|
Section
10.000
Policies and Procedures Manual
Human Resources Department
10.000
TRAVEL
In
situations where employees are to be reimbursed for travel expenses,
the following procedures shall apply:
A.
Travel
1. No expenses for out-of-state travel or in-state overnight
travel will be allowed unless prior written approval has been
received from the department head, the Departmental Chief Justice,
and, in the case of Probation Officers, the Commissioner of the
Probation.
2. No expenses for instate travel will be allowed unless the employee
is on court business authorized and approved by the department
head. When an employee is authorized by the department head to
use his/her private automobile on authorized business of the court
or Administrative Office, he/she will be reimbursed at a rate
approved by the Chief Justice for Administration and Management.
3. Reimbursement shall be as follows:
a. An employee who is authorized to travel in his/her
personal vehicle from his/her home to a temporary assignment rather
than to his/her regularly assigned office shall be allowed transportation
expenses for the distance between his/her home and his/her temporary
assignment or between his/her regularly assigned office and his/her
temporary assignment, whichever is less. Such expenses shall be
reimbursed at the generally accepted rate as established by State
regulation for executive branch travel reimbursement and approved
by the Chief Justice for Administration and Management.
b. Exact toll costs and parking costs (not to include parking
tickets) shall be paid when essential and not a normal expense
to the employees at their regularly assigned work location. All
requests for reimbursement require the approval of the department
head.
4. Employees may receive advance expense checks for
travel, provided that:
a. an itemized request for advance accompanies the request
for travel;
b. approval for the trip has been received from the respective
offices.
5. Payment of advance expense checks will be made approximately
15 working days after the request has been submitted to the Administrative
Office of the Trial Court.
6. The advance expense check may not exceed the estimated cost
of transportation, lodging, meals, and conference fees.
7. Employees receiving a travel advance must submit a travel voucher
with all receipts within ten days after their return. If the itemized
expenditures total less than the amount advanced, a check or money
order payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts should accompany
the voucher, reimbursing the difference. If expenses total more
than the amount advanced, a check for the difference will be issued
to the employee.
8. Any employee failing to account for a travel advance and/or
failing to reimburse the Commonwealth, if necessary, may be subject
to disciplinary action and will not be issued any further compensation
until the expenditure report has been filed for the advance and
any required reimbursement made.
B. Transportation
1. The least expensive means of transportation should
be used whenever possible, e.g., public transportation rather
than taxis or private automobiles.
2. The cost of transportation (airplane, bus, train, taxi) will
be reimbursable only when employees have supporting receipts attached
to their travel voucher.
C. State-owned Vehicles
1. State-owned vehicles may be used only on official
business. Use for private purposes is forbidden.
2. No operator of state-owned vehicles will transport passengers
other than those traveling on official business.
3. Operators are personally responsible for damage or injuries
arising from accidents outside working hours or involving passengers
not traveling on official business.
4. An operator of a state-owned vehicle should obtain and use
a credit card for that vehicle and may not claim mileage reimbursement
for travel.
5. Operators of state-owned vehicles may claim reimbursement for
tolls, parking, and emergency repairs.
6. No payment may be made nor obligation incurred for the garaging
of a state-owned vehicle except upon prior approval of the Department
of Administration and Finance.
7. No charges for simonizing, polishing, or repainting will be
allowed unless approved in advance by the State Purchasing Agent.
D.
Procedure for Claiming Reimbursement
1.
Reimbursement claims are to be detailed on the
Travel Voucher Input Form, (Appendix C, Form F9). A
completed overnight instate travel form and/or an out-of-state
travel form should be attached to the Travel
Voucher Input Form, if applicable.
2. An original and two copies of the form should be made, one
copy to be retained by the staff member and the original and one
copy submitted for reimbursement.
3. After completion of the Travel Voucher
Input Form, the employee must verify the claim as true
and correct by signing in the section entitled "Traveler."
4. The employee's Travel Voucher Input
Form should be
submitted to the department head for approval.
5. The approved Travel Voucher Input
Form should be submitted to the Administrative Office
of the Trial Court for payment.
Return
to the Table of Contents
|
