Section 3170.57. Travel and lodging

(a) Generally. The Department will participate in travel expenses for the purpose of conducting official business of the county agency. Allowable expenses include transportation, lodging, and subsistence. Departmental participation will adhere to prevailing county practice but will, in no case, exceed the rates paid by the Commonwealth for its employes. The Commonwealth rates and limitations for its employe travel reimbursement will be published periodically, but not less often than annually.

(b) Staff transportation. Transportation includes necessary travel on railroads, streetcars, buses, airplanes, taxicabs, and automobiles. Transportation costs on common carriers are allowable with the limitation that travel shall not be authorized as first class, unless lesser accommodations are not available. Travel shall be made by the most direct route.

(1) Place of departure. Reimbursement for transportation expenses is based on the premise that the place of departure is the headquarters of the employe. If the trip is begun or ended at a place other than headquarters, reimbursement is allowed from the starting point, only when the cost from the starting point to the destination is less than the cost from headquarters to the destination.

(2) Local transportation. Local transportation such as taxicabs, airport limousines, car rentals, and the like, are allowed when justified by the travel assignment.

(3) Personal automobiles. The Department will participate in a mileage allowance to reimburse employes for the use of personal automobiles when on official business for the county agency, or provider.

(4) Additional allowances. Parking charges, toll bridges, toll roads, and ferry charges are reimbursable to employes operating either personal automobiles or other authorized motor vehicles for official business of the county children and youth agency.

(c) Lodging. The Department will participate in lodging costs. Maximum lodging reimbursement may be exceeded only if lodging within the limit cannot be located with reasonable effort or the employe is required to stay at a particular hotel/motel due to the nature of the business. Reimbursement for lodging is not allowable for an employe within reasonable commuting distance from the employe’s residence or headquarters, unless justification can be provided. Circumstances requiring overnight stay at a site within reasonable commuting distance, or requiring the employe to exceed the reimbursable lodging costs, shall be fully justified on the expense voucher.

(d) Subsistence. The Department will participate in a subsistence allowance for meals and personal expenses of employes on travel status. The subsistence allowance is to cover expenses not specifically provided for elsewhere in connection with lodging and transportation. Employes of the county agency may be reimbursed for luncheon and dinner meetings which they are required to attend in connection with their official duties, if they are not reimbursed in accordance with other provisions of this chapter.

(e) Approval for staff travel. Requests for out of county travel shall receive prior approval by the appropriate county authorities or their designee.

(f) Travel expense vouchers. Travel expense vouchers may be paid only upon submission of an expense voucher which shall be reviewed for compliance with regulations and retained in the County Financial Office for auditing purposes. On travel expense vouchers, regardless of the distance traveled, a separate entry is made to show the amount to be reimbursed for each item of expense, transportation, lodging, meals, and miscellaneous. Except for items costing less than $10, which do not require receipts, receipts shall be attached to the expense voucher for:

(1) Lodging and transportation charges.

(2) Conference registration fees.

(3) Parking charges, toll bridges, toll roads, ferry charges.

(4) Local transportation—taxicabs, airport limousines, and the like.

(g) Client transportation. The Department will participate in the cost of providing transportation to clients receiving services. Transportation may be provided by a variety of means including, but not limited to: public transportation, taxis, ambulance service, the personal vehicles of county agency employes, agency-owned or leased motor vehicles, or motor vehicle pools.

(h) Personal vehicles. Departmental participation in transportation provided by personal vehicles or motor vehicle pools shall be on a mileage basis as contained in subsection (a). Participation in transportation provided by county-owned or leased vehicles is outlined in § 3170.75 (relating to motor vehicles). Logs containing records and details of other types of transportation provided shall be maintained.

Notation

Cross References

This section cited in 55 Pa. Code § 3170.11 (relating to purpose); 55 Pa. Code § 3170.22 (relating to direct provision of services); 55 Pa. Code § 3170.23 (relating to purchase of service); 55 Pa. Code § 3170.83 (relating to established rates); and 55 Pa. Code § 3170.85 (relating to responsibility of the county).