Accounts Payable

Employees who are enrolled in Electronic Direct Deposit for payroll will automatically also have travel/business expense reimbursements deposited electronically.

If your payroll is deposited into more than one bank account, your travel/business expense reimbursements will be deposited into your residual (remaining) bank account.

We will send notification of the electronic transfer to your "siue.edu" email address.

There are several instances when the travel voucher requires additional approval before it can be processed.

1. Traveler and fiscal officer/delegate are the same — the fiscal officer’s administrative officer must also sign the travel voucher.

2. Grant Accounts — a representative of the Office of Research and Projects must also sign the voucher.

3. Late Submittal — a travel voucher submitted later than 60 days from the completion of travel must also be approved by the traveler’s Vice Chancellor.

If a delegate is signing for the fiscal officer, then he/she should sign the fiscal officer’s full name and then the delegate’s full name.

• All means of travel should be the most economical (including baggage fees).
  • If the lowest price flight class is not available DO NOT automatically upgrade to the next higher flight class.
  • Check other airlines to determine the most economical form of transportation and attach this cost comparison documentation (screen shots) to the travel voucher.
  • If driving instead of flying (outside of Illinois or Missouri), then attach cost comparison documentation (screen shots) to the travel voucher.
• Early Bird Check in for Southwest “Wanna Get Away” fares is permissible.
• Flight itinerary should be submitted with the travel voucher.
• No type of insurance is reimbursable by University.
• The traveler is responsible for deviations in itinerary for personal convenience.
• If using personal funds to purchase your tickets, please ensure that you have prior approval from your administrative officer.
  • One reason for the traveler to purchase his/her own ticket could be to take advantage of a package deal where family members are going along. (Personal expenses cannot be charged to a P-card)
  • Remember the University will only reimburse expenses for the employee.

Types of Foreign Travel:

• Conferences, meetings, research, and recruitment:  Employees Only
• Faculty-Led Short-Term Programs:  Faculty and Students (includes 1 week to 4 or more weeks)
• Study Abroad Semester-Based Programs:  Students Only (includes 1 or more semesters)

For travel with a student program, it is imperative to contact the office of International Affairs and work with a study abroad advisor to organize the trip.  They can be reached at 618-650-3785 or online.  For additional study abroad information, check out Study Abroad. 

Before leaving for any foreign travel, contact the Director of Export Controls at 618-650-2476 or twakela@siue.edu to ensure compliance with export control regulations. 

It is also very important to contact Risk Management before your trip begins to review your insurance options and to register your trip.  They can answer the following questions and more:

• Are there temporary insurance options to cover me if I become ill, injured, or hospitalized while traveling abroad?
• Who should I contact, before traveling, to register my trip in case there is an emergency?
• How do I find out if the country I am visiting is subject to trade or economic sanctions imposed by U.S. laws or regulations or countries of war?  If the country I am traveling to is under travel alerts/warnings can I still continue with my plans to travel there?

Risk Management can be reached at 618-536-2101 or online. 

Travelers may request reimbursement for the cost of a visa and inoculations only if mandatory and properly documented. 

See International Lodging and Per Diem Rates before requesting reimbursement. 

Type the conversion rate on the voucher and include the U.S. dollar amount on each receipt.  View Conversion rates.

Always check to see if the lodging receipts show a zero balance. If they show a balance due, supply information regarding how the bill was paid. This will help prevent the University from reimbursing a traveler for lodging which is later going to be billed to the University directly.

For all conferences (seminars, workshops, etc), the Illinois Higher Education Travel Control Board (IHETCB) is requiring travelers to submit a copy of a brochure or registration form which indicates the hotel where the conference was held and any other recommended hotels. This information must be attached to the travel voucher for ALL conferences regardless of the room rate. If the conference is held somewhere other than the hotel, a list of the recommended hotels must be attached.

