Lodging Policies

Lodging may be reimbursed when an individual is traveling overnight on official State business outside his/her official station defined as the area within a 25-mile radius of an employee's designated base point (defined as place, office or building where the traveler performs his/her duties on a routine basis).  First preference shall be given to selecting lodging in the economy class.  Check, request and confirm government rates both at the time reservations are made and during check-in.

The state's allowable LODGING RATES can be found by clicking the highlighted link on the Per Diem and Lodging rates web site.

General Lodging Regulations

The maximum reimbursable lodging rates listed in the tables do NOT include taxes and surcharges. NOTE:  The lodging rates are ROOM RATES--NOT per person rates.  UMW will reimburse a traveler for the actual amount charged by a lodging facility for the room up to the maximum rates listed for the city where the traveler spent the night, plus taxes and surcharges charged by the lodging facility based upon the maximum rate listed for that city. ROOM rates incurred beyond these maximum rates will NOT be reimbursed, and taxes and surcharges will be pro-rated based on the maximum allowable rate. THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS.

EXCEPTIONS

EXCEPTION #1:

The appropriate Executive Staff or designee may approve reimbursement for lodging up to 150% of the maximum rate "when circumstances warrant." A written justification for the exception must be included on the Request for Travel form, and this approval must be so noted on the Request for Travel form . Again, if room rates incurred surpass the 150%, taxes and surcharges will be pro-rated based on the 150% maximum.  Travelers who do not plan with careful consideration to these guidelines will bear the additional expense personally.  If the room rate EXCEEDS the 150%, the Accounts Payable department can ASK DOA (the state's comptroller's office) for an exception.  If you want the Accounts Payable department to request an exception from DOA to exceed 150% of the state's maximum allowed rate, you must do the following at least THREE WEEKS PRIOR TO TRAVEL:

1.  E-mail payables@umw.edu with a CLEAR cost justification for exceeding the 150%. CLEAR cost justification must include sufficient documentation showing alternative cost comparisons justifying the exception. The cost comparisons must include the name and complete address of the hotels--including zip code--used for the cost comparison. These requests must be reviewed by the UMW fiscal office which must evaluate and approve the request PRIOR to sending it to DOA.
2.  If the exception request is determined reasonable, the Accounts Payable department will forward the request to DOA.
3.  The Accounts Payable department will let you know DOA's decision.

Generally, when two or more travelers stay in the same room, the allowable lodging rate is the destination rate (ROOM rate) plus the amount charged by the lodging facility for the additional person. (**In other words, if two travelers share a room, each is NOT allowed the maximum rate--unless approval is granted by the Assistant Vice President for Finance--see EXCEPTION #2 BELOW; one traveler is allowed the maximum lodging rate plus the additional cost of the additional person.)  The itemized hotel receipt MUST show the additional charge separately from the room charge. If the hotel bill indicates that more than one person stayed in the room, a written explanation must be provided, along with the rate difference between single and double rates charged by that hotel. If the rate for a double is the same as a single, please make a note of that fact on the receipt.

EXCEPTION #2:

If you share the cost of a room, each official business traveler is allowed the rate that is shown on the lodging rate table AS LONG AS the room was not in any way an upgrade AND AS LONG AS the Assistant Vice President for Finance has approved this expense in advance. REASON:: Remember, state regulations require an exception from DOA in advance for any ROOM RATE that exceeds 150% of the lodging rate on the table. The Assistant Vice President for Finance has been given authority by DOA to approve the rate on the table for EACH official business traveler in the room.
An Example for clarity: The state allows $95 for Savannah on the lodging table, but UMW can pay in Savannah as follows:
1. Up to $142.50 ($95 x 1.5 = $142.50) with the President's or her designee's approval--regardless of the number of people in the room (from EXCEPTION #1 above).
2. Up to $95 per official business traveler--with approval in advance by the UMW Assistant Vice President for Finance--when two or more official business travelers share a room (from EXCEPTION #2 above).

