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Edward R. Murrow College of Communication

Travel Requests

Forms and details about the Murrow College travel process can be found on this page.

Any and all travel to anywhere needs to be processed through Julia Royals.

Travel Request Form:

Travel Request Form (PDF download)

The travel request form must submitted before every trip if possible.

This is what I need first (with approval, see below)!

  • Under your name, use your home address (not office)
  • Use personal telephone number (no one sees it but me
  • Put the dates and times you are expected to be traveling and working
  • Please do not to use acronyms. Travel requires I spell everything out on travel forms.
    (Example: I spell out Wrap Around Intensive Services rather than just WAIS).
  • Mark your method of travel (rental car or personal vehicles)

That said, I understand travel comes up last minute, so do not stress and please keep me updated. https://travel.wsu.edu/

Approval:

Approval must be obtained before you travel.  I cannot purchase any conference, airfare or process reimbursements without prior approval.  The supervisor will then respond with a denial or approval.  If the travel was not approved beforehand and you submit for reimbursements, I will still require approval before any reimbursement is processed.

Travel expense worksheet:

Travel Expense Worksheet (PDF)

When you are claiming meals, please fill in the city or town you slept in.  Per diem rates vary by region. https://travel.wsu.edu/per-diem/.  Let me know if you have any questions about filling out this form.

Note: I do not need food receipts.

  • You will submit this form with any receipts once you turn from your trip.
  • Please submit reimbursements immediately.  Anything received 60 days after the day you return is taxable. *Unless you take a source out to eat for a working meal.

Meals:

All meals are reimbursed at the per diem rate for the area where you slept.  Please visit the link provided if you have questions about how much meal per diem is by region.  https://travel.wsu.edu/per-diem/

  • You do not need to save meal receipts.  Meals are paid at the per diem rate.
  • Meal per diem is intended for employees who are in travel status 11 hours or more.  You will not receive meal per diem if you are traveling on a day trip during normal work hours.  For example: If you leave at 7 am for a conference and return by 5pm you are not entitled to per diem.
  • -To qualify for meal per diem you must work 3 hours more than your normal work schedule and you may not stop or increase your travel time just to get a meal.  For example, if you had to leave at 7 am for a conference and your conference did not end until 7 pm, and then drive home, you would qualify for meal per diem.
  • If you do claim a meal on a day trip (at least 11 hours) as listed above, you will be taxed on that reimbursement. https://travel.wsu.edu/policy-revisions/  The meal reimbursement will be processed through your payroll check
  • Meal per diem for overnight stays are fully reimbursable while in travel status.
  • If meals are provided for you, please do not claim per diem i.e.; if a conference provides your lunch or if you consume a hotel breakfast.
  • If a meeting or conference provides a meal and you chose not to consume that meal regardless of religious or dietary needs, you are not entitled to meal per diem reimbursement.
  • You must be working an entire meal period to be able to claim that meal, example:
    • Breakfast: 7 am thru 9 am (If you left the house at 8:00 am you do not qualify for breakfast)
    • Lunch: 12 pm thru 2 pm  (If your workday ended at 1:00 pm, you do not qualify for lunch)
    • Dinner: 5 pm thru 7 pm  (If you worked until 9:00 pm, you would qualify for dinner)

Rental cars:

We have a state contract with Enterprise Rental Car.  You may rent a vehicle if necessary.  You may not transport non-state employees in the vehicle.  We encourage you to rent vehicles with Enterprise.

  • -Our state contract ID#45WA000
  • -Please make your reservations in advance to guarantee availability.
  • -Please rent standard vehicles at the lowest rate unless a 4wheel drive is required for inclement weather or terrain.
  • -If you have several events over several day, say Tuesday through Thursday and you will need to drive back and forth every day, please rent a vehicle.  You may keep that vehicle as it is more cost effective for you to drive while on the clock.
  • -You will be reimbursed for fuel with rental cars.
  • -Do not use the refuel option with Enterprise unless you absolutely need too (i.e., late for a flight, etc.)
  • -Please review this link for rental car information. https://travel.wsu.edu/rental-car-private-auto/
  • -A good rule of thumb…if you will be driving over 100 miles, please rent a car.

Transportation:

  • You may use Taxi, Uber, Lyft, Ferries, shuttles and public transportation.
  • Save your receipts, they are reimbursable!
  • Yes, you may tip your driver
  • Private jets, limousines, luxury vehicles or transportation are prohibited.
  • Travelers are required to use the most frugal methods of travel.

