01/04/2006

Travel Changes

The blue insert in your pay envelope dated December 22 from Neal Wormsley, Associate Vice President was correct. Previously we had been told that the new rules would not apply to any of the IPS agencies, but it turns out they do. Here's a summary:

1. The mileage rate will be $0.42 per mile.
2. The per diem is $38 per day in state. This is unchanged.
3. For day trips (no overnight stay) the per diem will only apply for trips over 12 hours. THIS IS A CHANGE. We used to reimburse for breakfast if you left before 7 AM and for dinner if you returned after 7 PM. NOW, we will reimburse 75% of the $38 per diem ($28.50) for day trips over 12 hours and 100% for trips over 18 hours. This will hurt consultants who leave the office at 5 PM to go to a night council meeting or who leave home before breakfast to make an early meeting. In the past we were able to reimburse you for dinner or breakfast; now we cannot. We can only pay per diem for day trips longer than 12 hours. I've looked through some of our recent travel and this won't affect very many people very often, but it will make a difference.
4. The method of computing the per diem for the departure and return days on overnight trips has also changed. We used to pay 75% of the per diem for departure and return days. NOW, the per diem for departure and return days will be computed on a scale based on the number of hours in travel status that day. Overall, this should work out.
5.
6. The travel rules and reimbursement rates for consultants working on a state grant or contract remain the same as in the past. They still won't be reimbursed per diem for day trips - but now neither will anyone else unless the trip is over 12 hours.

We will get the T-3 database changed soon to reflect these changes.

Thanks.