FILE: DJD
EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
The Ouachita Parish School Board shall reimburse employees and School Board members for expenses incurred while on official Board business, within budgetary limitations. Travel expenses shall be limited to those expenses necessarily incurred by employees or Board members in the performance of official responsibilities as may be authorized by the School Board. Reimbursement of expenses shall be based on submission of a properly completed and approved voucher and such supporting receipts as required and in accordance with approved procedures and reimbursement rates, as outlined in the Board’s Travel Policy Regulations. Such expenses may be approved and incurred in line with budgetary allocations for the specific type of expense and approved procedures and rates.
All out-of-state travel by Board members must be approved by the Board prior to the travel commencing. All out-of-state travel by employees must be approved in advance by the Superintendent or his/her designee. Approval should be documented by completing the Request for Travel Form.
All employees who use their private vehicles for official Board business shall be required to carry liability insurance. When a private vehicle is used for official School Board duties, mileage shall be reimbursed based on the rate approved by the School Board. In no case shall an employee be allowed mileage or transportation reimbursement when the employee has been gratuitously transported by another person.
Claims for reimbursement of out of parish/out of state travel expense shall be submitted for payment within a week following the travel for which expenses were incurred. Claims for reimbursement of in-parish travel should be submitted monthly. Failure to submit the necessary paperwork and/or documentation in a timely manner may result in non-payment of expenses for that month. In the event any employee is unable to report his/her travel before the end of the reporting period, the Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall approve any extension of the reporting date on a monthly basis.
Any employee or Board member who submits a false or fraudulent travel claim shall be subject to disciplinary action and the Board shall be entitled to restitution in full compliance with statutory provisions.
TRAVEL REGULATIONS
Travel and reimbursement for travel regulations, allowances, and standard round-trip mileage to various locations, schools and/or selected cities are included in the Board’s Travel Policy Regulations, as well as forms and charts to be used for requesting travel and subsequent reimbursement of expenses. Provisions contained in the Travel Policy Regulations apply to all employees whether reimbursed for travel by the School Board or by individual schools.
Meals
Employees may be reimbursed for meals when there is no overnight stay, including employees in which travel expense is reimbursed by the school. However, in accordance with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations, reimbursement made for meals when there is no overnight stay is considered taxable.
Revised: January, 2010
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:56, 17:81, 32:861, 32:862, 32:863, 32:863.1, 32:900
Board minutes, 8-13-02, 12-17-02, 1-16-03, 10-6-09, 8-16-11
Ouachita Parish School Board