Employees authorized to travel shall be reimbursed
for the actual cost of meals, including tax and
reasonable tip up to the total per diem rate
established by the State Controller in Appendices
A, B, C, and D to this chapter of the state fiscal
rules. These rates will closely follow the per
diem rates established by the federal government
for its employees and be published periodically
by the State Controller.
Under no circumstances shall an employee claim
more than the established per diem rate. The
actual costs of meals (including meal tips) in
any day may be reimbursed up to the maximum aggregate
per diem amount established for the location
and time in travel status. Where adequate meals
are included in conference fees, registration
fees, or commercial transportation tickets, maximum
rates for those meals may not be included in
the maximum aggregate daily per diem amount for
the location and time in travel status. For example,
the costs of meals may be reimbursed up to the
total daily per diem rate for a full day of travel
(if no meals are furnished), without regard to
maximum individual meal rates. If lunch is included
in a conference fee for a full day of travel,
the actual costs for breakfast and dinner may
not exceed the total of the per diem rates for
breakfast and dinner. The costs of meals for
a partial day of travel over breakfast and lunch
(or lunch and dinner) may be reimbursed up to
the total per diem rate for breakfast and lunch
(or lunch and dinner), without regard to individual
maximum meal rates.
All requests for reimbursement of the actual
cost of meals shall be documented by original
receipts or copies thereof, except that travelers
may be reimbursed for up to a maximum of $39
per day (including tips) without meal receipts.
The breakdown for the $39.00 is $8.00/Breakfast,
$12.00/Lunch and $19.00/Dinner. Mixing and
matching will not be allowed. Traveler will either
provide receipts for the entire trip
or claim the $39.00/day without receipts. Reasonable
tips for meals may be reimbursed without a receipt
showing the amount of the tip. Reasonable
tips according to Fiscal Rules are not to exceed
20%
prior to tax. See Fiscal Rule 5-1. |
