UNION-FUNDED TRAVEL PROCEDURES

AGENCY

PRIOR TO TRAVEL

1. Employee completes a travel authorization form, CO-112, four (4) weeks prior to actually traveling. Failure to do so could result in the travel authorization not being approved. The form can be printed from the OSC website at osc.ct.gov  Forms section. The following information should be completed on the form.

Date of Request
Business Unit Name and Address to which Form should be returned
Business Unit Number (Example: OSC15000)
Telephone Number (Business Office)
Employee Name (For whom authorization is requested)
Employee Number & Title
Collective Bargaining Identification (Specify Bargaining Unit Number, Management or Other)
Work Telephone
Official Duty Station
Itinerary (From What Town and To Your Destination)
Dates of Travel (From and To)
Miscellaneous Information (Actual time of departure from home and return to home)
Parking Permit Requested - Yes or No
Object and Necessity of Travel (Attach substantiating documents)
Type of Transportation
Total Cost (itemized)
Signature of the Employee and Date
Signature of Supervisor/Division Head and Date

2. The travel authorization is submitted to the authorizing person in the agency.

3. The authorizing person will review the travel authorization. If approval is given, the authorizing person will assign a travel authorization number, complete the account coding information, sign and date the travel authorization form. A copy should be kept for the agency files. Prior union approval must be obtained for P-3B, P-4, NP-2, NP-3 and NP-5 and must accompany the CO-112.

4. The authorized travel form must be forwarded to the Office of the State Comptroller - Travel Reimbursement Unit, three (3) weeks prior to the actual travel date, for review and approval. If an error is found, the documents will be returned to the agency for correction.

5. The Travel Reimbursement Unit accounts for the individual union funds available for each collective bargaining contract. Once funds are exhausted, agencies will be notified. All subsequent travel authorization forms will be returned to the authorized agency person.

6. The approved or disallowed travel authorization will be returned to the authorizing agency person.

AFTER TRAVEL HAS OCCURRED

1. After travel has been taken, the employee completes the CO-17XP-PR form for reimbursement. This form can be printed from the OSC website at osc.ct.gov , Forms section. Complete the following information on the CO-17XP-PR.

Employee number
Employee name and address
Payee Certification - payee's signature and date
Employee's Expenditures (Itemized)
Department Name
Travel Authorization Number
Period Covered (From/To) - Month, Day and Year

2. The Addendum form (CO-17XPA) must be completed when seeking reimbursement for meals, undocumented expenses or premium city (union allowance). A determination is made regarding the portion of the employee's travel reimbursement that is reportable. Submit both non-reportable and reportable reimbursement portions on one CO-17XP-PR form.

3. All documentation is then submitted to the authorizing person in the agency.

4. If the actual travel expense exceeds the originally authorized dollar amount by more than 10%, a revised CO-112 must be completed. New signatures are required. "Revised" must be written on the new CO-112 and "Rev" added to the end of the travel authorization number.

5. If the actual travel expense is less than the originally estimated amount or exceeds the originally authorized dollar amount by less than 10%, the necessary changes must be made on the originally approved CO-112 which was returned to the agency. "Revised" must be written on the CO-112 and "Rev" added to the end of the travel authorization number.

6. The revised CO-112 must be submitted to the State Comptroller's Office - Travel Reimbursement Unit for approval prior to submitting a request for reimbursement. The revision will be recorded and a copy will be returned to the agency with the Comptroller's approval. The corrected form with the Comptroller's approval will be the copy the agency must submit with the reimbursement request.

7. The authorizing person will review all documentation and will complete the following information on the CO-17XP-PR form.

Department Payroll Code
Account Coding Information - See Section 2 of this manual.
Payee Certification - Supervisor Signature and Date
Department Certification - Date Approved, Amount Approved, Signature-Head of
Expending Department or Designee

The CO-17XP-PR, the Addendum (if applicable), an approved copy of the CO-112, and all receipts/documentation must be sent to the State Comptroller's Office - Travel Reimbursement Unit.

8. The Travel Reimbursement Unit will review the documentation as submitted. If an error is found, the documents will be returned to the agency for correction. If approved, the documents will be authorized for payment. The travel reimbursement will be received in the employee's bi-weekly paycheck and will be identified separately.

REQUESTING PAYMENT OF TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT

The expenditure documents are submitted to the State Comptroller's Office, Active Pension & Payroll Services Division, Travel Reimbursement Unit, 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut 06106. General questions may be directed to: osc.travel@ct.gov  or 860-702-3344.

 

The expenditure documents are composed of:

 

(1) CO-17XP-PR - Employee Payroll Reimbursements

(2) CO-17XP-A - Employee Voucher Addendum (if applicable)

(3) CO-112 - Travel Authorization Form

(4) Receipts for expenditures exceeding $25.00 must be attached to the CO-17XP-PR.

