A Travel Authorization is required prior to all overnight travel. Travel will only be approved when sufficient funds are in the budget to cover the anticipated expenses. If more than one individual will travel on a proposed trip, each must complete a Travel Authorization form.
When completing a TA form, ensure that all areas are completed and that email addresses for approvers are correct.
| Destination: | Signatures Required: |
|---|---|
| In-State | Immediate Supervisor |
| Out-of-State | Immediate Supervisor & VP |
| Foreign | Immediate Supervisor, VP |
| During Spending Freeze | Immediate Supervisor, VP, & CFO |
To ensure that arrangements can be booked promptly, please make sure that estimated trip expenses are reasonable, pricing is recently obtained, and leave room for fluctuation in prices as well as for unexpected expenses that may arise. If the actual cost exceeds the approved amount, additional approval will be required.
When all approval signatures have been obtained, the Travel Authorization Request will be forwarded to the Travel Coordinator electronically. Prior to making airline reservations in Egencia, or at least ten (10) business days prior to the registration deadline, it is the traveler’s responsibility to verify that the TA has been fully approved. Without proper approvals, the flight will not be approved.
Please note that a TA approval from the Business Office only verifies that adequate funds are available in the department’s budget at the time of authorization and does not guarantee full reimbursement of the approved amount. The amount reimbursed will adhere to the policies set forth by Greenville Technical College and the State of South Carolina regarding travel for state employees. The amounts claimed on the Travel Support Document for reimbursement may be adjusted to reflect these policies. Expenses incurred without prior approval are at risk of being denied reimbursement due to lack of compliance.
While traveling, please remember to collect all receipts (excluding meals) for reimbursement.
Employees using their personal automobile while traveling on official business will be reimbursed at a rate per mile as approved by the State for one-way trips greater than one mile. A 4-cent per mile reduction from the state-approved mileage rate will apply if a personal car is used when a state car is reasonably available and an employee requests to use his/her personal vehicle.
State fleet vehicles may not be driven and parked at an airport for the duration of the trip, an employee MUST use a personal vehicle for this purpose. As a result, the 4-cent reduction in mileage will not apply when an employee's personal vehicle is used to get to and from an airport. GSP is the local airport. If choosing to depart from an out-of-state airport documentation must be included to illustrate the savings including the cost of the flight, mileage and parking fees.
When using a state vehicle, a fuel card will be issued and mileage will not be reimbursable to the traveler.
Parking fees are typically a reimbursable expense as noted in the Miscellaneous Expenses section.
Auto travel should be by the most direct route practicable, and substantial deviation should be explained on the TSD.
Google Maps will be used to calculate the most direct and practical route and mileage may be adjusted, as needed.
Local and/or intercampus travel must include a purpose for each trip. Mileage for teaching must include a course number. Mileage to obtain signatures and/or pick up or to deliver documents will not be reimbursed as intercampus mail should be used instead.
Multiple trips involving local travel should be combined on one TSD and submitted monthly. When local travel does not exceed $25 in the month it may be combined with the following month(s). Use addendum and/or attach extra sheet for information if needed. Multiple trips on the same day require departure and return times for each location.
Mileage reimbursement between the employee's home and his/her official headquarters is not reimbursable. If an employee leaves on college business directly from his/her home, the employee shall be reimbursed for the mileage between his/her base campus and the visiting site, or the mileage between his/her home and the visiting site, whichever is less. Mileage will be adjusted accordingly for reimbursement as required. No other mileage will be authorized or considered reimbursable other than those outlined herein. For intercampus travel, the distances below should be used on the TSD.
| Campuses | Miles | Campuses | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barton to Benson | 13 | Benson to Northwest | 12 |
| Barton to Brashier | 13 | Benson to CMI | 14 |
| Barton to Northwest | 10 | Northwest to CMI | 15 |
| Barton to CMI | 5 | Barton-Brashier-Benson & Return | 51 |
| Brashier to Benson | 25 | ARC to Northwest | 10 |
| Brashier to Northwest | 23 | BMC to Northwest | 10 |
| Brashier to CMI | 11 |
| Campuses | Miles | Campuses | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barton to Bonds CC | 13 | Bonds CC to Donaldson CC | 19 |
| Barton to Donaldson CC | 6 | CMI to Bonds CC | 15 |
| Brashier to Bonds CC | 23 | CMI to Donaldson CC | 7 |
| Benson to Williamston CC | 31 | CMI to Williamston CC | 23 |
No reimbursement shall be made for meals within twenty (20) miles of an employee's official headquarters or official place of residence.
