Travel FAQ

Yes, please fill out the travel request form per usual, and write in $0 as the requested reimbursement amount. From an insurance and liability perspective, it is important that the Libraries have these forms on file, even if no money is being requested.

Though your travel request may be approved, the Libraries will never automatically register you for a conference. Upon request however, the Libraries may be able to facilitate your registration and pay for it directly. If the conference is popular and frequently attended by other UGA Libraries employees, there will likely be an existing agreement that enables direct billing. If the conference is more obscure, Libraries Finance & Accounting staff may still be able to register you using a UGA Libraries purchase card. However, this process can take up to a week or more and there are several steps that require additional approvals. If you would like the Libraries to register you, please contact  Chandra Echols a few weeks in advance of the registration deadline. Alternatively, you can always front the cost and register yourself, just remember to include the cost on your travel request form, and request reimbursement afterwards.

Once you fill out an expense report in UGA Financials, and your supervisor has logged in and approved it, the reimbursement process will begin. Expenditures can only be reimbursed after they have been spent. For example, lodging costs can only be reimbursed after the hotel stay, but airline tickets and registration fees may be reimbursed before the actual flight or conference since those are paid in advance.  Depending on how your travel is funded, you may be reimbursed via direct deposit, or by a paper check. Reimbursement times can vary between a few days and a few weeks depending on funding source and other external factors.

In many situations, faculty will need to personally fund the remaining balance when their travel expenditures exceed their annual funding allotment. However, there is no disadvantage to listing all of your projected expenses on the Request Form, even if the total exceeds your travel fund allotment. It can be helpful for the University Librarian to know the true cost of your travel when considering your travel request.

Depending on the nature of your travel, it is also possible that a case can be made for your remaining balance to be covered by the Libraries under administrative travel. It is up to the traveler to make this case to their supervisor and/or Department Head—if the Department Head agrees, it should be brought to the University Librarian.

Airline tickets can be directly billed to the Libraries if you use one of UGA’s approved travel agencies. If you choose to do this, you will need to enter a quote from the travel agency on your Request Form. Once you've submitted your travel authority and it has been approved, you will need to contact the travel agency and provide them with the travel authority number to enable direct billing. (In order for this process to go smoothly, please give some lag time between when your travel authority is approved and when you contact the travel agency. In some cases, conference registrations can also be paid directly—see question #2 for more details. Rental car costs can also be paid directly by the Libraries—see questions #8 and #10 for more information.

A per diem is a maximum daily reimbursement set by the government. Depending on where you are traveling and the time of year, the per diem may vary. Knowing the per diem associated with your travel destination is a helpful way to estimate your costs when filling out the Request Form. When seeking reimbursement after traveling, you can simply request the per diem instead of providing receipts.

When traveling within Georgia, you should use state employee per diem rates. Please note that you can only claim per diem if you're traveling overnight. Employees traveling overnight within the State of Georgia are eligible for ($50) daily per diem amounts to cover the cost of three (3) meals per day, less any provided meals. There is one standard per diem rate for all cities in Georgia. Incidentals are not included in the daily per diem rate.

Use the link to GSA Per Diem Rates on SAO’s Statewide Travel Policy website to access per diem rates for Out of State travel.

Please note that UGA only reimburses meal per diems at a rate of 75% on the first and last day of travel. (If you fly to a conference on Wednesday and return Friday, Thursday would be the only day for which you could claim 100% meal per diem reimbursement.) Here is another breakdown of meal per diems that explicitly states the 75% rate per meal.

There is also a per diem for incidental expenses (IE), but UGA only reimburses incidental expenses when travel is international.

You should determine which mode of transportation makes the most sense for your trip. In many cases, taking your own vehicle and requesting mileage reimbursement at the current reimbursement rate is the most financially advantageous and convenient choice for both UGA and the traveler. However, depending on your situation you may prefer to rent a car—if so, see #10 for more information.

No - travelers should not park UGA vehicles at their homes, office, or locations other than rental destination during or after use. It is okay to park a UGA vehicle at the airport, as that qualifies as the rental destination.

Submit the Rent a Vehicle form to Chandra Echols, and he will check on the availability of University vehicles for your trip and determine if its more advantageous to rent from a commercial renter. UGA's travel policy site gives more details about how this calculation is made. You will be sent an e-mail confirming the type of vehicle reserved, the dates of pick up and return including the times, and the reservation number. If the reservation is made for a UGA vehicle, pick up will take place at the UGA Motor Pool. More info about accessibility and fuel can be found here.

The easiest way to calculate your estimated mileage is by using an online service (i.e. Google Maps). If you plan to depart directly from your residence, you will need to subtract the amount of miles in your daily commute. (For example: If you drive 100 miles roundtrip for your travel and you drive 5 miles to work every morning and 5 miles back home in the evening, the total number of miles eligible for reimbursement is 90.) Check out UGA’s guide to determining business miles traveled for more details.

If you are traveling within the United States, no. Although these rentals may be less than the cost of a hotel, use of a private residence is prohibited by Section 3.1 of the State Travel Policy. Any rental of a private residence is prohibited--the State Travel Policy specifically limits lodging to businesses that offer lodging to the general public. However, if you are traveling internationally, staying in an Airbnb, VRBO, or HomeAway is permitted.

An expense report submitted after 45 days from the completion of travel will require a justification statement as to why the travel is being submitted late. Travel reimbursement submitted after 60 days from the completion of the travel will be treated as taxable income.

If your situation is not addressed by the University's Travel Policy guide, please call or email Chandra Echols at 2-5019 or chandrae@uga.edu