Interview Expense Reimbursement

1500.515 INTERVIEW EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT

Interview and travel reimbursement must fall withing the established guidelines of RCW 43.03.130, does not reimburse candidates for 100% of the allowable costs incurred as a part of the interview process, with the exception of the college president.

A. QUALIFICATIONS

If a candidate is from out-of-state and interviewing for an executive-level administrative, exempt supervisory or full-time faculty position, they may qualify for the following reimbursement of travel expenses subject to cabinet level budget authority approval, subject to the following:

1. There are no reimbursements for any interviews conducted virtually.
2. On campus interview travel expenses, up to full reimbursement, may be allowed subject to Office of Financial Management (OFM) limitations. Any travel expenses beyond the allowable $1,500 maximum requires written approval by the president or designee.

B. INTERVIEW TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS & REIMBURSEMENT GUIDELINES

All travel arrangements will be made by and paid for by the traveler. The traveler should save all applicable receipts, with the following guidelines:

1. Airfare: reimbursement will be made at the lowest economy class rate, excluding baggage fees.
2. Lodging: reimbursement will be made for one overnight lodging at the current government rate.
   1. If more than one night’s lodging is required to accommodate the interview schedule, advance authorization must be obtained from cabinet level budget authority for the position for which you are interviewing.
3. Privately Owned Vehicles (POV): reimbursement for the use of a privately-owned vehicle will be made at the OFM-established rate.
4. Per Diem (meal allowance): reimbursement will be made for mealtimes spent in travel status for meals not provided based on the following mealtimes:
   1. Overnight stay meal allowance:
      1. Breakfast before 7:30 a.m.
      2. Lunch 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
      3. Dinner after 6:30 p.m.
   2. Non-overnight stay meal allowance:
      1. Traveler must be in travel status for three hours beyond the regularly scheduled workday of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
      2. Traveler must be in travel status during the entire meal period(s) listed above to qualify for meal reimbursement(s).
         Reimbursement for non-overnight travel meals is considered a taxable fringe benefit by the IRS.
         Current daily limits can be found at: https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates
   3. Additional costs incurred by travel by taxi, bus, rideshare, rental vehicle, etc. when traveling to and from the prospective employee’s residence, airport, temporary lodging facility, and/or the interview location may be reimbursed only with advance authorization from the president or designee.

A candidate requiring ADA accommodation at additional cost will work with the human resources office.

C. REIMBURSEMENT GUIDELINES

1. The traveler will provide the human resource office with original receipts via a paper copy or email.
2. Once all receipts have been received by human resources, paperwork will be processed and submitted to the fiscal services office for payment to the traveler.
3. Advance payment of travel expenses is not allowed.
4. Every effort will be made to process paperwork for reimbursement in a timely manner, however there is no guarantee of processing time.
    

Approved by the president’s cabinet: 10/4/05, 7/2/24
Presented to the board of trustees: 10/19/05
Last Reviewed: 7/2/24
Procedure contact: Human Resources

Related policies and procedures
500.515 Interview Expense Reimbursement Policy