For all other lodging (other than at a conference, seminar, workshop), if the lodging rate (before taxes) paid is greater than the allowable rate (see next section), please include on the voucher one of the following statements as justification:

• No alternative (least costly room available in area)
• Required location (selection necessary to conduct University business)
• Least total cost (ground transportation makes alternative lodging uneconomical)

If conference hotel documentation is not provided or if non-conference lodging is over the maximum lodging allowance, the excess amount is placed on a Lodging Exception Report and is subject to approval at the quarterly IHETCB meeting. Amounts disallowed by the IHETCB must be refunded to the University by the traveler.

When making reservations the traveler should request the lowest available lodging rate. This may be the conference rate or the “state employee’s rate.”

The state will reimburse only the single rate on a hotel room. If additional guests such as the traveler’s family were in the room the traveler is responsible for determining what the single rate would have been. When the rate is over the maximum allowed for that area, a justification for the overage must be provided, or the extra will be deducted from the travel voucher. 

In-State (Chicago Cook County) – The maximum lodging rates for Cook County are listed below. (The University is required by statute to use these federally established lodging rates for Cook County.)

Note: The State of Illinois has negotiated special rates with certain hotels. For non-conference lodging, employees should attempt to obtain this lower rate before reserving a room at a higher rate. The preferred hotel listing can be found at the State’s website.

In-State (Chicago Metro Counties) DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will - $95.00 before tax.

In-State (Major Downstate Area Counties) Champaign, Kankakee, LaSalle, McLean, Macon, Madison, Peoria, Rock Island, St. Clair, Sangamon, Tazewell, and Winnebago - $85.00 before tax.

In-State (Major Cities) Belleville, Bloomington, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Champaign, Collinsville, Decatur, East Peoria, Fairview Heights, Kankakee, LaSalle, Normal, Pekin, Peoria, Peru, Rockford, Springfield, and Urbana - $85.00 before tax.

In-State (Other Downstate Areas) - $75.00 before tax.

Washington, D.C. (includes cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax-Counties of Arlington, and Fairfax in Virginia; and counties of Montgomery and Prince Georges in Maryland). The maximum lodging rates for Washington, D.C. are listed below. (The University is required by statute to use these federally established lodging rates for Washington, D.C.)

Out-of-State (All Other Areas) - $110.00 before tax.

Out-of-Country Travel - See International Lodging and Per Diem Rates.

For Travel on or after February 1, 2024

Please use the Federal General Services Administration (GSA) rate table to determine allowable lodging and per diem rates.

Any travel voucher (for travel on/or after 2/1/24) sent to AP for reimbursement that includes lodging and/or meal per diem, MUST have a printout from the GSA link.

Links:

GSA Rate Table for Lodging and Per Diem

Instructions for GSA Rate Table for Lodging and Per Diem

Table to adjust per diem (lunch is included with registration, etc..) 

If a personal vehicle is driven, mileage claimed must be for the most direct route and is reimbursable at $.70 per mile beginning January 1, 2025. For travel prior to January 1, 2025, mileage is reimbursable at $.67 per mile, which began January 1, 2024. Traveler must certify that (s)he is duly licensed and carries adequate insurance.

When claiming mileage, we suggest that distance be determined by using Map Quest, State issued maps or odometer readings. Mileage between home and destination is allowed only if traveler drives directly to/from destination without driving to the worksite.

In-state vs. out-of-state travel is determined by your destination.

Traveling to Lambert International Airport in St. Louis in order to fly to an Illinois destination such as Chicago is considered in-state travel.

Traveling from your Missouri residence to an Illinois destination is considered in-state travel.

Please indicate the state for each destination.

Meals may not be charged on P-Cards.

On a one-day trip (18 hours or less) the traveler may be eligible for breakfast if he/she left at or before 6:00 am, and can claim dinner only if he/she is out on travel status until 7:00 pm or later. (Per diem rules apply for trips longer than 18 hours.)

Lunch is never a reimbursable expense on a one-day trip. Meals on a one-day trip are reimbursed at the following rates:

• Meal Allowance Chart [pdf] 

Effective, January 20, 2023 through January 31, 2024:

Effective on or after February 1, 2024

Please use the Federal General Services Administration (GSA) rate table to determine allowable lodging and per diem rates.

