Mileage, Travel & Entertainment Policy
Please see policy website for the full details of the Travel and Entertainment Policy
All travel expenses chargeable to Daemen University must be documented in order to be recorded appropriately in our financial system for audit purposes and to meet IRS rules. It is with this in mind that the business office has designed these travel procedures.
Mileage Reimbursement
The current mileage reimbursement rate for Daemen University is 50 cents per mile. The rate is reviewed annually during the budget development process. Mileage reimbursement is computed by using:
- Use of Google mapping with the university address as the point of departure and the address of the destination as the end point, based on miles traveled by the most direct and/or regularly traveled route.
- Mileage claims should be filled out on the Mileage Log and must specify the dates of travel, the originating location (Daemen University) and the destination’s complete name and address.
- Use a Purchase Requisition for fees or tolls incurred and include a mileage form for corresponding dates
Commuting miles are defined as the miles driven from an employee’s home to the university and back again. These miles do not qualify for reimbursement.
Meals
Meetings with External Parties – Employees who meet for Daemen University business with external parties should submit itemized receipts for the actual cost of meals along with the following information: date of meeting, names of persons participating and a description of the purpose of the meeting. These details provide the necessary backup to satisfy audit inquiries and IRS regulations.
Employee Meetings – The university will not reimburse expenses for employees to meet with one another. In an effort to preserve tuition dollars for student needs, the university asks employees to schedule meetings during regular working hours on campus. If employees choose to meet off campus during lunch, the university considers this a personal decision and will not reimburse the costs for travel or meals incurred at that meeting.
Receipts – The university will utilize a receipt-driven reimbursement policy for meals when employees travel on university business. Original itemized receipts supporting the actual cost of meals and incidental expenses are required in order to process a reimbursement request. Tips should not exceed 20% of the bill.
NY State Sales Tax – Reimbursement will not be given for sales tax paid in NY State. New York sales tax-exempt forms are available in the business office and should be used for business-related meals at any restaurant or business charging NY sales tax.
Meal Guidelines for travel – The business office offers the following guidelines for meal costs (including tips), based on an average of historical spending at the university and published IRS per diem rates. Under extreme circumstances, travelers who are required to buy a meal in excess of these suggested guidelines should provide a brief explanation or rationale for the excess cost. The university will not pay for alcohol served at any meals.
| Normal Cost Area | High Cost Area | |
| Breakfast | $11.00 | $17.00 |
| Lunch | $12.00 | $18.00 |
| Dinner | $23.00 | $34.00 |
| TOTAL | $46.00 | $69.00 |
High cost area is defined as Manhattan; Chicago; Washington, DC; San Francisco; San Diego; Boston; Cincinnati; Detroit; Seattle; Los Angeles; and Philadelphia. In addition, if you are traveling to a city that you feel is a high cost area, please check with the business office prior to departure to determine if the higher costs might apply.
Normal cost area refers to all areas not considered high cost areas.
When a traveler is out of town for part of the day, the meal allowances are used individually for that day. Breakfast is from 6:00-10:30 am; Lunch 11:30 am-2:30 pm; Dinner 5:00-10:00 pm. Thus, someone leaving for a trip after 10:30 am is not eligible for breakfast allowance on departure day, and anyone arriving in WNY prior to 5:00 pm is not eligible for dinner allowance on arrival day.
Car Rental
National and Enterprise are the preferred car rental companies of Daemen University. In partnership with E&I Cooperative, we are granted special rates and advantages by using these companies. Contact the business office at business@daemen.edu or the purchasing department at purchasing@daemen.edu to obtain a link to the program information, including how to make a reservation and how to enroll in Emerald Club for additional benefits.
Your reservation will need to be linked to the Daemen University account and billing number in order to be direct billed to the university. Do NOT reserve rentals under a Daemen credit card.
Once a reservation has been made, please attach the confirmation email to a completed purchase requisition, get appropriate approval signatures, and forward to the business office to be matched with billing statements.
Helpful Hints for Travel
Telephone – All charges for official university business are allowed. One personal call not to exceed 10 minutes per each full day of travel is allowed. International calling plans available on cell phones to minimize calling costs should be utilized and are reimbursable, (i.e. Canada through Verizon).
Personal Entertainment Expenses – Not reimbursable. Examples include but are not limited to golf, theater, movies, excursions, sporting events, museums, theme parks, etc.
Personal Miscellaneous Expenses – Not reimbursable. These are items primarily for the benefit of the traveler and not related to the official purpose of the travel. Examples include personal hygiene items, magazines, snacks, movie rentals, etc.
Charges to Personal Credit Cards – To minimize any personal expense, it is preferred that all travel expenses such as airfare, lodging accommodations, and registrations be prepaid by the university instead of personal credit card or check. This becomes especially important when purchasing advance tickets or registrations that are geared toward an “early bird” discount, as reimbursements can be made on such personal expense only after the event occurs. This process is necessary to preserve the university’s ability to monitor credits received should an event be cancelled.
Internet Time Charges – The university asks that travelers limit internet charges to the time necessary to check emails and correspondence during their absence from the university. Time should not exceed 30 minutes per day.
Mini Bar Charges – Not reimbursable.
Room Service – The university asks employees to use good judgment when incurring costs for room service meals. Meal guidelines must be observed.
Travel Advances – Please submit a purchase requisition requesting an advance for travel by the Monday prior to the Thursday check run. Travel advances are meant to cover tips, parking, tolls, and other minor expenses and are not meant to cover airfare, lodging or registrations. Larger items such as these should be paid directly to the vendor by the university through purchasing or accounts payable. The university prefers to limit travel advances to $50. Requests should have justification for the amount included on the purchase requisition. Individuals are expected to return original receipts and any unspent funds to validate the advance within one week of returning from the travel.
Holiday Expenses
Daemen University hosts an employee holiday party in December each year to celebrate the season with the faculty and staff. As such, the university will not support individual department requests for holiday party/entertainment expenses.