Travel
1. Purpose
Brigham Young University ("BYU-Hawaii" or "university”) provides management, booking, procurement, and other related services for university business travel through Travel Services. This policy governs both domestic and international travel.
2. Policy
Travelers must use Travel Services as outlined in this policy. Exceptions need to be approved in writing by a vice president before any expenses are incurred. Travel-related purchases, payments, or commitments made in any way other than outlined in this policy are not authorized by the university, and costs, fees, or penalties will be the responsibility of the individual.
3. Implementation
3.1 Travel Approval
Travelers on university business that requires a commercial air flight or rental car or that requires them to be away from home overnight, must have an approved spend authorization before each trip. A spend authorization is created and approved in the financial system.
3.2 Travel by Car
3.2.1 Traveling to the Honolulu Airport
To offset the cost of traveling to and from the airport, employees may be reimbursed a travel per diem equivalent to the current cost of four days parking at the Honolulu Airport.
3.2.2 Ground Transportation
Travelers should select ground transportation based on cost, safety, and efficiency, including, public transit, rideshares, taxis, and car rental.
When travelers use rental vehicles, they must do so under university rental car contracts. Typically, mid-sized rental vehicles should be used unless there are exceptional circumstances. Travelers should self-refuel before returning the vehicle. When renting vehicles domestically, travelers should decline all additional insurance coverage. When renting vehicles internationally, travelers should obtain all offered additional insurance coverage.
Fifteen-passenger or larger vans may not be rented or operated while traveling on university business.
The university highly discourages driving between midnight and 6 a.m. and for more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period.
3.2.3 Using Personal Vehicles Outside of Hawaii
Travelers may use a personal vehicle for university business outside of Hawaii. Travelers must sign the assumption of risk and release agreement, available from Travel Services, for each separate trip. Mileage is reimbursed at the current IRS rate.
Travelers who regularly use a personal vehicle outside of Hawaii ensure that a personal insurance policy is in force and with at least the following liability insurance limits:
- $100,000 for bodily injury per person
- $300,000 for bodily injury per accident
- $100,000 for property damage per accident
The registered owner is responsible for all insurance coverage. In the event university personnel are involved in an accident resulting in a loss, the vehicle owner’s automobile liability insurance shall be primary to the full extent of its coverage limits. The university does not assume liability or responsibility for parking tickets, moving violation citations, repairs, deductibles, damage, or other uninsured loss to the privately owned vehicle or its occupants.
3.3 Air Travel
Air carrier selection is based on cost, safety and efficiency and cannot be biased by any frequent flyer benefits.
The university normally purchases main cabin class tickets. Enhanced economy or seat upgrades may be selected with a documented business reason and approval by the cost center manager. Domestic first class or business class is generally not allowed. Extraordinary exceptions are granted in writing by a vice president.
A traveler may expense one check-in and one carry-on luggage. Any additional luggage is considered a personal expense unless a business need is documented and approved by a cost center manager.
Employees can keep frequent flyer miles earned while traveling for business. The university will not reimburse personnel for the business use of their accumulated frequent flyer miles.
Travel on private aircraft requires the President’s Council approval.
3.4 Lodging
Travelers can make lodging reservations on their own or they may coordinate with Travel Services.
3.4.1 Commercial Lodging
Travelers should use lodging provided by a commercial service provider (including Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) and base their selection on cost, safety, and efficiency. All in-room expenses are considered personal and are not reimbursable.
3.4.2 Lodging With Private Individuals and Family
Travelers do not receive reimbursement for lodging costs when they stay with friends or relatives, although, a $10 allowance is provided for each day of housing provided by family or friends. Travelers may use this allowance to provide a gratuity to the host.
3.4.3 Room Sharing
In any lodging, unrelated travel companions of the opposite sex must stay in separate lockable rooms during travel. Unrelated travel companions of the same sex may share a room only if no power differential exists (e.g., there is no existing relationship of professor and student or supervisor and supervisee), everyone is provided with a separate bed, and it is documented that both agree to the arrangement.
3.4.4 On Island Lodging
Lodging on Oahu is not approved unless there is a documented business reason and approved by a vice president.
