As of October 1, 2024, several changes were made affecting travel policy and expense reimbursement/payment approval guidance. The information is summarized below.
Travel Policy Updates
Effective October 1, 2024, the following travel policy updates have been made as a result of the August 1, 2024 update to UW-5087 – Remote Work:
- UW-3016 – Air Travel: This policy was updated to reduce the number of situations in which a cost comparison is required for air travel. Specifically, “travel prior to or after the required business travel dates” (e.g., adding personal time to business travel) no longer requires a cost comparison. In addition, travelers may now depart from or return to any airport within the state of Wisconsin or within 100 miles from the Wisconsin border without a cost comparison. The policy was further updated to clarify that when a cost comparison is required, the cost comparison flight will generally depart from or return to the Dane County Regional Airport (MSN). The “no exceptions” clause has been removed from the 80% reimbursement statement when a valid cost comparison is not provided with a payment/reimbursement request.
- UW-3026 – Non-Payable/Non-Reimbursable Expenses: This policy was updated to include a prohibition of payment/reimbursement of travel expenses to an employee’s assigned headquarters location.
- UW-3015 – University Travel: This policy was updated to provide allowable departure and return times for UW business travel. Arrival on the day prior to a business event and departure on the day after business concludes is allowable. For international travel, arrival up to two days prior to the business event is allowable.
- UW-3019 – Vehicle Use/Rental: This policy was updated to clarify the situations when mileage is a reimbursable expense. To summarize – commute mileage is never reimbursable and must be accounted for when reconciling business travel expenses.
Remote Work Audit Timeline
Travel and expense payment approvers should use the following timeline when auditing expenses:
- For travel occurring on or before October 1, 2024: Expense reimbursement claims or payments will be processed under the remote work policy in place prior to August 2, 2024.
- For travel occurring between October 1 and December 31, 2024: Exceptions may be granted via the Exception Request for Business Travel Form to allow for travel to headquarters location or additional mileage due to change in headquarters location if the travel was planned or scheduled prior to August 1, 2024.
- All travel on or after January 1, 2025 for remote employees must conform to UW-Madison travel policies and application of UW-5087 – Remote Work.
Audit Resources
Information will be forthcoming for all e-Reimbursement approvers/auditors and purchasing card site managers who will need access to HR Remote Work Agreement data to audit travel expenses for remote employees.
Remote Work Agreements
All UW–Madison employees working remotely were required to complete a FY25 Remote Work Agreement (RWA) by October 1, 2024. If employees completed their FY25 RWA prior to July 31, 2024, they did so with the previous version of the RWA. It is recommended a new RWA be submitted – especially for those employees who are assigned fully remote (as a condition of their employment) – to streamline the expense reimbursement process going forward.
Questions
If you have questions about any of the above, please feel free to reach out to one of the Travel & Card Team’s shared inboxes: expensereimbursement@bussvc.wisc.edu, uwtravel@bussvc.wisc.edu, or pcard@bussvc.wisc.edu.