Meal receipts are not required; however, an agenda MUST accompany the TSD for meals to be included in any reimbursement. When meals are included in the registration fee or otherwise prepaid by the college, the allowance for such meals will be deducted from the daily meal allowance. Proof of medical condition is required if you are unable to partake in the meals provided.
The amount for meals should be listed on a daily basis.
The TSD MUST SHOW departure AND return times.
This is departure from home/school to begin trip and arrival home/school to end trip not flight departure and arrival times.
Meal reimbursement is limited to the State-approved meal allowance(s) in the schedule as follows:
| Meal: | Amount: | Depart Before: | Return After: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | $8 | 6:30 AM | 11:00 AM |
| Lunch | $10 | 11:00 AM | 1:30 PM |
| Dinner | $17 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| Daily Maximum | $35 |
| Meal: | Amount: | Depart Before: | Return After: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | $10 | 6:30 AM | 11:00 AM |
| Lunch | $15 | 11:00 AM | 1:30 PM |
| Dinner | $25 | 5:15 PM | 8:30 PM |
| Daily Maximum | $50 |
The “Depart Before” time and “Return After” time requirements will be used to determine meal eligibility regardless of per diem amount claimed on the TSD.
When traveling outside the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, employees are entitled to reimbursement using the maximum daily rate for meals as established by the federal government per diem rates for travel in foreign areas. These amounts can be claimed without receipts. Eligibility will be based on the arrival/return times stated above. To determine the per diem breakdown for each meal, first determine the M&IE rate for your destination using the table found here. Using the M&IE rate for your destination, you will find a breakdown of each meal here.
Under no circumstances may a Procurement Card be used to secure lodging arrangements. Lodging must be paid for by the traveler and receipts submitted for reimbursements.
No reimbursement for overnight accommodations will be made within fifty (50) miles of the employee's official headquarters or place of official residence. All lodging charges must be supported by a detailed, original receipt. Third-party agencies such as expedia.com, hotels.com, etc. will not give detailed hotel receipts.
When submitting a lodging receipt, it must reflect a balance of $0. If any balance is showing, it will not be accepted as a reimbursable charge until a receipt is provided that shows no remaining balance.
When using a third-party agency rather than making arrangements directly with the hotel, the traveler must submit documentation of the cost savings. When possible, the conference rate for hotels should be utilized. If the conference rate is unavailable, the traveler should provide an explanation as to why the conference rate could not be obtained. If a third-party agency is used in lieu of a conference rate, the documentation showing the conference rate must be provided along with the justification. If two or more people share a room, a copy can be made of the original receipt showing how the charges were shared and indicate in which TSD the original receipt can be found. Copies of credit card receipts are not acceptable as substitutes for lodging receipts.
If an upgraded room or suite is chosen by the traveler, the cost difference will be the responsibility of the traveler. Any room service or charges other than the room amount, parking fees, and applicable taxes and fees charged by the hotel will be deducted from the reimbursement amount. Please exclude these when preparing the TSD.
Parking reimbursement will be permitted, if applicable. If a hotel has a self-parking option, this option is to be utilized. If valet parking is chosen when self-parking is an available option, the difference between the cost of self-parking and valet will be the responsibility of the traveler and the reimbursement will only be for the amount of self-parking.
When traveling, consideration should be taken in regard to practicality of when to arrive and depart for an event. Discretion should be used in deciding to arrive the day before or departing the day after an event. If it is possible to travel on the same day as the event, that option should be chosen. Arrangements should not impose unnecessary costs for extended stays beyond what is required. For additional time, the Supervisor should review and approve what is necessary.
Travel by commercial airlines will be accomplished in coach class only.
The traveler is expected to book the most economical option of flights within reasonable travel hours. Flights should be booked through Egencia. If the traveler does not have an account with Egencia, contact the Travel Coordinator to have an account created.
Egencia only allows up to 24 hours for the Travel Coordinator to approve the arrangements made. For this reason, it is recommended that travelers not send booking requests on Fridays or holidays to ensure approval.
