Travel Guidelines

All travel must:

• be in compliance with departmental requirements
• be in compliance with the rates and regulations listed here, which follow New York State and Research Foundation rules and regulations
• be in compliance with any additional sponsor guidelines
• include documentation regarding the purpose of travel, which includes the dates and location of the event
  
• have a direct relationship to the university or research project’s mission
• be conducive to achieving the objectives of the trip while balancing factors such as cost, time and safety
  
• follow the procedures for filing an accident report if an employee sustains a work related injury

If the purpose of travel is to attend a conference, the conference brochure, agenda or program is required. If the purpose of travel is something other than attending a conference, a letter, email, agenda or other documentation regarding the purpose of travel is required to obtain reimbursement. 

An employee is in travel status when the employee is:

• Engaged in official university business
• At a distance of more than 35 miles from the designated official station and place of residence

Official Station is generally defined as the address of the office to which the employee is assigned:

• A employee can have only one official station
• The designation of office station is determined by the university in the best interest of the university and not for the convenience of the employee
• The purpose of the official station is to determine when the traveler is in travel status and eligible for reimbursement of travel expenses
• Travel between the employee’s home and official station is considered commuting and is not reimbursable

Travelers and administrators approving all travel are advised to review the following:

• U.S. Department of State alerts and warnings website
• New York State Office of the Governor executive orders about any bans on state-funded travel (see current press releases)
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention travel health notices
• Requirements for entry into Canada
  
• Export controls — the federal government laws and regulations that require federal agency approval before the export of controlled items, commodities, technology, software or information to restricted foreign countries, persons and entities (including universities).
• RF only — RF-funded travel to countries on the U.S. Department of State warning list requires the Provost’s approval prior to travel.
• RF only — All air travel on federally-funded projects must comply with the Fly America Act. See Rf SUNY travel handbook.
• RF only — RF-funded trips must take place during the award period and comply with all sponsor guidelines.

Tax exemption should be obtained for lodging and purchases made within New York State. Make sure you have the correct tax exemption certificates for your destination. Each state, funding source, and vendor may have different requirements for accepting tax exempt verification, therefore it is possible that a particular transaction will not quality for tax exempt status.

When employees are traveling on state funds, NYS taxes are not reimbursable. This applies to sales tax, hotel occupancy taxes, and NYS taxes on car rentals and hotels. Travelers are advised to use the NYS Tax Exempt Certificate (AC946) and NYS Exemption Certificate for Tax on Occupancy of Hotel or Motel Rooms (ST 129) forms.

When employees are traveling on RF funds, NYS taxes are not reimbursable. This applies to sales tax, hotel occupancy taxes, and NYS taxes on car rentals and hotels. Travelers are advised to use the Exempt Organization Tax Exempt Purchase Certificate for RF Funds (ST 119.1).

The university’s preferred and most efficient method of payment for conference registration is the Procurement Card (PCard) when using either state or RF funds.

• Registration fees cannot be advanced.
• Social activities (e.g. sightseeing, golf outings) are considered personal expenses and will not be paid or reimbursed.  

Pay for lodging with your personal credit card. The conference hotel single room rate will be reimbursed. If you had to lodge at an alternate hotel and the rate was higher than the conference hotel or per diem, you will be reimbursed if you provide sufficient justification as to why you had to use the alternate hotel.

How much you get reimbursed depends on the city where you lodged, according to the rates established within the current federal per diem schedule.

When attending a conference and staying at a conference hotel:

• Business calls and Internet use must be documented on the hotel bill.
• Personal expenses such as pay TV, movies and laundry are not allowed.
• Documentation for the conference hotel single room rate must be attached to the expense report or travel voucher to allow reimbursement of costs in excess of the per diem.

Car rentals are normally not allowed as shuttles and taxis are usually more cost-effective.

Note: Lodging and meal reimbursements may not be requested if you are staying in your personal residence. This would include your home address or a remote residence that you own.

An employee is only eligible for reimbursement for certain meal or lodging expenses when they are in travel status.

• Transportation is not reimbursable to and from personal meals.
• When a meal, such as a breakfast, dinner, banquet or buffet, is included or provided at the conference, the meal is not reimburseable.
• Reimbursement is not provided for lunch.

The university has negotiated rates with several area hotels for official guests of UB, such as faculty candidates or guest speakers.

Transportation from an employee’s home to the official station is not allowed. Generally, an employee’s official station is his or her usual work location (office); regardless of where the employee maintains his or her residence.

Travelers should use the most efficient and cost-effective method of transportation available. Often, this means using a common carrier such as an airplane, train, bus or taxicab. The choice of transportation method must be in the best interest of the state, Research Foundation and sponsor. Travelers should obtain the lowest cost coach equivalent accommodations available. 

Ticket Purchase

Purchase airfare and Amtrak fares with a personal credit card. Upon your return, reimbursement can be made when the itinerary and receipt are provided with your expense report or travel voucher.

