Personal Expenses and Mileage Reimbursements

Personal Reimbursement of Expenses

Most City purchases are made through the use of a City purchase order and are paid routinely by Accounts Payable.  However, there are times that employees make City purchases using their own cash or credit card.  In those cases the employee will be required to complete an Expense Form (see below) requesting reimbursement. 

The first tab on the Expense Form has two sections. For travel related expenses complete the appropriate sections at the top of the form.  For non-travel expenses complete the section titled General Expenses.  For all expenditure types a valid budget code (Key and Object) is required and must be entered on the line titled Code. 

Documentation Required
For all expenses to be reimbursed, an original detailed receipt showing vendor name, purchase date, item purchased and total expenditure must be obtained.  In addition to the receipt, a description of business purpose should be noted for each transaction.  For travel related expenses the description of business purpose should include reason and dates of travel supported by registrations, agendas, or conference brochures.  

• Payment for meals - Employees must clearly document that the meal was for business purpose or be considered in Travel Status, which is defined as periods longer than a day and must include an overnight stay. The payment receipt must give the following details; name of restaurant, date of purchase, food item description, and dollar amount. 
• Payment for lodging - A detailed listing of all charges (room, tax, phone calls, etc.) should be obtained and submitted as back-up documentation. Lodging expenses also require additional documentation of business purpose including reason and dates of travel supported by registrations, agendas, or conference brochures.

Mileage Reimbursement

The second tab on the Expense Form is used to report the number of personal auto miles an employee used for business purposes. An employee can claim reimbursement for the use of their personal automobile under certain circumstances.  For additional information on allowable use of personal vehicles see both the Travel Policy and the Employee Handbook.
 
The amount per mile that can be reimbursed is set by the IRS periodically and is intended to include the costs of insurance, gas, depreciation, and all other expenses associated with automobile ownership.  Accordingly the City does not reimburse the direct cost of fuel for personal vehicles used for business purposes. 

Documentation Required
For all mileage reimbursement, a printout of directions from City Hall to the destination must be attached showing actual miles.