Travel and Meal Expenses

Employees of the district will be reimbursed for the operation of their personal vehicle while on district business at a rate established by the Council. The employee assumes liability for his/her vehicle in work related travel.

Meals and lodging expenses will be reimbursed, but must have prior authorization of the CEED.

Travel time, overnight, and on-call status as hours of work:

1. Travel time from office to another point of work and return to the office.
2. Overnight stay away from home while conducting business. This paid time excludes sleep, meals, and free time. It includes on duty time.
3. On-call time will be paid at an agreed upon rate for an agreed upon length of time each day

Example 1:
An Employee attends a two day meeting which requires an overnight stay.

The time it takes to get to the meeting and the time it takes to get back to the office or home which ever is closer is paid time.

The time the person is in meetings or meals which are required is paid time.

The time the person is on free time including meals not required during the meeting schedule, or sleeping is not paid time.

Example 2:
An employee takes a group of 4h'rs to camp for a weekend. They leave from the county office at 8:00 am Saturday and return to the office by 5:00pm Sunday.

The time it takes to get to the camp and the time it takes to get back to the office is paid time.

If the employee and the kids are alone at the camp, the employee is essentially in paid work status for the entire stay. The status of the pay is agreed upon prior to the trip. It is clear that the employee is in normal status to and from and during organized activities day and night. The flexibility of status come with sleep time. This perhaps can be paid at a lesser rate as on-call time.

The same trip with several counties and staff and volunteers involved. This scenario will provide some free time, sleep time and on-call time and paid time.

In all these examples the employee and CEED will agree in advance to the pay arrangements.

Note: The paid time for these activities have major implications for overtime pay. Agreement for paid overtime and or compensatory time at time and a half must be made prior to the trip.