State Delegate Funding Guidelines to the NEA RA

Delegates are elected and funded to do the business of the association. Duly elected delegates must confirm plans to attend not later than April 10, and any decisions made after this date which produce opportunities for successors to fill vacancies will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Delegates funded by MSEA to attend the 2017 NEA Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly agree to the terms below by acceptance of their prefunded check.

Attendance

  • State delegates are required to attend from June 30, 2017 to July 5, 2017.
  • State delegates are required to stay at the Maryland delegation hotel.
  • State delegates are required to sign in and attend all Maryland Delegation Caucus meetingsconvened.
  • Delegates are required to attend all NEA RA business sessions. State delegates will be responsible to turn in an attendance card to Treasurer Bill Fisher or Vice President Cheryl Bost within the first 30 minutes of each business session of the NEA RA.
  • Delegates are required to vote in all NEA Elections at the RA.
  • Delegates are required to stay in the Maryland Delegation seating area during all business sessions.

Funding

  • MSEA will provide prefunding for the hotel(based on double occupancy) to state delegates within the expense allotment established by the MSEA Boardand in compliance with IRS regulations.
  • Meals are prefunded at the IRS per diem rate and do not require receipts.
  • Delegates are required to keep and turn in required receipts as designated on the MSEA State DelegateExpense Form.
  • The MSEA State DelegateExpense Form and supporting documentation is due in the MSEA Office no later than August 7, 2017.
  • Any monies owed to MSEA must be remitted by September 15, 2017.
  • Delegates may arrive as early as June 30 and depart as late as July 6. Delegates will not be reimbursed for expenses outside of that window. (Exception: Retired delegates who are attending the Retired Conference and delegates who are pre-approved to attend the Joint Conference on Minorities and Women).

As a state delegate, if you fail to adhere to the above stated guidelines, financial penalties will be enforced.

  • State delegates whodo not attend the entire NEA RA are expected to remit the appropriate prefunded amount based on the days not in attendance.
  • State delegates who do not adhere to the attendance requirements stated above will be asked to remit appropriate funding.
  • State delegates who do not turn in the required receipts or remit any prefunded money owedthat results from under-expenditure or failure to adhere to attendance guidelines may be issued a 1099 for the appropriate amount and will lose the privilege to be a prefunded delegate in the future. This could also result in further action by the MSEA Board of Directors.
  • Note: If there is an emergency that arises during the NEA RA that impacts the above requirements, delegates must communicate such emergency directly to President Weller and Maura Taylor.

Allotment

MSEA will reimburse the following:

1)Mileage and tolls to and from BWI, National, or Dulles airport (one roundtrip). Parking at the airport at the lowest available rate.

2)If you are being driven to the airport and dropped off, MSEA will reimburse two roundtrips, no parking. Indicate ride sharing (where applicable).

3)Airfare to and from Boston, MA. Mileage, tolls and train fare will reimbursed up to the cost of airfare. Parking in Boston will not be reimbursed. Note that parking at the hotel is $54/day.

The above will be reimbursed up to the following maximum amounts. The fare amounts represent roundtrip fares. Receipts are required.

1)Parking: BWI, $8/day; Dulles, $10/day; National $17/day.

2)Cab fare to and from the Maryland airport not to exceed the cost of parking + mileage.

3)Hotel: Westin-Copley Plaza, double occupancy: $124 (non-riverview). Delegates may select the $131 (riverview) option, but the additional cost will not be reimbursed.

4)Airfare:$150 (Note: Airfare will be revisited by the MSEA Board in March 2017 to determine whether or not an adjustment is needed.)

5)Baggage: $25 each way (one bag, not for additional bags on airlines that do not charge for first bag).

6)Transportation from and to the Boston-Logan Airport to the Westin-Copley Plaza: $34

7)Mileage will be reimbursed at the IRS rate. Tolls will be reimbursed (provide receipt or EZPass printout).

Ground transportation means the method by which delegates arrive to and leave from Boston (train, car, plane). It does not include any cabs, buses, metros, etc. taken during the RA (going out to dinner, going to the convention center as NEA shuttle service is provided, etc.).

State delegates may request a travel advance of up to $75 to offset anticipated transportation and parking expenses. A travel advance form must be completed and returned with the State Delegate Credential acceptance form.

There will be two state delegate stipend checks.

  • Check #1: Airfare only. Flights must be booked within 30 (thirty) days of check issuance. Expense form must be submitted within sixty (60) days of expenditure. Check will not be issued until the State Delegate Credential form has been returned.
  • Check #2: Hotel, meals, and travel advance (if requested). The check will be issued after a hotel reservation is made, but no more than 30 (thirty) days in advance of the arrival date. Expense form must be submitted by August 7, 2017.