Cancellation

 

If an employee who has had a request approved does not attend the workshop, seminar or conference, prompt notification of cancellation will be provided to the agency's business office which will promptly notify the Comptroller of such cancellation.

ANSWERS TO TYPICAL QUESTIONS/PROBLEMS WITH
TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT

1. What happens if an employee changes bargaining units?

An employee who requests a travel reimbursement while in one bargaining unit but, prior to the travel, is promoted or transferred to another job (and thereby another bargaining unit) is still eligible for travel reimbursement. The new bargaining unit's account will be charged for the reimbursement of the travel. If the employee becomes management or a confidential, the reimbursement is from the agency's budget. The exception is an employee entering the (NP-5) Protective Services unit. For this unit the employee must complete the Protective Services request for reimbursement and submit it to the Educational and Training Committee. The employee's new agency should process the request when feasible.

2. What happens if an employee receives additional funds from a private source?

Employees receiving additional funds from other sources must report this on their Travel Reimbursement application. The amount of reimbursement paid will be calculated on the amount of money the applicant actually had to pay (the amount of additional funds will be deducted).

3. Must an employee have permanent status in order to be entitled to travel reimbursement?

Whether an employee must have permanent status to be entitled to Travel Reimbursement is outlined in the recognition clause of each collective bargaining contract.

4. What is the maximum rate of reimbursement?

Many collective bargaining contracts set a maximum amount of reimbursement per employee. Some guidelines base the rate of reimbursement on the current travel regulations.

5. Are part-time employees eligible for travel reimbursement?

An employee who works 20 hours/week but less than 40 hours/week is eligible for Travel Reimbursement.

Unless stated in the individual collective bargaining contract, an employee who works under 20 hours per week is NOT eligible for Travel Reimbursement.

6. Are employees who are on leave of absence eligible for travel reimbursement?

Under current practice, any request for Travel Reimbursement from union funds will not be paid while an employee is on a leave of absence.

7. Why are travel authorizations returned to the agency prior to travel?

Travel Authorizations may be returned to the agency if necessary information on the form is not completed or if:

- additional justification material is required
- in-state mileage is incorrect
- car rental agreement is not attached
- union funds for travel have been exhausted
- meal allowance does not follow union/travel regulations
- employee has exhausted the annual union allowance
- union approval is not obtained for the P-3B, P-4, NP-2, NP-3 and NP-5 bargaining units.

Corrections should be made and returned as noted. Items that indicate union funds are exhausted should not be returned unless otherwise noted.

8. Why are travel reimbursement requests returned to the agency after travel has occurred?

Errors for disallowance include, but are not limited to:

- lack of approved copy of travel authorization
- reimbursement does not agree with approved travel authorization
- lacks proof of payment for registration fee
- lacks proof of payment for expenditures exceeding $25.00
- requires authorized agency or employee signature
- addendum form required
- time of departure/arrival; from/to home required to verify meal allowance(s)
- requires correct coding.

9. What is the amount of undocumented cost?

Undocumented cost is $5.00 if two or more consecutive full work days. For the P-5 bargaining unit, the undocumented cost is $10.00 per day if two or more consecutive full or part work days.

10. When are union funds committed?

Union funds are not committed until the travel authorization has been approved at the Comptroller's Office.

11. Where can parking permits be obtained for state employee parking at Bradley International Airport?

Parking permits for state employee parking at Bradley International Airport must be used for official state travel only. All requests are to be submitted to the Department of Transportation by the agency 's travel coordinator. Please contact Angela D'Agata at (860) 594-3077 or Mario Torcia at (860) 594-3080 for more information.

12. When is it necessary to provide receipts?

Receipts are required for items exceeding $25.00. (For example: A receipt would not be needed if cab fare was $13 each way for a total of $26. However, a receipt would be required if cab fare was $26 each way for a total of $52.)

13. Are employees allowed to request reimbursement of in-state lodging?

If an employee is attending a conference in-state and is requesting lodging, justification as to why they are requesting lodging must be submitted with the travel authorization form.

14. What is the General Services Administration (GSA) mileage rate?

The General Services Administration (GSA) rate is used as the mileage reimbursement rate for many State of Connecticut collective bargaining units. The "mileage reimbursement rate" under many State collective bargaining unit agreements is subject to adjustment within 30 days of revision to the Federal GSA rate. Agencies are notified of changes in Comptroller's Memoranda posted on the Comptroller's website at http://osc.ct.gov/agencies.htm. 

15. Where can we find the State of Connecticut mileage chart?

The State of Connecticut mileage chart is available through the Department of Transportation, Public Transportation, (860) 594-2860, or http://www.cslib.org/milage.pdf. 

ACCOUNT CODING FOR TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT
USE A CO-17XP-PR FORM

DEPARTMENT CODING PER BARGAINING UNIT

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