Topic

Description

Air Travel

Travelers are expected to book the lowest available economy class airfare consistent with business requirements.

Business class may be used for travel only if your Business Office confirms, prior to purchase, that appropriate funds are available, and the University criteria are met – see policy 3301 PR.03 Air Travel on University Business.  If criteria are not met, the differential between coach and business class will not be reimbursed.  First-class travel is never allowed, and will not be reimbursed.  In most instances business class cannot be charged to a grant.  Please contact Pascale Mathieu, Grants & Restricted Funds Administrator, at pascale.mathieu@yale.edu, with questions regarding business-class travel on a grant.

Train

 University policy allows business class service on Amtrak and the Acela.  First-class train travel is not reimbursable.  To take advantage of any University-negotiated discounts on Amtrak, travelers must make reservations using the Egencia online tool.

Rental Cars

Who is covered:  The University has automobile insurance that covers University employees (including casual employees, postdoctoral associates, and postdoctoral fellows) traveling on University business and will not reimburse for additional US insurance fees. Please note that students are expected to have taken and passed the Driver Safety Awareness program. If they have not, and they are in an accident, the deductible will not be covered by the University’s insurance. If students are not renting from a University preferred vendor, then the deductible will be doubled if they are in an accident.

·        Domestic Rentals:  Do NOT purchase insurance coverage for rentals within the contiguous 48 states, including the District of Columbia, from either preferred or non-preferred vendors.  Insurance is provided by the University.

·        International Rentals: DO purchase insurance coverage, including LDW (Loss Damage Waiver; formerly called CDW or collision damage waiver) and LIS (Liability Insurance Supplement) for rentals outside the contiguous 48 states, including Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, from both preferred and non-preferred vendors.  This cost will be reimbursed. 

·        Passenger Vans: Yale does not permit the rental of 12 and 15 passenger vans because of the possibility of serious accidents and injury to passengers.  The Office of Risk Management will not extend Yale’s insurance to these vehicles.

Refer to the Yale Travel Management website for more details regarding air and rail travel, rental car options and insurance policies at https://your.yale.edu/administrative-services/travel-relocation-fleet/yale-travel-management

Lodging

  Travelers should choose a reasonably priced hotel with a single occupancy rate.  Only actual hotel expenses will be reimbursed -federal per diem rates should not be used for lodging.

Note: One-day travel, within 50 miles of a regular work location, is not eligible for lodging reimbursement.

Individual Meals (meals while traveling)

 Travelers will be reimbursed for reasonable, actual meal expenses or may opt for the Meals and Incidental Expense (M&IE) per diem allowance.  You cannot combine the two methods on the same trip.  As a guideline, actual meal expenses should not be greater than the per diem allowance set by the federal government for the city visited.

Refer to for more information.

Conferences

When travelling to conferences, always ensure you are including the conference agenda when submitting expenses related to the conference. The agenda substantiates the dates of travel as well as other important details related to the trip.

The following expenses are considered personal expenses and will not be reimbursed by the University.

 ·        Baggage fees related to leisure (e.g. golf clubs, extra baggage for personal leg of trip)

·        Car rental insurance for rentals within the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia; Satellite radio on car rentals

·        Child care; Pet care

·        Commuting between home and one or more regular places of business

·        Frequent flyer and other similar award programs

·        In-room movies, gym, and recreational fees, including massages and saunas

·        Issuance of passport or their renewals

·        Laundry or valet service if domestic travel is less than five days

·        Lost baggage; loss or theft of cash advance, airline tickets, personal funds or property

·        Memberships in private clubs including airlines, wholesale clubs, etc.

·        Minibar charges unless treated as an actual meal

·        “No-show” charges for hotel and car service

·        Personal credit card delinquency fees or finance charges , grooming services, parking tickets, traffic violations

·        Personal telephone charges in excess of reasonable calls home

·        Spouse/guest related charges while traveling

·        Travel between University locations – mileage or parking

·        Upgrades (air, hotel, car, train, etc.) -except allowed by policy