(with expense limitations on lodging and meals & incidentals as set by the Executive Committee under the Policy)
All statewide committee and board members are urged to devote the time necessary to perform the responsibilities associated with their committee appointments and board positions. It is, therefore, the practice of the Society to reimburse out-of-pocket costs associated with attendance at committee and board meetings in accordance with this policy. Members who avail themselves of this policy are requested to be mindful of the need to conserve costs related to Society activities and are, therefore, requested to hold the costs for which reimbursement is sought to a minimum.
a. RECEIPTS AND DOCUMENTATION. Committee and board members must submit a written or online request for travel reimbursement. Such request must be supported by receipts for individual expenditures in excess of $25. Charges for air transportation must be supported by a boarding pass or the passenger ticket receipt, and the itinerary must be reflected. Hotel charges must be supported by an itemized bill with evidence of payment. Expenses that are not properly documented under these guidelines will not be reimbursed.
Click here to complete the travel reimbursement request form online.
Click here to download the travel reimbursement form.
b. TRANSPORTATION COSTS. Transportation costs will be reimbursed based on the following guidelines:
1. AIR TRANSPORTATION. Air transportation costs will be reimbursed if travel exceeds 140 miles one way, but only to the extent of lowest available coach fare. Business class, first class, premium economy, extra space, etc. will not be reimbursed to the extent the cost exceeds basic coach economy fare. In addition to airline ticket costs, reasonable taxi fare or AirTrain tickets to and from the airport will be reimbursed as part of air transportation costs. Premium black car services are not considered “reasonable taxi fare.”
2. GROUND TRANSPORTATION. Ground transportation costs, such as coach rail, bus, mileage at the IRS standard mileage rate, parking and tolls, will be reimbursed if travel exceeds 150 miles round trip. Essentially, there is no ground transportation reimbursement where the point of origin is within a 75 mile radius of the Society offices. Car rental costs will not be reimbursed to the extent they exceed the federal mileage rate.
Example: Assuming a member travels over 150 miles round trip for a committee meeting, the NYSSCPA will reimburse the cost of a bus or train ticket or, if the committee member uses a car, mileage at the federal mileage rate for the entire trip. If the member travels 150 miles or less, round trip to the meeting, there will be no reimbursement for ground transportation.
c. LODGING COSTS. Lodging costs will be reimbursed if travel exceeds 140 miles one way, subject to the following limitations:
1. Lodging costs (excluding taxes) will be reimbursed up to an amount set by the Executive Committee. For the 2024-2025 fiscal year that amount is $300, excluding tax. Room, occupancy and other lodging taxes do not count toward the limit and are reimbursed in full.
If a member has two consecutive day’s meetings but the travel distance is less than 140 miles, lodging costs may be reimbursed under the above guidelines and meals and incidentals may be reimbursed under the guidelines of paragraph (d.), if the member feels such expense is necessary.
If a member who qualifies for reimbursement of air transportation costs can demonstrate that a Saturday night stay-over resulted in air-fare savings that exceed the costs of lodging and meals and incidentals, then reimbursement for the extra day’s costs will be reimbursed subject to the applicable limitations as described.
d. MEALS AND INCIDENTALS. If travel exceeds 140 miles one way, then meals and incidentals will be reimbursed up to a per diem amount set by the Executive Committee. The amount for 2024-2025 is the Government Services Administration’s 2008 M&I rate for Manhattan of $64.
e. REIMBURSEMENT LIMITED TO OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS. Only out-of-pocket costs will be reimbursed. If, for example an airline ticket is obtained using frequent flyer miles, or lodging is obtained with loyalty rewards, there will be no reimbursement in excess of the out-of-pocket costs associated with obtaining the ticket or lodging.
f. PERSONAL OR BUSINESS EXPENSES. Costs of personal or business expenses unrelated to and unnecessary for Society business will not be reimbursed. These costs include, but are not limited to, telephone, Wi-Fi, laundry, entertainment, golf fees, movies, mini-bars, transportation to dining venues, concierge services, etc.
g. TIME LIMIT. Reimbursement requests must be received within six months of the meeting date or reimbursement will be denied.
h. TOTAL EXPENDITURE LIMITS – PER MEETING AND ANNUAL. The maximum amount reimbursed for a single reimbursement request applicable to a single day’s meetings is limited to $800. The cumulative amount of approved reimbursements to a member for travel to meetings within a given Society fiscal year (June 1 to May 31) is limited to $4,000. For the reimbursement request that in total causes a member to exceed the cumulative annual limit, the member will be reimbursed for the partial amount of that request that, when added to cumulative reimbursements to date, equals $4,000. Reimbursement requests will not be accepted after the $4,000 fiscal year limit has been reached.
The limits described in (h.) may only be exceeded in reasonable and exceptional circumstances and will require advanced approval of the Society President or Treasurer.
The limits described in (h.) do not apply to members of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, the FAE Trustees, members of Operations Division Committees, and statewide committee chairs.
Policy as approved by the NYSSCPA Executive Committee on February 15, 2019.
Effective June 1, 2019
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Table of Exp. Reimbursed vs. Distance Traveled
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Distance
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Expense
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75 miles or less
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Over 75 miles up to 140 mi.
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Over 140 miles
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| Rail, Bus, Mileage, Tolls, Parking |
No
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Yes
|
Yes
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| Airfare |
No
|
No
|
Yes
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| Cab fare to/from transportation hubs |
No
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Yes
|
Yes
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| Lodging |
No 1, 2
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No 1, 2
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Yes 2
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| Meals and Incidentals |
No 1, 3
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No 1, 3
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Yes 3
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1-Lodging, meals and incidentals allowable if there are “back-to-back” consecutive day’s meetings.
2-Cost reimbursed up to the cap as set by the Exec. Committee.
3-Meals and Incidentals are capped at a per diem set by the Exec. Committee.
Requests for reimbursement along with original receipts, tickets and other supporting documentation where necessary should be sent directly to:
For Committee Members, To: Keith Lazarus, Mgr. of Committees & Technical Resources, NYSSCPA 200 Madison Ave., 11th Floor, NY, NY 10016
For Board and Executive Committee Members, To: Rosemary Clarke, Exec. Asst. to Exec. Dir., NYSSCPA 200 Madison Ave., 11th Floor, NY, NY 10016