3.5 Meals
Travelers away from campus for at least twelve hours are entitled to a meal per diem. The university uses allowance amounts set by the federal government. Per diem is based on the destination city and its time zone. When claiming a partial day per diem breakfast is 15% of the daily total, lunch 35%, and dinner 50%. Receipts are not required for per diem.
Meals for employee travel are no longer an allowed expense on corporate cards. Employees traveling as a group are responsible for their own meal per diem and do not expense the meal as a group. When a travel host has provided a meal, or the university has already paid for a meal, whether the employee chose to attend the meal, per diem is generally not claimed.
3.6 Expenses
All expenses must be submitted and approved in an expense report within 21 calendar days of their expenditure. The university functions under the IRS Accountable Cash Advance Plan rules and items not reconciled on a timely basis may be considered a taxable benefit. Travelers must submit original, complete, itemized receipts for each non per diem expense.
3.6.1 Corporate Cards
Travelers who have a university corporate card are encouraged to use it for all non-per diem and non-personal travel expenses. Use and reconciliation follows the Corporate Card policy.
3.6.2 Travel Advances
Cash advances may be obtained and used only for business expenses documented in a spend authorization. An employee must document expenses related to the advance and return any unused portion within 21 calendar days of return.
3.6.3 Non-Allowable Travel Expenses
Expenses that are generally considered personal are the traveler’s responsibility and are not reimbursable.
Costs incurred by failing to cancel transportation or hotel reservations, or corporate card delinquency or late charge assessments caused by the traveler will be non-allowable travel expenses.
3.7 Unique Travel Situations
3.7.1 Extended Trip Travel Status
Full-time personnel traveling at least 30 calendar days but not more than one year need to work with Travel Services, Financial Services, and their department to properly cover all expenses and be in line with IRS regulations, including any approved dependent travel expenses.
3.7.2 Hosting and Entertainment While in Traveling
Hosting while in travel status is governed by the Hosting, Retreats, and Teambuilding policy. All university personnel who participate in a hosted or provided meal must exclude that meal period from any claimed per diem.
3.7.3 Personal Vacation While in Travel Status
A traveler must deduct any personal expense on the expense report when business and personal vacation time are combined within the same trip.
3.7.4 Travel Companions
In the rare cases in which the university pays for family, spouses, or other individuals to accompany personnel traveling on university business, there needs to be a documented business purpose and written approval from a vice president.
3.7.5 Sunday Travel
Sunday travel should be avoided. If a BYU–Hawaii related activity requires Sunday travel, travelers should plan schedules so that they can attend Church services in a local ward or branch. BYU–Hawaii individuals or groups are not authorized to hold their own sacrament services.
3.7.6 Reduced or Zero Cost Travel
Complimentary or reduced cost travel to sell or promote a product or service is generally not approved. A vice president may authorize this in writing if it is not a conflict of interest or if it is in the best interest of the university.
3.8 Visitor Travel
A vice president must preauthorize expenses for bringing official visitors to campus. Departments should coordinate travel arrangements with Travel Services.
Departments should not offer nor make any payments or reimbursements to individuals from foreign countries until they have verified all tax, visa and immigration laws have been satisfied.
Invitations from the university to individuals from countries designated by the United States as State Sponsors of Terrorism must be cleared by a vice president after consultation with the President's Council before the invitations are discussed with or sent to the individual.
3.9 International Travel
3.9.1 Travel Restrictions
Personnel must request approval from their vice president to travel internationally.
The university uses Brigham Young University’s published list of current countries where travel is restricted. Restrictions are based on security, political, operational, health, and natural disaster risk factors within a country or region. The university may restrict travel for an entire country or regions of a country.
Countries that are restricted or have restricted regions generally are not approved and require vice president approval after consultation with Travel Services and the President’s Council.
3.9.2 Personal International Travel
Personal international travel that might occur before or after a university business requires disclosure and approval and will be at the traveler’s expense. The university may deny the request.
3.9.3 International Insurance
Full-time employees traveling internationally on university business should register for international health and evacuation coverage through the Campus Safety office.
3.9.4 Travel Registration
The university encourages all travelers who are United States citizens to register with the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.
3.10 Travel With Students
See Student Travel policy for more information on student travel.