If an employee should desire a higher class of travel by air, the cost difference will be the responsibility of the traveler. This arrangement is not permitted to be booked through Egencia and will be denied. No state funds may be used to purchase flight classes other than coach class. Upgrades may be purchased with personal funds once the flight has been secured.
Expenses for ground transportation (e.g. taxis, shuttles, Uber, Lyft, trains, buses, etc.) should be reasonable for the location of the event.
The only allowable taxi or ride share app expenses will be to & from the airport – hotel or conference -hotel if not staying on site. Local transportation for meals is not a reimbursable expense. Local transportation for business related events is reimbursable with justification and supervisor approval.
If a personal or State vehicle is used, no additional expense for ground transportation will be reimbursed without sufficient justification. Include original receipts for parking, cab, taxi, subway, etc. (Receipts are available for all transportation upon request). Non-work-related excursions are the responsibility of the traveler and will not be reimbursed.
Porterage and Gratuities (i.e. “tips”) are not an allowable reimbursement for State employees.
Rental cars for out-of-state travel may be arranged through Egencia or by the traveler. Greenville Technical College has a direct-bill account with Enterprise that should be utilized and is the preferred method of booking. The traveler will be reimbursed when the TSD is submitted with the required receipt. Do not elect to purchase insurance coverage. GTC provides full insurance coverage on employee rental of vehicles used for college business. Opting to purchase additional coverage is not reimbursable.
Adding upgrades and/or options that increase the cost of the vehicle will not be reimbursed. This will be the responsibility of the traveler, if elected. If reserved through the corporate account, such charges can and will be deducted from the amount of the total reimbursement on the TSD.
It is expected that the traveler will choose the most cost-effective, practical vehicle to rent based on travel needs. Fuel reimbursement for rental vehicles require the original fuel receipts.
If, for his own convenience, an employee elects to travel by other means when air travel is more economical, he shall be entitled to reimbursement as follows:
Tolls are included in the mileage reimbursement rate and are not subject to reimbursement.
The cost of parking at the airport is reimbursable not to exceed the cost of an Economy Parking space. Garage parking will be approved only for handicap or other documented medical reasons.
If the traveler chooses garage parking over economy parking with no documented medical reason, the difference in amount between the Economy Parking amount and the garage parking amount will be deducted and will be the responsibility of the traveler. Current Economy Parking costs will be used to verify the reimbursement amounts. Receipts must be provided before reimbursement of parking fees.
Reimbursement for checked airline baggage fees is limited to one standard-size bag. Any additional charges must have a documented business purpose. Receipts must be submitted for all baggage charges.
Porterage and Gratuities (i.e. “tips”) are not an allowable reimbursement for State employees.
If a planned trip is canceled, the traveler must notify the Travel Coordinator in writing prior to the date of travel to ensure proper cancellation of all prepaid arrangements (lodging, air, registration, etc.). Notification should include information regarding how the penalties should be paid. If paid by the department, additional approval from the supervisor must be included with the written notification. Penalties for cancellation are usually charged as follows:
In limited circumstances, the college may agree to pay travel expenses for individuals who are not employees of the college. In these circumstances, the department must provide authorization for the expense, as well as the additional requirements noted below. If the traveler is an employee of the State of South Carolina, the traveler must provide a written letter from his or her place of employment stating that no travel expenses will be paid through that agency. A copy of this letter must accompany either the request for pre-payment or the request for reimbursement, whichever is submitted first.
If the traveler is not an employee of the college or the State of South Carolina but traveling on official college business, the traveler may be reimbursed for expenses according to the policies and procedures herein. Please indicate on the authorization and the reimbursement forms that the traveler is a “non-state employee” in order for the expense to be properly coded and reported.
Greenville Technical College reserves the right to request additional documentation or approvals for an expenditure when, in the opinion of the Travel Coordinator, a specific expenditure warrants additional support or clarification.
Travel forms are located on GTC4me. The GTC Travel Coordinator may be reached at 864-250-8803, MS1236. Problems with travel arrangements should be reported to the Travel Coordinator. If the Travel Coordinator cannot be reached, contact the Business Office at 864-250-8214 or email Travel@gvltec.edu.