To further clarify: If two official business travelers (it could be a colleague from another university) share a hotel room in Savannah GA and the ROOM RATE is $145 per night, we are allowed to pay it--even though it exceeds $142.50 (150% of $95)--based on the following: $145 divided by 2 people = $72.50, which is lower than $95 (the state's allowable lodging rate that shows on the table for Savannah). IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE (as mentioned in EXCEPTION #2).

If TWO official business travelers share a hotel room in Savannah GA and the ROOM RATE is $192 per night, which is $96 per person, we would be able to reimburse at only $95 (plus taxes on the $95)--NOT $96, which is 1/2 of the room rate. NOTE: UMW would be able to pay $96 ONLY IF DOA HAD GRANTED APPROVAL FOR THIS EXPENSE PRIOR TO THE TRAVEL (AS MENTIONED UNDER EXCEPTION #1 ABOVE). If THREE official business travelers share the same hotel room at $192 per night, UMW would be able to reimburse EACH traveler the full amount of $64 ($192 divided by 3 people = $64 per person) which is less than the $95 allowable rate. IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE (as mentioned in EXCEPTION #2).

PLEASE NOTE THAT IN ALL EXAMPLES, TAXES AND SURCHARGES WOULD BE PAID BASED ON THE ALLOWABLE RATES. REMEMBER, THE RATES LISTED DO NOT INCLUDE TAXES AND SURCHARGES. WE PAY TAXES AND SURCHARGES IN ADDITION TO ROOM RATES BASED ON THE REGULATIONS MENTIONED ABOVE.

In summary, if you are sharing the cost of a room and your ROOM RATE exceeds the allowable lodging rate on the table by more than 150% of the rate, the Assistant Vice President for Finance can approve a "per person" rate up to the actual rate listed on the lodging table. Only DOA can approve any rate above the guidelines mentioned in these regulations.

 

In order to be reimbursed for lodging expenses, your hotel receipt must:
1. Show a zero balance.
2. Be an original, i.e., not a photocopy
3. Show the room rate and taxes broken out separately and by day.

 

The only exception to this would be lodging expenses using Internet Purchases . If a payment for lodging is made through the Internet, print a copy of the receipt for the electronic purchase and read Internet Purchases.

 

ALLOWABLE MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES
1. Taxes and surcharges for lodging based upon maximum lodging rates
2. Business telephone calls, telegrams, faxes for official State business ( A full explanation must be included on the Travel Expense Reimbursement form with supporting documentation verifying the phone numbers called and nature of business.)
3. Parking and Tolls. Receipts are required for all travel expenses greater than $10.00. If you do not have a receipt for a toll, for example, a clear, detailed explanation of the toll location and amount of individual toll must be included on the Travel Expense Reimbursement form. Claim as "other expense" in column 8 on the Travel Expense Reimbursement Form.

When lodging other than hotels and motels is used, e.g., apartments, houses, etc., a comparison statement including authorization by the President or appropriate Executive Staff must be submitted with the Travel Expense Reimbursement form. The comparison statement should show the total cost for using the alternate accommodations and length of contract, the cost of the alternative accommodations, and net savings. Please see the more than three employees traveling section .

 

Some lodging establishments will accept Purchase Orders from UMW and will bill the University directly. Contact the Purchasing Office (654-1057) for details. All necessary approvals as outlined above must be secured. If direct billing is used, only the charge for the room and if appropriate, the additional person fee along with taxes and surcharges, are allowed. Additional charges (such as telephone, food, etc.) are prohibited. Advance payments to lodging facilities are discouraged and are limited to the first night's stay only. Any exceptions to this rule have to be approved IN ADVANCE by DOA (the state's comptroller's office) through the Accounts Payable Department. The Division of Purchases and Supply (DPS) has entered into contracts with various hotel chains. Details regarding these contracts may be found in the contracts section of the DPS web site: www.EVA.state.va.us.   Call the UMW Purchasing department (654-1057) for information regarding this EVA site. E-mail payables@umw.edu with questions or concerns regarding the travel regulations.