• Only coach or economy fare is reimbursable.
• Research Foundation-funded air and Amtrak travel may be purchased using the American Express Business Travel Account (BTA).
• Airfare cost comparison may be necessary to justify method of transportation, times of travel, or if personal travel is combined with business travel.
• When making airline arrangements or when reviewing itineraries and receipts, most travel vendors and airlines will use the 3 letter code.  You can use the world airport codes cross walk for the codes to the city name. 
• Rail travel in excess of 200 miles one way may be business class.

Required Documentation

• Provide documentation as to the official university business conducted while traveling to support the days in which the air or train travel encompass.
• Requests for airfare and Amtrak reimbursement must be made using an expense report or travel voucher and include proof of payment (i.e., receipt) and itinerary. This also applies to pre-travel airfare and Amtrak reimbursement requests.

When travelers choose to use their personally-owned vehicle for their convenience, instead of a common carrier, transportation expense reimbursement will be limited to an amount equal to the common carrier coach fare for the same route. A cost comparison between airfare and mileage must be included with the expense report or travel voucher. Find out more about how to prepare a cost comparison.

All expenditures should be submitted within 30 days of the traveler's return date. Travel receipt envelopes are a great way to collect receipts as you travel. They also serve to remind you which receipts are needed to attach to the expense report or travel voucher.

When submitting receipts for reimbursement:

• Original receipts are required.
• The conference or meeting brochure or agenda is required.
• In all instances an agenda, program or other documentation is required to substantiate all travel expenses or days expenses are claimed.
• Original signatures of traveler, Principle Investigator (PI) or supervisor and approval authority (when applicable) are required.
• When a portion of the travel expenses are paid by another funding source (for example UBF or conference organizer), information must be included on the expense report or travel voucher.

If any portion of the receipt includes non-UB business expenses, that portion cannot be reimbursed.

Individuals traveling to locations outside the United States on university business must ensure the proper authorizations and reviews are performed prior to travel.

For travel with state funds: CHUBB International Advantage is available for SUNY faculty and staff.

For travel with RF funds: GeoBlue/Frontier MedEx is available to individuals (other than independent contractors) traveling on official RF business.

Contact Meg Mitchell for more information on these programs.

For travel with state funds: some expenses unique to foreign travel may be reimbursed if they are directly associated with and required for the specific trip including passport and visa fees, cost to convert currency, travelers’ checks, laundry charges for extended stay and departure taxes.

For travel with RF funds: only expenses specifically approved by the sponsor (e.g., lodging, meals and transportation) will be reimbursed.

When a trip is canceled:

• At the direction of the university, the traveler will not be responsible for costs incurred.
• If the traveler canceled travel arrangements for the sake of personal convenience, the traveler may be responsible for costs incurred.
• Non-refundable travel costs may not be charged to a sponsored project.
• Non-refundable costs associated with sponsored program related travel that has been cancelled due to public health emergencies, such as COVID-19, may be charged to an award if those costs would have otherwise been allowable and the sponsor guidelines related to the treatment of such costs are followed. Please check with your sponsor for specific document requirements.

Reimbursement, advance or payment is not permitted for personal expenses (e.g., hotel, transportation, meals, other personal incidentals) when personal travel is combined with business travel or personal expenses are incurred while in business travel status. Car rental, airport parking, and other costs will be prorated to reimburse only the days the employee was on university business.

Examples of non-reimburseable or personal expenses:

• Airline club membership
• TSA Precheck (Nexus)
• Non-cash airline or hotel credits (e.g., frequent flyer mileage, traveler rewards, gift card)
• Upgrade seat selection
• Trip cancellation insurance
• Entertainment
• Speeding fines
• Parking tickets
• ATM fees
• Laundry (except state funded travel which include laundry expenses for extended stay at international locations are reimbursable)
• Pay TV, movies, sightseeing, golf outings

If the cost of air travel includes additional stops to accommodate personal travel, a cost comparison must be provided to confirm that the cost of business and personal travel does not exceed the cost of business travel alone; the lesser of the two will be reimbursed.

When travelers choose to use their personally-owned vehicle for their convenience instead of a common carrier, transportation expense reimbursement will be limited to an amount equal to the common carrier coach fare for the same route. A cost comparison between airfare and mileage must be included with the expense report or travel voucher. 

All student, guest, and candidate travel expenses must be supported by receipts and follow the university’s travel policy. When using Research Foundation funding for non-employee (e.g., student, guest, candidate) travel expenses, the direct relationship of the individual to the project must be identified.

Travel expenses incurred by enrolled university students are reimbursable when such travel directly benefits the academic, research, service, or operational interests of the university. Reimbursable travel includes, but is not limited to:

• participation, on behalf of the university, in academic competitions, conferences, or programs
• student recruitment
• travel required in the performance of university employment

Guest and candidate travel expenses (e.g., transportation, lodging, meals) are allowable when directly related to the individual’s time spent in Buffalo on UB business.

• For state funds, reimbursement to candidates will be allowed only when the individual resides more than 50 miles from the UB campus where the interview is scheduled. Reimbursement of spousal travel expenses is not allowed.
• For Research Foundation funds, spousal travel expenses may be reimbursed only when allowed by the sponsor and budgeted in the grant.
• For UB Foundation funds, a candidate's spousal travel expenses may be reimbursed. The request for reimbursement must be approved by the UBO prior to making travel arrangements.