Travel Related Policies

Section Leadership Page > Resource Guide > Travel Related Policies


AGU limits reimbursement for travel and other costs to those that are ordinary and necessary in the conduct of Union activities. This form is required of all persons requesting reimbursement of expenses from the AGU. Claims must be submitted within 90 day. Submissions beyond 90 days are at the discretion of AGU.

1. Receipts – Original receipts should be submitted for all expenses. Original receipts must be submitted for expenses $25 USD or greater. AGU reserves the right not to reimburse expenses that are not documented with original receipts. Should AGU reimburse undocumented expenses, that portion of the reimbursement may be taxable to the recipient. A 1099 may be sent at the end of the calendar year if the total taxable amount exceeds $600.

2. Air and Train Travel – Fees should not exceed readily available economy class rates. Travelers are strongly encouraged to use book at least three weeks in advance whenever possible. Travel at rates in excess of economy fares will be disallowed unless authorized in advance by a Director level AGU employee or above. Preapproval documentation should be submitted with the reimbursement request. If travel must be combined with non-AGU related, AGU will reimburse only the cost of travel associated with AGU. Separate documentation of the AGU portion of the trip should also be submitted for comparison purposes.

3. Ground Transportation - Expenses for transportation by rental car, taxi cabs, bus, and subway will be reimbursed at cost. Privately owned vehicles which will be reimbursed at the corresponding IRS mileage rate, plus any toll charges and necessary parking fees, provided the cost of travel by private vehicle does not exceed the cost of travel by common carrier. The 2020IRS mileage rate is $.56 per mile. Private vehicle travel reimbursement must include a distance calculation from a legitimate source such as Google Maps,as documentation.

4. Meals - Reimbursement of meal costs are on an actual expense basis, with daily amounts limited to the IRS daily per diem rate for the area of travel, at the time of travel. IRS per diem rates apply ONLY to the daily limit of reimbursement - original receipts must be submitted in order to receive reimbursement. Meals exceeding the daily limits are reimbursable at the discretion of AGU. IRS per diem rates can be found at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1542.pdf. Expenses covering more than one person should be documented with the names of each individual covered on the receipt.

5. Lodging should be obtained in standard, single rooms wherever possible. Reasonable lodging costs for the period of travel are reimbursable when supported by a detailed hotel receipt. Hotel movies are not reimbursable. Room service and eating from the mini-refrigerator is discouraged because of the inflated prices associated with those services.

6. Travelers are discouraged from submitting alcohol expenses unless specifically related to an organized AGU function. Additionally, AGU does not reimburse personal items such as toiletries, doctor invoices, ATM fees, medicine, and travel insurance.

7. Foreign Travel: When traveling outside the United States and Canada, AGU will reimburse actual expenses, limited to the US Department of State daily per diem rate for the area of travel, at the time of travel. Per diem rates apply ONLY to the daily limit of reimbursement - original receipts must be submitted in order to receive reimbursement. Meals exceeding the daily limits are reimbursable at the discretion of AGU. 

International per diem rates can be found at https://aoprals.state.gov/web920/per_diem.asp
Documentation of the currency conversion rate for the dates of travel must accompany the reimbursement request.