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Candidate Travel and Reimbursement Operating Procedure 216.04

Candidate Travel and Reimbursement Operating Procedure 216.04
Johnson County Community College
Series: 200 Administrative Services
Section: Travel and Reimbursement of Expenses

Cross-Reference: Reimbursement of Travel Expenses Policy 216.01

Applicability: This Operating Procedure applies to approval and reimbursement of travel expenses for Candidate Travel, which is travel by an out-of-town applicant for full-time, salaried employment at the invitation of the College. Only candidates whose point of origin is outside of a 50- mile radius from the College are eligible for reimbursement.

Definitions:  the terms “reimbursable” or “reimbursement” refer to purchases paid directly by the College, made on a College-issued credit card, or paid by the traveler and subsequently reimbursed.

I. Expenses Covered:
The College will reimburse candidate transportation expenses up to a maximum amount to be determined by the Office of Human Resources for the following expense types:

A. Transportation. 

1. Airfare: The candidate is responsible for booking flight arrangements and must provide the college with a copy of the travel itinerary from the airline showing the flight schedule and flight cost as documentation for reimbursement.

2. Mileage: Mileage from the candidate’s home to and from the airport will be reimbursed at the standard mileage reimbursement rate in use by the College on the dates of travel.

For distances of 500 miles or less, if the candidate elects to drive a private automobile rather than fly, the private automobile mileage will be reimbursed at the standard mileage reimbursement rate in use by the College on the dates of travel between the candidate’s home and the College.

3. Traffic Violations: The cost of traffic violations incurred during candidate travel is the responsibility of the candidate and is not reimbursable by the College.

4. Ground Transportation: Reasonable ground transportation between the Kansas City International Airport and the College will be reimbursed (i.e., taxi, rental car, car service, ride share applications, or shuttle service).

B. Meals and Incidental Expenses.The College will reimburse meals and incidental expenses for trips requiring an overnight stay utilizing a daily allowance (per diem) according to rates in use by the College on the date of the trip.  The daily allowance will be prorated on the first and last day of College-related travel based on time of departure and return, and it will be reduced for meals provided. Expenses for meals, meal gratuities, snacks, beverages, candy, gum, and fees and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, and hotel staff are part of the per diem and are not separately reimbursable.

C. Miscellaneous Expenses.The College will reimburse other eligible travel expenses, such as parking and baggage fees. The candidate must provide itemized receipts to obtain reimbursement for these expenses. Personal items including but not limited to laundry, dry cleaning, movies and any other personal services or items are not reimbursable and must be paid by the candidate. Reimbursement will not be made for purchase of alcoholic beverages.

D. Lodging.The College may arrange and pay for up to two nights of lodging at a hotel of the College’s choice. The hiring supervisor will be responsible for making the hotel reservations and indicating that it will be a "direct bill" to the College when the reservation is made.  If the candidate elects to use a hotel not pre-approved by the College, the candidate will be responsible for making reservations and reimbursement will be limited to the nightly rate at a College-approved hotel for those dates. Check-in and check-out must occur within 24 hours of the scheduled interview.

II. Travel Authorization, Approval and Reimbursement:

In order for the College to approve travel and reimburse Candidate Travel expenses, the hiring supervisor must complete the following steps:

Step 1: Prior to inviting an out-of-town candidate to campus, the hiring supervisor must obtain approval from the Office of Human Resources and complete Part I of the Application for Candidate Reimbursement form.  The Office of Human Resources will notify the hiring supervisor of the maximum candidate reimbursement amounts available for the job posting.

Step 2: After the Candidate Travel is completed and the candidate has submitted a W-9 form and any required itemized receipts (i.e., airfare, ground transportation, parking, lodging, etc.), the Office of Human Resources will complete Part II of the Application for Candidate Reimbursement form and  coordinate with Accounts Payable to process the reimbursement to the candidate for all eligible travel expenses.

III. Exceptions: Exceptions to this Operating Procedure may be approved by a Vice President over the Office of Human Resources. 

Signature on File in Policy Office
President

Date of Adoption:
Revised: 05/24/2011; 08/14/2014; 09/24/2019