Policy Number: II-4
Effective Date: January 2, 2013
Last Reviewed: October 8, 2020
Responsible Dept.: Financial Services
A signed copy of this policy is available in the President’s Office.
1. General
Virginia Western Community College may provide reimbursement to job candidates for travel expenses incurred when the position recruitment has been determined by college officials to be eligible for reimbursement. Eligibility will be determined on a case by case basis taking into consideration the specific position, the scope of the college’s recruitment efforts, and the likelihood that candidates will be traveling greater distances. All reimbursement is subject to availability of funds.
2. Eligible Positions
President, Vice President, and Executive Staff Members
All usual and customary travel expenses may be reimbursed. These include common carrier fares, personal vehicle mileage, lodging and meals. Expenses are expected to be reasonable.
Administrative and Professional Faculty, Instructional Faculty, Classified Staff Pay Band 4 and above
All usual and customary travel expenses may be reimbursed, not to exceed a limit of $500 per candidate.
All other positions
Reimbursement is not authorized.
3. Procedures
The below listed expenses shall generally be reimbursable up to the limits prescribed by Commonwealth of Virginia policy.
Each candidate shall be required to submit signed receipts and a COVA W-9 – Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification. The COVA W-9 provides the required information for payments to be processed through the VCCS Travel Expense Reimbursement system. A college representative will submit a non-employee travel reimbursement to the Shared Service Center (SSC) on behalf of the candidate and attach the signed receipts so the candidate can be reimbursed using the VCCS Travel Expense Reimbursement system.
Reimbursable Expenses
- The cost of an airline ticket from the candidate’s home location to Roanoke, Virginia and return trip. Generally, airline and rail travel cannot exceed the rates charged for tourist/coach fare. Reimbursement for first class air is not allowable.
- The cost of the candidate’s hotel to include the dates of travel and including the date(s) of the interview(s). All lodging rates are governed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rates effective October 1, 2015. The traveler must search for the travel destination using Roanoke City as part of the search criteria on the website: https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates.
- The cost of a rental car from and to the airport, the hotel and the college. Car rentals may be made through commercial rental agencies on state contract. The Commonwealth of Virginia uses Enterprise Rental for rental within the Commonwealth and National for rentals where Enterprise is not available.
- Mileage for the use of a personal vehicle for travel to and from the interview is reimbursable at the personal mileage rate using the IRS standard mileage rates located at this link: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-issues-standard-mileage-rates-for-2019. The college does not reimburse requests for local candidates who live within a 100 mile radius of the college.
- Meal and Incidental (M&IE) expenses for each day of travel in accordance with state policy. Please note that meals incurred that do not involve an overnight stay are not reimbursable. The Meal and Incidental expense rate for Roanoke City will be used. M&IE Rates as outlined in the CAPPS Manual are governed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) rates located at this link: https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates. Generally, meals and incidental expenses may be reimbursed up to the allowable meal rate per day but may not exceed the per meal (e.g. breakfast, lunch, dinner) limits.
