Travel Policy

When traveling using research foundation funds a travel pre-approval is required. Please complete the Travel Pre-Approval and Advance Form in infoready ensuring all fields are completed. Travel should not be booked until you receive manager approval.

Official travel status is 35 miles from your official workstation. You will be considered in travel status no more than 1 day prior to the start of your meeting/conference and no more than 1 day following your meeting/conference.

When traveling using state funds a travel authorization is required. Please complete a travel authorization in self-serve ensuring all fields are filled in with your anticipated travel costs. Travel cannot be booked until you receive final travel approval from the travel office.

• When attending a conference/seminar, the agenda or brochure is required.
• When attending a meeting without a formal agenda, please provide a brief overview/schedule that includes any meals provided.

• Lodging reimbursement is for room and tax only outside of New York State. If within New York State travelers must provide the hotel with a state tax exempt form. If tax is charged on an individual's state issued travel card, it will be the responsibility of the card holder to obtain a credit for the tax.
• Hotel accommodations must be booked by the individual traveler using your state travel card. Please ensure you book a room at the per diem rate for your location Do not use your state travel card to book rooms for another employee.
• Research Foundation employees traveling under state funds will need to book accommodations with a personal credit card and submit for reimbursement.
• Maximum lodging reimbursement depends on the area of assignment and is based on the current federal per diem rate schedule.
• If the nightly hotel rate is over the location per diem please complete the over the max form and include it with your receipt. You will need to include justification for the overage. Conference hotel is no longer an accepted justification.
• Reimbursement for upgrades, personal telephone calls, pay TV or movies, laundry, entertainment, and expenses to and from meals is not allowed.
• Effective in 1999 the maximum lodging rates do not include the tax.
• NYS taxes are not reimbursable. See Frequently Used Forms for for Tax Exempt Certificates.
• AirBnB, VRBO or similar rentals will not be reimbursed to employees.

• Reimbursement will be based on the federal per diem allowance for area of assignment. We reimburse M&IE rates, 80% for dinner, 20% for breakfast. We do not reimburse additional for first and last day of travel.
• If traveling for the day, you may get reimbursed up to the max per diem amount with documentation of meal receipts. If there are no meal receipts provided when submitting your expense report, the max per diem you can get reimbursed is $5 for breakfast and $12 for dinner, which is taxable.
• If submitting receipts for meals, breakfast will only be reimbursed if it is before 11am and dinner will only be reimbursed if it is after 4pm. Receipts must be detailed and will only be reimbursed to the max for that meal, alcohol is not a reimbursed expense. Within NYS we will not reimburse tax.
• If an employee is staying overnight with friends or relatives while traveling, they will receive a fixed rate allowance for meals and incidentals. When traveling to New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester Counties the per diem rate is $50/day. When traveling to Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse the per diem rate is $40/day.
• Eligible for breakfast on day of departure if departure is before 7am.
• Lunch is not a reimbursable expense.
• Eligible for dinner on day of return if returning after 7pm.
• Reimbursement for meals requires both an agenda from the conference/meeting/training and lodging information.

• Original receipts are required.
• Receipts are required for every charge placed on your state travel card.
• If you place a charge on your state travel card and cannot provide a receipt, you will be asked to reimburse that charge.

• Actual, reasonable, and necessary expenses for business purposes will be reimbursed.
• If requiring Taxi/Uber/Lyft services, you may use your personal card and submit for reimbursement.
• Taxi/Uber/Lyft cannot be charged on the state travel card.
• We will only reimburse transportation to and from the airport, train station or conference center.
• Transportation to meals is not a reimbursable expense.
• Parking fees can be placed on your travel card. If a receipt is not submitted, you will be asked to reimburse that charge.
• If tolls are required on your route please pay these with a personal card and submit for reimbursement. Toll charges may only be charged on your state travel card when they are part of your rental car usage, when the rental car is on your state travel card.

• Business phone calls and fax charges will be reimbursed with a memo justifying the expense. No personal calls will be reimbursed.

Candidates Reimbursements:

Reimbursements can be provided to individuals interviewing for professional State positions. The current State Travel Guidelines must be adhered to.

The procedures for reimbursement are as follows:

State Accounts

1. Complete NYS Substitute W-9 form so that the individual can be added to the vendor file for payment.
2. Prepare a Claim for Travel Reimbursement by A Non-Employee (AC3257-S), an interactive document, (fill out and print) with the candidate as the Make sure the candidate signs the voucher before departing from the institution.
3. Attach all original receipts: airline tickets, statement of automobile travel, car rental, hotel bills, meals-detailed/itemized (swiped copies are not accepted), etc.
4. Forward all documents either inter-office mail to Travel SLC, Room 2025 or to [email protected].

NOTE: All expenses must be paid by the individual candidate and reimbursed directly to the candidate. No reimbursement for extended stays for any reason or for any other individuals accompanying the candidate.

All reimbursements are based on max per diem rate for the Syracuse area.

Honorariums/Speakers:

Payments for lecture fees, except for State and Research employees, are deemed appropriate expenditures.

The fee paid can be a set amount, a set amount plus travel reimbursement or just travel reimbursement. For all travel reimbursements, the appropriate State or Research Travel Guidelines must be followed. Original receipts for all airlines, hotels, car rentals, etc. must be attached to the purchase requisition.

State Accounts

1. Individual must complete NYS Substitute W-9 for input into vendor file so that payment can be processed.
2. Prepare a Claim for Travel Reimbursement by A Non-Employee (AC3257-S), an interactive document, (fill out and print) with the candidate as the Make sure the candidate signs the voucher before departing from the institution.
3. Attach lecture brochure and all original receipts, please include documentation of proof, that Upstate agrees pay a lecture fee, that also includes the amount of lecture fee.
4. Forward all documents either inter-office mail to Travel SLC, Room 2025 or to [email protected].

NOTE: All expenses must be paid by the individual and reimbursed.

All reimbursements are based on max per diem rate for the Syracuse area.