Any travel voucher (for travel on/or after 2/1/24) sent to AP for reimbursement that includes lodging and/or meal per diem, MUST have a printout from the GSA link.

Links:

GSA Rate Table for Lodging and Per Diem

Instructions for GSA Rate Table for Lodging and Per Diem

Table to adjust per diem (lunch is included with registration, etc..) 

Short Term Airport Parking is allowable only for same day trips. For other than same day trips, Long Term or Economy Parking is recommended; the cost of Intermediate Parking (currently $17/day) is the maximum reimbursable amount.

Valet parking is not reimbursable unless it is the only option available.

Per-diem is used when a trip lasts at least eighteen hours or becomes an overnight trip. The traveler receives per-diem based on how many quarters of each day he/she is in travel status. Refer to the charts below to determine the quarters:

For Out-of-Country Travel please refer to the International Lodging and Per Diem Rates.

For Travel between January 20, 2023 through January 31, 2024 the per quarter rates are:

View Pie Chart Illustrations

The above per Diem rates must be adjusted if a meal is provided with hotel fees or with registration for a conference, seminar, etc. Provided meals should be deducted from the per diem at the following rates:

Examples

• When dinner has been provided during a full day of in state travel, per diem is adjusted to $21.00 ($44.00 - $23.00)
• When lunch has been provided during a full day of out of state travel, per diem is adjusted to $34.50 ($48.00- $13.50)

When attending a conference, the traveler should submit the schedule of events or registration form with the travel voucher to verify the dates and any provision for meals. A continental breakfast will not be considered a meal for reimbursement purposes unless there is an optional charge for it at the time of registration.

For Travel on or after February 1, 2024

Please use the Federal General Services Administration (GSA) rate table to determine allowable lodging and per diem rates.

Any travel voucher (for travel on/or after 2/1/24) sent to AP for reimbursement that includes lodging and/or meal per diem, MUST have a printout from the GSA link.

Links:

GSA Rate Table for Lodging and Per Diem

Instructions for GSA Rate Table for Lodging and Per Diem

Table to adjust per diem (lunch is included with registration, etc..) 

When the travel involves flying, it is recommended that a shuttle or taxi be considered during the out-of-town stay. If a rental car is used, then the travel voucher should indicate that it was the most economical means of transportation available.

For local travel, the University’s Transportation Services Department should be contacted to either provide a vehicle or make arrangements for a rental vehicle. The traveler’s department will be charged through the Internal Billing process.

Whenever a rental car is used, the traveler is responsible for obtaining the least expensive model, and must always provide justification on or attached to the travel voucher. We do not reimburse car insurance unless the traveler is out of the country and insurance is a mandatory charge.

Total due to the traveler must agree with the Budget Purpose total amount on the voucher.

1. Room exhibit space including special set-up.
2. Laundry and dry cleaning if on travel status for at least 7 consecutive days.
3. Storage and handling of baggage.
4. Automobile tolls and parking fees.
5. Meals purchased for non-state employees while on travel status and in connection with state business. The travel voucher should include who and why, stay within the allowed amount and be approved by a Vice Chancellor. Meals should not include alcoholic beverages. Meals are not allowed on P-card.
6. Internet connection if for official business only.
7. Tips on allowable taxi charges.

1. Alcoholic beverages
2. Coat check
3. Entertainment
4. Movies
5. Late check-out and room guarantee charges.
6. Meals for other State employees.
7. Parking tickets or traffic tickets.
8. Transportation to procure meals except when the nature and location of work at a temporary location are such that they cannot be procured at the location.
9. Tips on personal meals.
10. Valet parking - unless it is the only option available.
11. Cancellation fees due to traveler's preference or personal convenience.
12. No type of insurance is reimbursable by the University, except Foreign Travel with a student group.
13. Commuting expenses (Travel between your home and your main work location).