Trinity County Municipal Code Art. XII Travel Policy

A. It is the policy of the board of supervisors to limit travel for only those purposes which enhance the efficient and effective operation of county government. County employees traveling on county business shall do so by the most economical means available.

B. It is the policy of the board of supervisors that county vehicles be used whenever possible when traveling on county business. However, county department heads traveling on county business may, at their discretion, use their own private vehicles.

C. Authority to travel and reimbursements for incurred costs of travel including meals, transportation, registration, lodging, parking and other such direct costs shall be in accordance with policies and procedures contained in this chapter.

(Ord. 1109 §1(part), 1988)

A. A completed travel request form shall be submitted for all out-of-county travel requiring overnight accommodations. Department heads may authorize travel for their respective employees in cases involving in-county travel and out-of-county travel not requiring overnight accommodations.

B. A completed travel request form shall be submitted to the county administrative officer as far in advance as possible of the anticipated date of the travel, but in no case less than seven days prior to the anticipated travel. All travel requests shall be approved by the employee's department head or authorized personnel.

C. The county administrative officer may approve, deny or modify the proposed travel request. Such determination by the county administrative officer may be appealed to the board of supervisors.

D. If an emergency condition exists requiring the authorization of travel, a department head shall immediately notify the county administrative officer. If the county administrative officer is not available to authorize travel, the department head may authorize such travel provided notification is given to the county administrative officer on the next available workday.

E. Elected officials may make such trips as authorized by statute, provided there are sufficient funds budgeted within the department.

F. Any travel that requires an employee to travel by aircraft, must be approved by the county administrative officer prior to the employee booking airline tickets. Employees of the sheriff department and district attorney's office are excluded from this section only if an emergency exists.

(Ord. 1238 §1, 2000: Ord. 1109 §1(part), 1988)

A. Unless otherwise specifically stated or provided by law, mileage reimbursement for authorized in-county and out-of-county travel where an employee uses his or her own vehicle shall be at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents per mile, or current IRS rate. However, an employee who receives an in-county travel allowance shall not be reimbursed for any in-county mileage.

B. Each county department is responsible for keeping travel and lodging costs within their individual travel budgets. Out-of-county travel involving overnight lodging shall be reimbursed for actual, reasonable and necessary lodging costs, in accordance with standard costs generally charged in the city or county visited. The lodging reimbursement is subject to approval by the department head and county administrative officer.

Detailed justification must be provided when extraordinary lodging reimbursement is being requested. After review, the county administrative officer may approve all or any portion of this request as he/she determines to be reasonable.

To be eligible for the lodging allowance, the employee must be authorized to travel to the designated area and must furnish a commercial lodging receipt for the day(s) of travel which indicates the location and cost of the lodging.

C. Meal and Incidentals Reimbursement.

1. In order to be eligible for breakfast reimbursement, an employee must leave at least two hours before their regular work time. In order to be eligible for dinner reimbursement, an employee must arrive at their worksite or home at least two hours after their regular work time. An employee eligible for two or three meals on the same day may claim reimbursement for the combine total of each eligible meal ($50.00 or $65.00) regardless of the actual number of meals eaten. However, employees shall not be eligible for reimbursement for meals that are included in the cost of any registration fee.

2. Meal reimbursements for overnight travel in excess of twenty-four hours shall be at $50.00 per day for travel within the following counties:

3. Meal reimbursement for overnight travel in excess of twenty-four hours shall be at $65.00 per day for travel within the following counties:

Per-diem localities with county definitions shall include "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties."

4. Meal reimbursement shall be at $65.00 per day for overnight travel outside the State of California.

5. Employees shall not be eligible for reimbursement for meal that are included in the cost of any registration fee (vendor provided meals and continental breakfasts not included). If an employee needs to deduct a meal amount, first determine the location where you will be working on official travel. Find the corresponding amount on the first column of the table below and then look across that row for each specific meal deduction amount.

6. When trips are less that twenty-four hours with no overnight stay, regardless of whether or not the one-day trip extends between two calendar days, meals are reportable and taxable income. For continuous travel of greater than eight hours and less than twenty-four hours employees may claim actual expenses for meal in an amount not to exceed $50.00. Reimbursement under this subsection shall be authorized based upon itemized receipts.

7. "Travel day" is defined as a calendar day unless otherwise specified.

D. There shall be no reimbursement for in-county meals except under the following conditions and circumstances:

1. Where a member of the board of supervisors is conducting county-related business.

2. Where an in-county per diem is provided pursuant to subsection E of this section.

3. Where a department head or designated representative is required to attend a county-related function which includes a meal as part of that function.

4. Employees assigned by their department head to temporary field work at a location away from their normal work location.

Reimbursement under this section with the exception of subsection (D)(2) of this section shall be in accordance with subsection C of this section.

