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Home My WebLink About9D - City Personnel Policy CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT JULY 15, 2002 9-0 Susan Walsh, Assistant City Manager AGENDA ITEM: CONSIDER APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY PERSONNEL POLICY RELATING TO USE OF CITY AUTOMOBILES AND REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES DISCUSSION: History: In December 1997, the City Council approved the current City Personnel Policy. Since that time the Personnel Policy has been amended once. It is important to periodically review the current policy to make sure sections of the policy are still appropriate, clear and understandable, and in accordance with State and Federal laws. Current Circumstances: City staff recommends that the City Council amend Section 1.1, Use of City Automobile and Reimbursable Expenses as follows: · Sec. 6-13.2: (1) Eliminate a specific mileage rate amount, and state that mileage reimbursement will be at the rate established by the Internal Revenue Service. (2) Include language that provides mileage reimbursement to employees who receive a monthly car allowance and travel outside the 7- county metro area for city business. Also include language that provides for reimbursement of costs for gasoline and oil if the employee drives a city vehicle outside the 7-county metro area for city business. (3) The last sentence of this subsection requires employees to provide documentation (receipts, bills, mileage) for all reimbursement requests. · Section 6-13.3: This section was expanded to list specific examples of reimbursable expenses at conferences and seminars and to specifically state that employees can be reimbursed for m~als, excluding alcohol, if the employee is on city business. · Section 6-13.4: This is a new subsection that addresses employees traveling overnight or outside the state. This subsection sets out the conditions for approval and reimbursement and specifically addresses hotel accommodations, travel, incidental expenses and meals. The City Manager has the authority to deny excessive expenses. Conclusion: The City Council should consider approving the proposed amendments to the Personnel Policy. The proposed amendments will make this section of the Personnel Policy more comprehensive and complete. 16200 Eagle Creek Ave. S.E., Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (952) 447-4230 / Fax (952) 447-4245 1:\ASSTCM\PERSONNEL\POLlCY\MAY 02 A~~~~OO1i~~~MPLOYER ISSUES: The purpose of these amendments is to further define those expenses that are and are not appropriate for reimbursement. In preparing these amendments we checked the regulations of others including Scott County. We considered including a factor limiting the amount of meal expense reimbursements that would be eligible but found that the cost for updating the factor would increase city expenses so we elected not to incorporate this approach but to consider it as information in the administration of this policy. ALTERNATIVES: (1) Motion to approve the amendments to the City Personnel Policy Relating to Use of City Automobiles and Reimbursable Expenses. (2) Defer action to the next regular City Council meeting. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Alternative No.1. REVIEWED BY: 1:\ASSTCM\PERSONNEL\POLlCY\MAY 02 AGENDA REPORT.DOC SECTION 1.1. USE OF CITY AUTOMOBILE AND REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES Sec. 6-13.1 If an employee has a valid driver's license and needs a car for City business, he I she can request the use of a City car if available. City cars are only to be used for official city business. Employees are permitted, however, to stop for their break period or lunch period at a restaurant or other location within the city provided that the approved break times are adhered to and the employee is using the city vehicle for city business before and / or after the break period. Sec. 6-13.2 The City will reimburse $.325 per mile mjJ~;u;u;le..gtJb~LCllIrent rgte..e~tabHs.hed..bv"tbe"JDternaLHeveDl.Je"S.eIYJceJo city employees authorized to use personal automobiles in the conduct of city business and who do not receive a monthly vehicle a Ilowa nC8QIJ,LS.eaci1:v..veJJJcle.J:;mplov..eesJN.bo recejYJ~..a...mQntbJVc.aLaUOY{ances.haJlbJ:.LIeimbl.JI$ed..foI mJleage_w_be.nJb..e...e.mpJove.eJrav..elsoYtsidJ;LQfJbe.seyeo: COY_o.t:v....me.1:coP..oU1:aD"are..a_Qn..bYsine.s..s-,,,EmpJQvees_assJ.gneoa c.ilv....Y-e.hLcJe.WD..oJLaYel_oYtside._Qttbe....seYeD:COllntVJnetfQpQlitan are.a_wi!J.noJIf;tce.iVe_mJLeagere.tmbl.JIsemenLbYt:s..baJJbe r..e..imbYISeJ;LfoLCQ~JSJeJa.t:e.d"lQ....gasloiLant.Ifree.4..e,elG~ p-YIcbased_bvJbe..e.mploveefoLlJSe..inJ..beci.tvv..ebJ.cle. Sgecause of hazards associated with motorcycles, they may not be used in qualifying for the mileage reimbursement. Reimbursement shall be approved only when the supervisor has specifically approved the use of a private vehicle for the conduct of bonafide day to day city business due to lack of availability of a city vehicle or the inappropriateness of the city vehicle to the intended work objective. Employees requesting reimbursement must submit a completed reimbursement form to their supervisor who must sign and forward to the Finance Department.ExtH~n$edo.c.YmentatiQn.;J,e..IeCeiRJs,biUs, miJe.aQe..ml.J..sLaccQmQaDV..aJJ..reimbuIse.mentrequesls.., Sec.6-13.3 Employees may apply to the Finance Department for reimbursement for expenses incurred by the employee while on official city business, with the approval of the employee's supervisor. This includes reaso..DableexQe.n.sesJocJeJe.phone., par..~jng,JYitj9-'1,..Legi..stfationjee_s,,,meaLsandoJbeLrelaJed e.xpeos..e.sassocia.teo..wi.th..citvRaid.._confe.rences....semJnaIs.. and m..eetingsaw..ilY..JfQmJheemploYJ;~e~s....nQ[ma..LwQc~QJa.c.e....... M e318 associated with city paid conferences and seminars.M eals 3ssociated with city paid conferences and seminarsVV.hen acitve..mRJQVee..is..feQyiredJQbeinattendance"aspart....of oJficiaL..QYties,Jhee.mplove.e..maY....b..eJeimb..UIsedJoLalJ rea..soDable e,:.:;pendituresJoLtheLLQWD_meal, exclYdJDQ"anV expendjluLe_s_foLalcoh..oliC"b..eve.raQes.,- Employees req uesti ng reimbursement must submit a completed reimbursement form to their supervisor whomY..sLsjgn and forward to the Finance Department. Sec. 6-13.4 Employees travelinq overniqht or outside the State of Minnesota for work related purposes should obtain prior approval by the employee's department head. Reimbursement of expenses for authorized travel shall require written authorization from the employee's supervisor. Reimbursement may be for the actual cost of the travel. meals. lodqina and other related reasonable and necessary expenses. All travel authorizations and approvals shall be consistent with budaet authorization and in accordance with the followina limitations: 1. Accommodations: The standard for approved accommodations will be the minimum sinale accommodation rate available at or close to the site of the meetina or function. 2. Airline: For air travel. economy accommodations shall be the standard mode of travel. 3. Automobile: Automobile travel by use of a personal automobile may be authorized in lieu of commercial transportation. Reimbursement shall be accordina to the Internal Revenue Service mileaae reimbursement rate. but the total amount allowed shall not exceed the cost of a sinale ticket for the available round-trip economy class air transportation to the same location. 4. Incidental Expenses: Reasonable expenses for taxi and transfer service. hotel. aratuitv. telephone. parkina. conference costs and fees and other related expenses in coniunction with travel will be reimbursed at actual cost. 5. Meals: Emplovees will be reimbursed for the actual cost of all reasonable meal expenditures. includina aratuities. but excludina alcohol. Reimbursement shall reauire documentation by receipts and be in an amount that is reasonable. The Citv Manaaer shall denv anv reimbursement that is determined by the City Manaaer to be excessive.