Parking:

  • Parking fees are reimbursable
  • Valet services are not reimbursable*

*If valet services are the only service available at a hotel in order to park at the hotel, that is allowable.

Airfare:

  • We have a Central Travel Account (CTA), we will purchase your airfare for you!
  • We have an account with Alaska Airlines and South West which provides State employee rates.
  • It is never too early to submit a travel request for a flight.  The earlier the better.
  • You will be placed on the least expensive flight conducive to your work schedule.
  • Baggage fees and (standard) airport parking are reimbursable.
  • You may apply your TSA precheck or mileage plan account to airfare purchased through our CTA.
  • I will need your full name as it appears on your ID, including your middle name.
  • I will need your personal telephone number
  • Please provide your seat preference (I will try my best to accommodate)
  • Passport if applicable
  • If you need any other accommodations for your flight, please let me know!

*I do maintain a traveler’s log for my frequent flyers.

Direct Deposit:

I recommend that you sign up for direct deposit through University travel services.  This is different from your payroll direct deposit.  This is for your reimbursements and much faster processing time than waiting for a check.  Please sign up through the link below.

https://travel.wsu.edu/

 

Receipts:

Please save all receipts except meal receipts.

  • I will need all receipts submitted to me.
  • Receipts you received electronically, you may forward to my email (rather than print out and mail to me).
  • Original receipts I will need mailed are gas, toll, parking, rental cars, hotels, conference fees and baggage, any receipt received in paper form.  You will need to mail those to me at the address listed below my signature line.  Again, most vendors send electronic receipts, please email those to me.
  • All receipts must show method of payment and “0” amount due (paid in full) for items $50.00 and over.
  • I need the itemized receipt (folio) from hotels.

Many times, vendors do not provide adequate receipts, or you lose a receipt. That said, I have attached a lost receipt affidavit you may submit with an inadequate receipt or in place of a lost receipt.  When the time comes, let me know if you are unsure if you need one.

Travel Card:

As a WSU employee you may obtain a travel (credit) card.  Please review the link provided regarding a travel card https://travel.wsu.edu/wsu-travel-charge-cards/

  • Travel cards have a 60-day cycle allowing more time for payment
  • It is a card designed to offset costs on employee’s personal accounts.
  • This is like a normal credit card where the holder is ultimately responsible for repayment.
  • The card is for business purposes only (please refer to the link)
  • I nor anyone in the business office have any authority over travel cards.
  • I can assist you with the application process if need be.

 

Hotels:

Employees should stay at lodging facilities which best suit their work needs.

  • Location-stay at a facility closest to your temporary duty station
  • Use a facility that honors state/government/WSU rates.
  • Please be cognizant of per diem rates https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates
  • Luxury accommodations are not allowed.
  • Accommodations or additional fees for family members are not reimbursable.
  • Please be diligent about your personal safety and locale of facilities
  • You may use Airbnb or VRBO if they are comparable to a commercial facility.
  • Valet services of any kind are not reimbursable.
  • Cancellation, penalty, excessive cleaning fees are not reimbursable

Please visit this link for further information: https://travel.wsu.edu/booking-travel/lodging-general-information/

Workflow:

Workflow is the Universities E-Forms system used for submitting/processing TEV’s (Travel expense voucher), your travel reimbursements.

You must complete an initial log into Workflow to be initiated into the system.  After you have done so (link directly below) please let me know.  The link directly below also contains a user’s guide.

https://policies.wsu.edu/prf/index/forms/eforms/

A warning, Workflow is not an intuitive program and may be confusing.  If you require help, please ask.  Almost everyone needs guidance at first.

Highlights:

-Once you turn in a travel expense worksheet (attached), I will create a TEV (Travel Expense Voucher).

  • I will send your TEV to you within workflow.
  • You will receive notification that you have a pending document (within Workflow) to your WSU email.
  • You will log in to Workflow and access your “Inbox”
  • Again, refer to the instructions within the e-forms link.
  • Workflow uses your WSU email as your ID (example, Julia.Rankin@wsu.edu)

**Do not hesitate to reach out for assistance with Workflow. It is not user friendly!!

 

Quick Access to Travel Forms:

Questions about Travel THAT ARE NOT ANSWERED ON THIS SITE?

Contact Julia Royals
Travel Specialist
julia.rankin@wsu.edu
(509) 335-6593