Accounting-General Travel Guidelines

UW-Madison employees, while in travel status, are required to abide by all of the rules and regulations of the State of Wisconsin AND the UW System. Travel must be conducted only as part of official University business, and must have a clear business purpose, which is defined as one that supports or advances the goals, objectives, and mission of the University. Template business purposes can be found here: Business Purpose Templates.

You will have 45 days from the last day of travel to submit your lodging, airfare and/or conference registration fees for reimbursement. All other expenses must be submitted within 45 days of the incurred expense. Once submitted, you must approve the expense in Workday no later than 60 days. After 60 days, the employee will be charged the taxes from their expense. 

Airfare Reservations:

• All air travel is limited to the lowest, logical, non-refundable coach/ economy class fare.
• Travel arrangements should be made either through the UW’s online travel booking tool, Concur, or directly with the UW Madison Travel Agency, Fox World Travel (608) 710-4172 or Fox World Travel.  If you contact Fox World Travel directly, an additional charges will be applied to your airfare.
• Associated fees such as baggage, seat upgrades to aisle, window, or exit row, and booking fees are allowable. For Baggage the first piece of bags is reimbursable, additional bags beyond the first and any overweight or oversized bags may be reimbursable with a business justification.
• Aisle/Window/Exit Row Fees are allowable as long as the fare class remains coach/economy. 
• Cost comparison must be obtained at the time of booking and must include a date stamp.
• Do not use Expedia, Travelocity or any similar third-party tool, expenses booked via these services will not be reimbursed. This applies to employee and non-employee bookings, including guest artists. 

Hotel Reservations:

• Lodging must be reserved via Concur, or by contacting the hotel directly.
• The use of Airbnb (only) is permitted. No VRBO.
• You are allowed lodging reimbursement up to the maximum nightly rate for the location city. 
• The university will not pay lodging costs when travelers are within 50 miles of their home location, unless the travel is for a multi-day event with evening business related activity. 
• If lodging is more than $5,000, a simplified bid and approval from purchasing services is required.
• Lodging per diems may be exceeded if the hotel is a conference hotel as recommended by the conference organizer on their website or brochure.  Note in the comments that the rate is being exceeded because of the conference hotel exception, as well as attaching documentation. 
• Do not use Expedia, Travelocity or any similar third-party tool, expenses booked via these services will not be reimbursed.

Meal Reimbursement:

• You do not need to provide receipts for meal reimbursements. 
• The amount of the meal per diem is based on your location city and travel dates.
• The per diem allowance includes the cost of incidentals such as tips for restaurant staff, phone calls, internet fees, bottled water, etc.  
• Day trip meals that do not include a scheduled overnight stay are limited to a tax reportable day trip meal allowance of $15 per day. 
• Refer to the Accounting: E-Reimbursement-Hosting a Job Candidate for business meal reimbursement.  

Vehicle Reimbursement:

• Employees must be an authorized driver. 
• Vehicles must be rented on contract (booked through Concur, or UW Enterprise and National Big 10 Contract or State of WI Hertz Contract)
• No refueling fees should be on the receipt
• Midsize SUV vehicle class and below, unless documented need for a larger vehicle
• You must attach an itemized receipt
• You must attach an agenda   

Mileage Reimbursement:

• Employee must be an authorized driver.
• You must use your personal vehicle
• Commuting mileage from home to work is non-reimbursable.
• Tolls are allowable for reimbursement while on UW business.
• If a person is dropped off at the airport instead of paying parking at the airport, round trip mileage may be claimed for both trips.  If not the MSN airport, please check with the Business Office. 
• A cost comparison including mileage, parking, tolls needed for roundtrips of 1,000 miles or more. If the trip is not most cost effective method, the reimbursement will be reduced to maximum of 1,000 miles. 

Local Transportation (Taxi, Uber, Bus, Rail, Subway):

• Receipt required. An itemized receipt is needed for trips over $50.
• Must note the pick up and drop off point in expense line comment in Workday.
• Standard fare only (not Uber Comfort/Black, or Lyft Extra Comfort) 
• Lowest cost reasonable method of transport 
• Reservation Fee allowed.  Business justification needed for wait time, priority pick-up, etc. 
• If there are extra stops, a business justification is needed 

Parking 

• Receipt required
• You must be an authorized driver. 
• If parking is the only expense being claimed (no rental or mileage), then do not need to be authorized driver.