E. Whenever an employee is temporarily assigned to an in-county job site and that assignment would require the employee to remain at the job site overnight and lodgings in the area are not within a reasonable driving time, the assigning department head may authorize to be paid to that employee a per diem allowance; provided, however, that the per diem allowance for lodging and meals shall not exceed sixty-five dollars per employee, per day on the job site for food and lodging. In determining the amount of the per diem allowance to be paid to each employee, the following shall be taken into consideration:

1. That if an employee furnishes lodging for other employees, no more than forty dollars per day shall be allowed to cover food and lodging; provided, however, that five dollars per day for each additional employee occupying the lodging may be paid to the furnishing employee, and that other employees sharing the facility as specified under this section shall be paid no more than twenty dollars per day for food;

2. Lodging charges in the area of the job site;

3. Travel distances to and travel time from the assigned job site to the nearest available lodgings.

F. No receipts shall be required for meals, except receipts shall be required when trips are less than 24 hours with no overnight stay. Receipts shall be required when claiming reimbursement for lodging and other travel-related expenses (i.e. parking, cab fare, bus fare, registration, etc.).

G. In cases involving unusually high costs of travel or special circumstances involving the method of transportation or lodging arrangements, a department head may make a written request to the county administrative officer for payment exceeding the amounts provided under this section. The county administrative officer shall make a recommendation to the board of supervisors for their consideration.

(Ord. 1265 §1, 2002; Ord. 1263 §1, 2002; Ord. 1150 §1, 1991; Ord. 1109 §1(part), 1988)

(Ord. No. 1372, § I, 9-3-24)

A. Employees requesting an advance for travel shall submit a travel advance request along with the county travel request form. Employees requesting a travel advance must submit the travel request form and the request for travel advance form at least ten days prior to the anticipated travel.

B. Travel advance requests may include advance payment for registration, lodging, meals and/or transportation and shall not be less than fifty dollars.

C. Employees requesting a travel advance shall be reimbursed one hundred percent of the allowable costs associated with the travel. However, employees requesting a travel advance must file a claim with the county auditor for travel within thirty days of their return from the trip. Failure by an employee to submit a claim for travel in a timely manner shall result in the county auditor deducting the amount of the advance from the employee's next payroll check.

(Ord. 1109 §1(part), 1988)

A. Upon recommendation of the department head and approval by the board of supervisors, employees enrolled in accredited classes or courses which are of benefit to the employees' position shall be entitled to reimbursement of one-half of the cost of instructional materials required upon proof of successful completion of the class or course.

B. Upon approval by the board of supervisors, department heads enrolled in accredited classes or courses which are of benefit to the department head's position shall be entitled to reimbursement of full costs of tuition and instructional materials required upon proof of successful completion of the class or course.

(Ord. 1109 §1(part), 1988)

A. Employees who are assigned a county vehicle to take home on a regular basis shall do so only after prior authorization by the board of supervisors.

B. Due to work scheduling, on-call duty, emergencies or other work-related considerations, a department head at his or her discretion may assign an employee a county vehicle to take home. However, such assignment shall not exceed twelve times in any twelve-month period without prior authorization from the board of supervisors.

(Ord. 1109 §1(part), 1988)

A. Unless otherwise specifically stated or provided by law, the travel expense incurred by jurors traveling to their directed/ordered destination, when providing their own transportation, shall be reimbursed in accordance with subsection A of Section 2.60.770.

B. Pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 215, jurors shall be compensated for jury duty at the rate of ten dollars per day; provided, however, that when special circumstances are charged under California Penal Code Section 190.2, reimbursement shall be at the rate of twenty dollars per day after jury selection has been completed.

C. Grand jury members shall be reimbursed in accordance with subsection A of Section 2.60.770, when providing their own transportation to grand jury meetings, grand jury committee meetings, or when conducting grand jury business. Such reimbursement shall require prior approval by the grand jury foreman.

D. Grand jury members shall be paid fees for the time spent on grand jury work in accordance with the following schedule:

1. Full day (over four hours or more), ten dollars;

2. Half day (over two to less than four hours), five dollars;

3. Quarter day (up to two hours), two dollars and fifty cents.

Travel time from the juror's home to the designated location of activity and return shall be included when computing hours worked in accordance with the above schedule.

E. Grand jury members traveling outside the county on grand jury business shall be reimbursed in accordance with subsections A, B and C of Section 2.60.770.

F. The grand jury foreman shall approve and submit to the county auditor time, mileage and travel reimbursement claims for each grand juror.

G. Trial jurors and grand jurors may waive compensation and/or mileage reimbursement and designate that the funds be used specifically for programs or projects sponsored by the Trinity County Delinquency Prevention Commission.

(Ord. 1172 §§1-4, 1992; Ord. 1109 §1(part), 1988)

A. The board of supervisors may authorize the spending of county funds to reimburse persons elected, but who have not yet assumed office as, members of the board of supervisors in accordance with policies and procedures contained in this chapter.

B. County funds shall only be spent for costs associated with the training and orientation of a supervisor- elect including the payment of course fees, travel and per diem expenses, course materials, and consultant services as the board deems proper and beneficial to the exercise of supervisorial duties of newly elected supervisors.

C. The supervisor-elect must request the training and orientation to be received along with an estimate of anticipated expenses.

D. Travel and per diem expenses shall be reimbursed in accordance with the provisions of subsections A, B and C of Section 2.60.770.

E. This section is enacted pursuant to California Government Code Section 25208.4 and by its adoption does not intend to treat a supervisor-elect as an officer, agent or employee of the county.

F. Nothing in this section prohibits or restricts a supervisor-elect from receiving training or orientation at his own expense.

(Ord. 1109 §1(part), 1988)