15.1.4 Determine Allowability of Travel Expenses

Examples of allowable miscellaneous expenses include:

• Toll, parking, ferry, bridge, road, and tunnel fees
• Baggage transfer and handling
• Business telephone calls and a personal call home to announce "safe arrival"
• Laundry and dry cleaning when on domestic travel status for at least 7 consecutive days
• Passports and visas for employees only
• Registration fees for conferences, seminars, workshops, etc.
• Fees for the use of business center facilities, such as computer use, facsimile, and photocopying
• Ground transportation such as shuttle service, taxis, rental cars (including gas), or mileage for personal vehicles
• Reasonable tips
• Airplane parking/tie-down, hangar rental, and landing fees
• Collision damage waiver insurance for international motor vehicle rental

Examples of non-allowable expenses are:

• Alcoholic beverages--except under circumstances outlined in 8.1.1 Business Meals, Refreshments, and Alcohol
• Coat check
• Collision damage waiver insurance for domestic motor vehicle rental
• Commuting expenses between an employee's residence and official headquarters
• Personal entertainment charges such as movies, mini-bar charges, personal phone calls, spa/health clubs, sightseeing, tours, etc.
• Locksmith charges
• Late check-out and room guarantee charges
• Living expenses at official headquarters
• Non-University of Illinois System-related expenses
• Parking tickets or other traffic fines
• Personal automobile accident insurance
• Spouse/family travel expense, unless specific prior approval is provided in a grant, contract, or in extraordinary circumstances where the spouse's presence is required
• Tobacco products
• Towing of a personal automobile that is being used for system business travel
• Travel insurance (exceptions may be requested for foreign travel)
  Note: Travel insurance is not generally recommended as most travel insurance policies do not cover trip cancellations due to fear of a pandemic disease. However, for a temporary period of time, unit financial officers may determine if the purchase of travel insurance will be allowed.
  
  Prior to purchasing travel insurance, please perform a cost benefit analysis:

  • Compare the cost of refundable airfares vs non-refundable airfares + travel insurance
  • If the cost differential is less than $100, consider purchasing refundable airfare due to the changing travel advisories.
  • Carefully review all terms and conditions prior to purchase.
  • For international travel, review the travel assistance options available to system employees.

Employee Housing as Lodging

The University’s policy regarding use of employee owned housing as lodging is governed by 80 IL Admin Code 2900.75.

Employees on travel status may stay in employee owned or controlled (rented, leased, etc.) property, including motor homes, and may be reimbursed, upon request, for the cost of lodging not exceeding any of the following three limitations:

1. Daily Limit	Daily limits shall not to exceed 75% of the applicable per day lodging rate
2. Monthly Limit	A. The sum of all reimbursements for a month shall not exceed the mortgage, installment or rental payment made by the employee for the same month. and B. The sum of all reimbursements for a month shall not exceed: $960 in the city of Chicago $700 in suburban Cook County or Lake, McHenry, Kane, Will or DuPage County $550 in the 96 downstate counties
3. Fiscal Year Limit	The sum of all reimbursements in a fiscal year shall not exceed the mortgage, installment or rental total incurred by the employee for the fiscal year. Once the sum of reimbursements for the fiscal year is reached, further lodging reimbursement shall not be given for travel to the city or work site containing the employee owned or controlled housing for that fiscal year.

Prior to receiving reimbursement, employee must complete and sign a Report of Employee Owned or Controlled Housing for filing with the Illinois Higher Education Travel Control Board (IHETCB). This form will be used to monitor expenses to ensure compliance with travel regulations, report to the IHETCB when maximum reimbursement are reached, and to provide quarterly reports to the IHETCB detailing fiscal year to-date expenses.

All Chrome River expense reports for reimbursement of use of employee owned or controlled housing while in travel status must include a copy of the signed  Report of Employee Owned or Controlled Housing form.

Use of employee owned or controlled housing while in travel status is only an option available if it is proven to be the least costly alternative.