435: Employee Expense Claims and Reimbursement
Responsible Administrator: Associate Superintendent Corporate Services
PURPOSE
Sturgeon Public Schools acknowledges that system personnel may incur additional expenses in completing their assigned duties. Employees may be reimbursed for authorized expense claims.
PROCESS
School system personnel who incur expenses in carrying out their authorized duties shall be reimbursed by the Division upon submission of a properly completed and approved employee expense reimbursement form with such supporting receipts as may be required. Such expenses shall be within budgetary allocations for the specific type of expense.
PROCEDURE
Expenses:
1. Claims for reimbursement of expenses should be submitted promptly within ten (10) calendar days of the reporting period cut-off. Each reporting period, in any given month is from the 19th of the prior month to the 18th of the current month. For example, in November, the current reporting period is October 19th to November 18th, and the reviewed and approved expense claim is due to Accounts Payable by November 28th. The only exception to this rule would be at fiscal year-end, August 31st, at which time we should aim to refrain from incurring out-of-pocket expenses during the period of August 19th to August 31st .
2. Approved expenses will be reimbursement for the following activities:
2.1 Supervision of both extra-curricular and co-curricular activities, when such attendance has been approved by the Principal, Superintendent or designate.
2.2 Other activities carried out by employees in the performance of their duties, eg. travel to medical facilities, necessary pickups and deliveries and home visits, when such attendance has been approved by the Principal, Superintendent or designate.
3. Approved expenses will be paid at the following rates:
3.1 Actual distance traveled in Alberta in the employee’s vehicle, at the approved $0.55 Per Kilometre travelled as outlined on the Government of Alberta Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses Policy.
3.2 Actual expenses for travel incurred by means other than the use of the employee’s vehicle – receipts required.
3.3 Actual accommodation and meal expenses with receipts.
3.4 $13.00 for breakfast, $17.00 for lunch and $27.00 for dinner where receipts are not available.
3.5 Standard per kilometer distances between schools, Morinville locations and Edmonton have been established and are to be applied when seeking reimbursement of approved expenses. A chart showing these distances is attached.
Mileage
4. All mileage charges must be approved by the Principal /Supervisor for approved activities.
4.1 Mileage claims - operational days: (above normal miles travelled in a day)
4.1.1 from school to school shall be calculated as determined year-to-year per AP435 Appendix A - Mileage Chart.
4.1.2 from school to place of required activity shall be calculated from school to place of activity.
4.2 Mileage claims - non-operational days:
4.2.1 from home to place of activity shall be calculated from home to place of activity.
5. On Division professional development days, where the work site is not at the school, the designated site becomes the place of work, therefore mileage is not eligible to be claimed.
6. Employees who are required to travel between schools during the school day are eligible to claim travel allowance following prior approval of their supervisor.
7. Mileage claims for employee travel to their first worksite of the day are not eligible for reimbursement.
8. Mileage claims for employee travel from their last worksite of the day are not eligible unless their travel placed them farther from home than the distance from their home to their first worksite of the day. In these circumstances, the employee may claim the distance between their last worksite of the day and their first worksite of the day.
9. Employees are not eligible for travel expenses if their work site location alternates on different days. Employees are responsible for getting to their first worksite of the day.
10. Employees and Supervisors have a responsibility to create a work schedule that meets student-learning needs and takes into consideration prudent financial decisions.
11. Claims for travel shall be submitted by the Employee for reimbursement, in accordance to Article 1 of this Administrative Procedure.
12. The Expense Claim Form shall be approved by the Supervisor of the site responsible for the expense.
13. Claims under this Administrative Procedure will be charged to the site budget for which the travel was required. Supervisors shall ensure there is a sufficient budget allocated for travel expenses.
14. This Administrative Procedure applies to casual employees who are hired to replace a regular employee with the same assigned duties who are eligible for mileage reimbursement.
15. This Administrative Procedure does not apply to casual employees who accept positions for two regular employees in different schools.
AP435 Appendix A - Mileage Chart
Form 435-01 - Employee Expense Form
References:
Board Policy 225: Role of the Board
Admin Procedure: 425 Purchasing Authority and Procedure
Superintendent of Schools Regulation 98/2019
Government of Alberta Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses Policy
History
2020 Jan 29 Initial Approval
2021 Jan 29 Amended
2024 Mar 20 Amended
Administrative Procedures IV. Business Administration (Expense Claims)