Classifications: There are two classifications of business leave in ACCS Policy 610.01 (4/10/19). They are Institutional Support Leave and Professional Development Leave. The final classification of business leave is determined by the President or designee. Approved activities sponsored by the ACCS or by the College are part of the employee’s regularly assigned duties and are not considered institutional support or professional development leave.
Institutional Support Leave may be approved by the President for any full-time employee based on the availability of funds and if the absence will not hamper the normal routine operations of the College. Institutional support leave is related to the employee’s expertise and/or position of employment. This type of leave directly benefits the College and the employee’s participation is requested by the College. General examples include business and industry partnerships; grant-specified training; community partnerships; and accreditation activities related to the College. Any activity requiring more than five regularly scheduled workdays of Institutional Support Leave during the leave year will require the Chancellor’s written approval.
Professional Development Leave with pay may be granted to any full-time employee when approved by the President based on the availability of funds, that the absence will not hamper the normal routine operations of the College, and that the event is directly tied to the employee’s current or anticipated job duties. A maximum of ten workdays per leave year may be approved locally, but more than ten days shall only be granted upon written approval of the Chancellor. If an employee who was granted professional development leave separates from the College within one year of the professional development event, the employee is required to reimburse the College for any funds expended on behalf of the employee. The College may deduct these amounts from an employee’s paycheck. The President may elect not to require reimbursement due to special circumstances, such as separations due to medical reasons or layoffs.
Employees and immediate supervisors must carefully review each request for business leave and ensure that the employee will not surpass the maximums allowed under Policy 610.01 for Institutional Support or Professional Development. If upon review it is determined that the request will put the employee over the maximum allowed days for the leave year, the employee must complete the form Request for Approval of Additional Institutional Support or Professional Development Leave available on the Forms page of the NACC website. This request form should be forwarded to the Human Resources Director no later than three weeks before the event/meeting. The Human Resources Director will submit it to the President for consideration. If approved by the President, a written request will be submitted to the Chancellor, on the employee’s behalf, by the President to seek approval for exceeding the maximum allowed days under the policy. Once notification of a decision has been received by the President, the Human Resources Director will inform the employee.
Requests: Business travel must be requested by submitting an Employee Leave Request form. If traveling out of the state the employee must also submit the Request for Out-of-State Travel form. Both of these forms can be acquired in the mail room of the Wallace Administration building. Employees must have prior approval of both the immediate supervisor and the President to take leave. An estimate of all expenses to be incurred, the purpose of the travel, and the destination must be indicated on the leave request form. An agenda or itinerary of the event should be attached, if available at the time of the leave request. The Chancellor’s approval is required for all foreign travel. Therefore, Employee Leave Request forms for out-of-state travel must be submitted at least four weeks prior to the date of the anticipated foreign travel in order to secure the approval of the Chancellor and the President as required by Board Policy 316.01 (4/13/2016).
Note: Any travel that is subsequently cancelled should be reported to the Office of Human Resources.
Reimbursement: Travel Forms, available on the Forms page of the NACC website, should be submitted promptly for budgetary reasons and no later than 90 days from the conclusion of travel or October 1st of the current fiscal year, whichever comes first. Any questions regarding reimbursement forms should be directed to the Business Office.
In-State Travel (Not sponsored by an organization to which dues are paid)
Upon return, an employee submits to their immediate supervisor the following documentation:
- In-State Travel Reimbursement form;
- approved Employee Leave Request form;
- a copy of the event agenda/itinerary; and
- a map of the route traveled showing mileage (if personal vehicle was used) or receipts for any fuel purchased or maintenance performed if a College owned vehicle was used.
Reimbursement for in-state travel is based upon per diem rates as established by the Alabama Community College System and upon the current Internal Revenue Service mileage rate. All rates are subject to change and can be found on the In-state Travel Reimbursement form. Receipts are not required for meals or lodging for this type of in-state travel. Tips will not be reimbursed unless unusual in nature and explained.
