Meals/Per Diem on Travel Status
University employees on approved business travel status are eligible for meal expense reimbursement based on the type of travel and not to exceed maximum allowances established by the Illinois Higher Education Travel Control Board. For further information and policy on meal reimbursement while on travel status, see Section 15.1, Meal Allowance of the Business and Financial Policies and Procedures manual.
Per diem is the daily travel status meal allowance including taxes and tips.
| Breakfast |
In-State |
Out-of-State |
| For travel less than 18 hours * |
Not Allowed |
Not Allowed |
| Deductions for conference/official meeting meals |
$5.50 |
$6.50 |
| Lunch |
In-State |
Out-of-State |
| For travel less than 18 hours * |
Not Allowed |
Not Allowed |
| Deductions for conference/official meeting meals |
$5.50 |
$6.50 |
| Dinner |
In-State |
Out-of-State |
| For travel less than 18 hours * |
Not Allowed |
Not Allowed |
| Deductions for conference/official meeting meals |
$17.00 |
$19.00 |
| Daily Travel Per Diem Allowance |
In-State |
Out-of-State (Domestic) |
| |
$28.00 |
$32.00 |
* Note: Effective January 1, 2007, all meal allowances for employees on travel status for 18 hours or less (non-overnight) were eliminated. (Luncheon meal allowance for employees on non-overnight travel status has never been allowed.)
How to Calculate Per Diem for Days of Departure and Return
For assistance with determining Per Diem, travelers are encouraged to use the online Per Diem Calculator tool.
Per Diem reimbursement for days of departure and return is calculated on four six-hour quarters. If the employee leaves home within a certain quarter, calculation begins at that quarter. When an employee returns home, calculation ends at that quarter. Each quarter includes any travel time within that quarter. Each quarter equals $7.00 for In-State travel or $8.00 for Out-of-State travel.
What You Can Claim for Your Day of Departure
| If you leave between |
You claim this amount for the day |
| |
Quarters |
In-state |
Out-of-state |
| Midnight and 5:59 am |
4 (full day) |
$28.00 |
$32.00 |
| 6:00 am and 11:59 am |
3 |
$21.00 |
$24.00 |
| Noon and 5:59 pm |
2 |
$14.00 |
$16.00 |
| 6:00 p.m. and 11:59 pm |
1 |
$7.00 |
$8.00 |
What You Can Claim for Your Day of Return
| If you return home between |
You claim this amount for the day |
| |
Quarters |
In-state |
Out-of-state |
| Midnight and 5:59 am |
1 |
$7.00 |
$8.00 |
| 6:00 am and 11:59 am |
2 |
$14.00 |
$16.00 |
| Noon and 5:59 pm |
3 |
$21.00 |
$24.00 |
| 6:00 p.m. and 11:59 pm |
4 (full day) |
$28.00 |
$32.00 |
For example: an employee leaves home at 7:00 a.m. on Friday and returns home at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. This employee is eligible for 3 quarters on Friday and 3 quarters on Saturday, equaling per diem of $42.00 for In-State travel or $48.00 for Out-of-State travel.
Conference/Official Meetings Meals
When the cost of meals for approved seminars, conferences, or official meetings is an integral part of the registration fee of a conference, the per diem traveler must deduct the following amounts from the per diem allowance for each meal included in the registration fee:
| |
In-State |
Out-of-State |
| Breakfast |
$5.50 |
$6.50 |
| Lunch |
$5.50 |
$6.50 |
| Dinner |
$17.00 |
$19.00 |
Last Updated: October 1, 2009