travel. Appropriate scheduling should be done to avoid any overtime or premium wages.

Lodging:

  1. Lodging shall be obtained at the most economical rate available. Conference or seminar headquarters are encouraged when not unnecessarily expensive. Lodging expenses and meals for spouses or other family members are not reimbursable and employees must pay any additional costs.
  1. Business-related telephone charges, which are added to the lodging bill, may be reimbursed. The name of the party called should be indicated. While out of town, one short telephone call home per day will be reimbursed.

Meals:

  1. For each full day of travel a maximum of $50.00 per day will be reimbursed for meals. A “full day” is defined as travel/educational time involving greater than five consecutive hours.
  1. For each partial day of travel a maximum of $25.00 per day will be reimbursed for meals. A “partial day” is defined as travel/educational time involving less than five consecutive hours.

Reimbursement:

  1. For reimbursement an itemized expense report, with all original receipts attached, shall be submitted to the appropriate senior administrator for approval and then forwarded to the Accounting Department for processing.