In-State Dues Paying Travel (Sponsored by an organization to which dues are paid)
If the travel is for an event sponsored by an organization to which an employee or the College pays annual dues, the employee submits to their immediate supervisor the following documentation:
- In-State Travel Reimbursement Form for Dues-Paying Event form;
- approved Employee Leave Request form;
- a copy of the event agenda/itinerary
- a map of the route traveled showing mileage (if personal vehicle was used) or receipts for any fuel purchased or maintenance performed if a College-owned vehicle was used or commercial transportation (For trips less than 8 hours of travel time, economy or tourist class rates should be used), vehicle rental, parking fees, tolls paid, and fuel purchased;
- receipts for hotel accommodations (food and recreation items must be deducted);
- documentation from the GSA.gov website showing the meal per diem rate for the event city (or the nearest available city); OR receipts for actual meal expense and incidentals
- receipts for any registration fees paid for by the employee;
- receipts for any applicable miscellaneous expenses (must be itemized)
Note: Meal receipts are not required if meals are reimbursed at the approved per diem rate for the event location or the nearest city. Deduct from the GSA per diem rate any meals furnished by the sponsor of the event. The traveler may elect to be reimbursed for the actual expenses associated with meals and incidental expenses. If this option is chosen then all receipts are required for these costs.
Travel that is cancelled should be reported to the Human Resources Director.
Out-of-State Travel
The President is authorized to approve out-of-state travel for employees or students traveling on institution-related activities. Reimbursement shall be made in accordance with applicable state laws.
Upon return from out-of-state travel, an employee submits to their immediate supervisor the following documentation:
- Out-of-State Travel Reimbursement form;
- approved Employee Leave Request form;
- approved Request for Out-of-State Travel form;
- a copy of the event agenda/itinerary (if available);
- a map of the route traveled showing mileage (if personal vehicle was used); or receipts for any fuel purchased or maintenance performed if a College owned vehicle was used or receipts for commercial transportation (For trips less than 8 hours of travel time, economy or tourist class rates should be used), vehicle rental, parking fees, tolls paid and fuel purchased;
- receipts for hotel accommodations (food and recreation items should be deducted);
- documentation from approved the GSA.gov website showing the meal per diem rate for the event city (or the nearest available city);
- receipts for any registration fees paid for by the employee;
- receipts for any applicable miscellaneous expenses (must be itemized)
Note: Meal receipts are not required since meals are reimbursed at the approved per diem rate for the event location or the nearest city. Deduct from the GSA per diem rate any meals furnished by the sponsor of the event.
Travel that is cancelled should be reported to the Human Resources Director.
Additional Information regarding Travel Reimbursement:
The reimbursement request must be approved by the supervisor, the Dean of Financial Services, and the President. Personnel will not be reimbursed for any travel that is not approved by the President prior to the travel.
If the meal expenditures are above the approved per diem rate and reimbursement is requested, a written statement should be provided to the President indicating a valid reason why the expenditures were more than allowed. The President must approve this reason before reimbursement can be made for the additional amount.
Reimbursement for travel in private vehicles is made at the current Internal Revenue Service mileage rate. If travel involves more than one city, the route taken must be indicated (for example, NACC – Montgomery – Tuscaloosa - NACC). All vicinity mileage is to be recorded as such, and if it exceeds twenty miles on any day, the major points of travel should be indicated. The shortest route should be taken to the destination. If a different route is taken, the reason must be explained. It is important to note that when starting or ending from your home you must choose the shorter distance of NACC or your home location.
The hour of departure from base and the hour of return to base must be entered, since the number of hours away from the official base will determine the number of per diem units allowed.
Where, for travelers’ personal convenience or through the taking of leave, there is interruption of travel or deviation from the direct route, the per diem in lieu of subsistence allowed will not exceed that which would have been incurred on uninterrupted travel by the most economical, usually traveled route.
Under no circumstances will per diem be allowed an employee at the official station or base.
Where the payment of cash is necessary for miscellaneous expenditures, receipts where practicable to obtain them will be required as follows:
- operating expenses and repairs of state College owned automobiles, such as gasoline, and oil.
- postage in excess of $1.00.
- shipments, freight or express, or drayage.
- tolls for tunnels and bridges.
- miscellaneous emergency expenditures.
- registration fees.
For clarification or more information regarding travel reimbursement, employees should contact the Business Office or the Human Resources Director.