LHU Travel Card Policies & Procedures

The travel card is a University credit card used only for all official business travel on behalf of the University. It replaces hotel/transportation orders and purchase requisitions related to travel. The card may not be used to purchase goods or services or for personal purposes. Travel & State Car Reservation Request and Authorization Forms must still be completed prior to the date of
travel as currently required.

• Obtaining a Travel Card
• Employee Liability 
• Use of Travel Card 
• Sales Tax 
• Reimbursement Requests 
• Travel Card Violations 
• Delinquent Accounts 
• Lost/Stolen Travel Card 
• Termination of Employment 
• Exceptions 
• Travel Card Agreement Online

 
A.  Obtaining a Travel Card

1. A travel card is issued to:
   
   a) all management employees and faculty,
   
   b) AFSCME employees who are in travel status four or more times a year.
   
   
2. Cardholders must use the travel card for all allowable travel expenses not paid in cash or with a personal credit card.
   
   
3. To obtain a travel card an employee must:
   
   a) provide address and Social Security number to travel card company (done on employees' behalf by the Purchasing Office),
   
   b) receive training from a Purchasing staff member. No card will be issued until training is completed,
   
   c) sign a document stating that he/she has received training and is aware of the travel card policies, including acceptance of personal liability.

             
B.  Employee Liability

1. The travel card is issued in the employee's name.
   
   
2. The employee is primarily and wholly responsible for charges against his/her travel card.
   
   
3. Credit limits are established by Lock Haven University in conjunction with the travel card company.
   
   
4. At the end of each month, the employee receives a statement from the travel card company listing charges against his/her account.
   
   
5. The employee is responsible for:
   
   a) reviewing all charges against his/her account,
   b) paying total balance due before the due date, and
   c) signing and safeguarding his/her travel card.
   
   
6. If an employee's account becomes delinquent (an uncontested balance 60 days past due), the employee is subject to loss of travel card privileges.
   
   
7. Use of the travel card by anyone other than the person to whom the card is issued is prohibited.

C.  Use of Travel Card

1. The travel card must be used to pay for the following expenses unless the vendor does not accept the credit card, the employee pays in cash, or the employee uses his/her personal credit card:
   
   a) transportation,
   b) lodging,
   c) conference/registration fees, Out-Service-Training registrations and
   d) other related travel expenses, e.g., subsistence.
   
   
2. The travel card may not be used to purchase gasoline for an employee's personal vehicle. The employee will be reimbursed the per mile rate as set forth in the Board of Governors' Travel Policy.
   
   
3. Executive employees who either are assigned a vehicle or reimbursed for a leased vehicle according to the Executive Vehicle Policy may use the travel card for gasoline purchases for the assigned or leased vehicle.
   
   
4. Meals may be charged to the travel card and will be reimbursed in accordance with the Travel Policy.
   
   
5. An employee who is authorized to incur meal expenses on behalf of others may use the travel card to pay for such meals.
   
   
6. Miscellaneous reference materials such as books, tapes, and videos available for purchase at seminars/conferences may be charged to the travel card and will be reimbursed if approved by the employees' supervisor. These are the only goods that can be charged to the travel card.
   
   
7. Incidental business expenses, incurred while in travel status, such as copies, faxes, and postage may be charged to the travel card and will be reimbursed if approved by the employees' supervisor. Business meeting expenditures such as equipment rental and conference room charges must be made in accordance with procurement policies and may not be charged to the travel card.
   
   
8. The only times the travel card may be used for personal purposes are:
   
   a) Hotel costs - Personal costs incurred while staying at a hotel such as personal phone calls, and safe fees may be charged to the travel card but will not be reimbursed. Charges for laundry and dry cleaning may be charged to the travel card but are reimbursed only in accordance with the Travel Policy,
   b) Conference related costs - Personal costs related to the conference such as spouse/guest registration fee and entertainment/evening events specifically associated with the conference may be charged to the travel card but will not be reimbursed.
   
   
9. The travel card may not be used to purchase gifts, souvenirs, or any other personal item not previously mentioned.
   
   
10. If a hotel or transportation carrier does not accept the travel card, hotel/transportation orders are available from the Purchasing Office.
    
    
11. An employee may not use his/her travel card to pay for another employee's expenses.
    
    
12. The employee is prohibited from using the travel card for cash advances.

             
D.  Sales Tax

1. Each travel card will be marked tax-exempt. For the University, tax-exempt means that the office does not pay:
   
   a) Pennsylvania sales tax, or
   b) local hotel rental tax for hotels located in Allegheny, Clinton, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties.
   
   
2. Employees should be aware that hotels charge an occupancy tax, which is different from sales tax. The State System is not exempt from occupancy tax and is required to pay this tax.
   
   
3. The employee should remind vendors of the office's tax-exempt status.
   
   
4. If an employee chooses to pay his/her hotel costs in cash or with his/her personal credit card, the employee will not be reimbursed for sales tax assessed.      

E.  Reimbursement Requests

1. All costs will be reimbursed in accordance with Travel Expense Regulations.
   
   
2. The employee must:
   
   a) request reimbursement using a travel expense voucher,
   b) submit travel expense voucher within 30 days of travel, and
   c) attach all receipts, as required.
   
   
3. The employee does not need to attach a copy of his/her monthly travel card statement to the travel expense voucher. Purchasing will receive a copy of each employee's travel card statement directly from the travel card company.
   
   
4. Payment of the travel expense voucher will be made no later than 10 business days following receipt in the Accounts Payable Office.
   
   
5. An employee who submits his/her reimbursement requests as outlined above should receive the funds available to pay his/her credit card bill before the due date.

F.  Travel Card Violations

1. Purchasing will review employee charges against travel cards on a monthly basis.
   
   
2. If an employee violates any of the travel card policies, e.g., using the travel card for personal purchases, the employee will be given a written notice from the Vice President of Finance, Administration, and Technology.
   
   
3. If the employee violates any of the travel card policies a second time:
   
   a) the employee must surrender the travel card to Purchasing, and
   b) the travel card will be canceled.
   
   
4. An employee who loses his/her travel card privileges must request travel expense payments through the requisition process.
   
   
5. An employee who loses his/her travel card privileges may reapply after one year. The employee must complete the steps in Section A - Obtaining a Travel Card.

G.  Delinquent Accounts

1. Each cardholder must pay his/her total balance due before the due date.
   
   
2. An account that has an uncontested balance over 60 days past due is considered delinquent.
   
   
3. If the employee has a delinquent account, the employee will be given a written notice from the Vice President of Finance, Administration, and Technology.
   
   
4. If the employee's account is delinquent a second time:
   
   a) the employee must surrender the travel card to Purchasing, and
   b) the travel card will be canceled by Purchasing.
   
   
5. An employee who loses his/her travel card privileges must request travel expense payments through the requisition process.
   
   
6. An employee who loses his/her travel card privileges may reapply after one year. The employee must complete the steps in Section A - Obtaining a Travel Card.

H.  Lost/Stolen Travel Card

1. An employee must notify the travel card company immediately of a lost or stolen travel card. The travel card company will cancel the travel card and issue a new card.
   
   
2. An employee also must notify Purchasing immediately, or by the next business day when appropriate, of the travel card cancellation.
   
   
3. Any fraudulent charges against the lost or stolen travel card will be handled in accordance with the travel card company's policies.  

I.  Termination of Employment

1. Upon termination of employment, the cardholder must surrender the card to the Purchasing Office.
   
   
2. Purchasing will cancel the travel card.

I.  Exceptions

1. The President or designee must approve any exception to this travel card policy. 

Travel Card Agreement Online