Travel

Employees may choose one of two methods for reimbursement for overnight travel, whichever is to their advantage. Travelers may not, however, combine the two methods on the same trip. Breakfast and dinner are reimbursable meals; lunch is not.

Unreceipted Method (Method 1)

This method provides for a flat rate allowance for meals, lodging and incidental expenses regardless of where lodging is obtained, including lodging with relatives or friends. Rates are established based on the city or county where lodging is obtained or the location to which the employee is traveling (whichever rate is less), and such location must be indicated on the travel expense report. No receipts are required when using this method. Current rates are as follows:

Travelers using this un-receipted method are also eligible for an additional $5.00 for breakfast on the day of departure if they have to leave at least one hour before their normal work start time and/or eligible for an additional $12.00 for dinner on the day of return if they return at least two hours later than their normal work ending time. However, stopping for breakfast/dinner cannot be what causes your departure/return times to fall outside of the work hours timeframe.

EX:  Traveler leaves New Paltz at 7:00 a.m. heading to NYC. The traveler stays overnight at a friend’s house in NYC and arrives back in New Paltz the next day at 8:00 p.m. The traveler’s scheduled work hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The traveler is entitled to the un-receipted per diem of $50 for the one night stay in NYC. In addition, the traveler is entitled to an additional $5.00 for breakfast and $12.00 for dinner, based on departure and return times.

Receipted Method (Method 2)

This method provides reimbursement of actual lodging costs and an allowance for meals based on federal reimbursement rates for the county of lodging. The per diem rates for locations within the continental United States are revised annually. 

• SUNY New Paltz does not use the first and last day meal per diem rates as listed on the GSA site. The total rate per day listed includes breakfast, dinner, and incidental costs. 
• Receipts are required for lodging, but not for meals*, when using Method 2.
  • • IF YOU SLEEP IN A HOTEL ROOM, A COPY OF THE HOTEL BILL/FOLIO MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH YOUR EXPENSE REPORT REGARDLESS OF WHO PAYS FOR THE ROOM.
• Meal expense reimbursements that are associated with overnight business travel are not taxable. 
• Each day the traveler is in overnight travel status, the traveler is eligible for reimbursement for lodging up to a maximum lodging per diem and a per diem allowance for meals.
• The meal per diem is for dinner the night you sleep and breakfast the following day.
• If the conference agenda indicates that meals will be provided as part of the conference registration fee, or the hotel provides breakfast, then a reduction to the per diem amounts must be made on the expense report submitted.

*Meal receipts are required when using a SUNY Travel Card.

** NOTE: You can provide a Meal Calculator with the Travel Expense Report. This is optional, but may expediate processing.

Travelers using this method are also eligible for an additional per diem for breakfast if they have to leave at least one hour before their normal work start time the first day, and/or for dinner if they return at least two hours later than their normal work ending time on the last day of travel. However, stopping for breakfast/dinner cannot be what causes your departure/return times to fall outside of the work hours timeframe.

In these cases, breakfast and/or dinner will be reimbursed up to the maximum amount of the meal per diem allowance specified for the particular area of lodging. The current meal allowances are apportioned by 20% of per diem for breakfast and 80% of per diem for dinner.

Per Diem Allowance includes incidental expenses such as: 

• Fees and tips given to porters
• Baggage carriers
• Bellhops, hotel housekeeping, stewards or stewardesses   
• Mailing cost associated with business

Maximum lodging rates exclude taxes. To find a hotel that participates in offering per diem rates check lodging rates.  For travel within New York State, a Tax Exemption Certificate (ST-129)  must be used as taxes are not a refundable item. For travel outside of New York State, state and local taxes are not included in the maximum lodging amount but will be reimbursed in addition to the per diem amount. We also have tax exempt status in the following states: 

• Florida
• Maine
• Missouri
• New Jersey
• North Dakota
• Rhode Island

Occasionally, travelers may be unable to find a hotel at a rate that does not exceed the maximum federal lodging per diem rate for the location of travel. If that occurs, the traveler must obtain prior approval to exceed the federal rate.  Request for such approval should be submitted with the travel requisition on the Over-per-diem justification form, along with documentation to explain. If over per diem is not justifiable and extremely over the rate, only up to the rate for that area may be paid. 

Please consider the following when submitting an Over-per-diem form:

• If there is available lodging within the rate at a nearby location
• Transportation cost saved by staying at the conference site
• Late evening or early morning conference functions
• The attendee is an officer of the sponsoring organization
• The attendee is a lecturer or performing other functions essential to the conference
• When travelers stay at the conference site, it is usually not necessary to incur transportation expenses to attend conference events. Also, many conferences offer direct transfers from transportation terminals to the conference site. If a traveler rents a vehicle, the expense must be justified.

Social activities, such as sight-seeing, golf outings, etc. are considered personal expenses and will not be reimbursed.