LOS ANGELES COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
  Policy 900.01 Travel
 
Policy Category:  Administrative
Distribution Level:  Directly Operated
Responsible Party:  Administrative Support Bureau
 
Approved by TaNeisha Franklin, ASM III, on March 3, 2022
 
I.  PURPOSE
 
To update the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) policy, criteria, and guidelines governing the review and approval of employees' requests to travel on County business.

To provide procedures for DMH employees to request approval to travel on County business, receive travel advances, make travel arrangements, and claim reimbursement of authorized travel expenses.
 
II.  DEFINITIONS
 
Salary-Only Travel: Authorization for employees to receive only their regular County salary while traveling on County business outside Los Angeles County. Travel includes employee attendance at conferences, seminars, business meetings, and training sessions. No overtime or travel expense may be claimed as the result of salary-only travel.

Travel with Expenses Authorized: Authorization for employees to receive their County salary and some or all expenses while traveling outside Los Angeles County on business. Travel includes employee attendance at business meetings, conferences, seminars, and training sessions. Employees may be authorized to receive reimbursement for transportation, lodging, meals, and any other allowable costs not to exceed the maximum travel expense reimbursement rates as set by the Auditor-Controller.

Expense Reimbursement Rates: Maximum reimbursement rates are set by the Auditor-Controller. County Code Section 5.40.095 requires the Auditor-Controller to annually adjust the maximum travel, meal, lodging, porterage, and incidental expense reimbursement rates based on annual changes in the Consumer Price Index. The current rates are distributed internally on an annual basis and are also available from the DMH Travel Coordinator or the DMH Accounting Division.

Adjacent Counties: The following counties are considered adjacent to Los Angeles County:
 
Kern                          San Bernardino                  Santa Barbara
Orange                      San Diego                          Ventura
Riverside                   San Luis Obispo

Allowable Travel Expenses: Expenses approved by the Chief Deputy Director of Administration or designee prior to travel, consistent with Auditor-Controller reimbursement rates and expenditures.

Travel Authorization: An approved travel request meets eligibility criteria set by the Auditor-Controller.

Travel Advances: Funds that are advanced to employees for anticipated travel-related costs.

Incidental Expenses: Additional lodging and meal expenses associated with traveling to certain capital and primary cities.
 
III.  POLICY
 
All travel shall be requested in advance using the online Service Request Catalog. To be eligible for authorization, travel shall meet the criteria below:
  • Have a purpose directly related to the employee's function and furnish information of substantial benefit to DMH and the County.
  • Conference travel shall be sponsored by a professional society or organization whose functions are directly related to DMH operations and where attendance by the employee would afford clear benefit to DMH and the County.
  • Up to 75 percent of approved estimated travel expenses may be requested in advance for approved travel with expenses authorized that meet the Auditor-Controller's criteria. Employees are eligible to request an advance warrant for approved travel expenses when the following conditions are met:
     
    • Length of stay is a minimum of three (3) days and two (2) nights.
    • Travel request is submitted via the online Service Request Catalog no later than 15 working days prior to the requested issue date of the warrant.
       
  • Incidental expenses shall be reimbursed at:
     
    • Each claim for incidental expenses shall be reviewed and approved on its own merits. Spending amounts greater than the normal reimbursement amounts is not sufficient justification for approval of the claim. Generally, employees shall demonstrate that increased expenses are unavoidable or necessary for the efficient conduct of business. It is the employee's responsibility to provide reasonable information to support their claims for an incidental expenses allowance.
    • Incidental expenses allowances for travel to the following capital/major metropolitan cities may be claimed at a rate set by the Auditor-Controller:
Atlanta                           Miami                          Sacramento
Boston                           Minneapolis                San Diego
Chicago                         New York                    San Francisco
Dallas                            Philadelphia                Seattle
Detroit                           Phoenix                       Washington, D.C.
Houston                        Riverside
  • To be approved for incidental expenses reimbursement, employees shall be required, for business purposes, to be physically present in a designated city for a portion of the day the incidental expense is claimed. Only employees who actually incurred additional expenses while traveling in the designated city may claim the allowance.
  • Travel in general, but especially conference travel, shall be limited to one DMH representative unless a written multiple-attendee justification letter is submitted to the Workforce Education and Training (WET) Division and approved by the Chief Deputy Director of Administration or designee. 
  • Continuing education travel may be limited to a reasonable number of days per year per employee as designated in the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) for specific employee representation units and is subject to management approval.
  • While reviewing travel requests for approval, management shall examine all relevant factors included in, but not limited to, the following:
     
    • Local operational needs for adequate coverage;
    • Timeliness of the submission;
    • Individual need for training/skill development;
    • Overall value of attendance to specific job responsibility or mission of DMH; and
    • Employee's overall performance.
No approval shall be given to travel when authorization is requested after the trip has been taken.

The DMH Travel Coordinator in the Administrative Support Bureau is responsible for processing, tracking, and monitoring all DMH travel requests.

All DMH employees traveling outside Los Angeles County on County business MUST request and receive approval from the DMH Chief Deputy Director of Administration or designee in the online Service Request Catalog prior to the commencement of any travel.

Approvals and reimbursements for training shall be arranged through the WET Division for clinical or non-clinical trainings. Registration fees to attend the trainings shall be pre-paid by the appropriate training division after the Outside Training Request (OTR) is submitted and approved.

Allowable travel expenses include the following:
  • Actual cost of ground transportation by public carrier (airport shuttle, taxi, etc.) which may be claimed upon presentation of original receipts.
     
    • The most economical mode of transportation should be used to and from airports, bus, and rail terminals.
    • Taxi fares shall be allowed only when the use of public transportation or airport shuttle service is impractical or not available.
       
  • Mileage for privately owned vehicles used to travel
     
    • For travel outside California or to counties other than the adjacent counties listed above, mileage shall be reimbursed at the rate of six (6) cents per mile or the equivalent of the fare via the most appropriate public carrier.
    • For travel within adjacent counties, regular mileage reimbursement rates apply for employees who are mileage permittees or occasional drivers.
       
  • Lodging
     
    • Single-occupancy hotel accommodation, upon presentation of an original receipt.
    • Lodging reimbursement for one (1) night prior to a meeting/conference, allowing the employee to arrive at the location prior to the early start time next day when public transportation is not available.
    • Lodging reimbursement for one (1) night after the end of a meeting/conference, allowing the employee to leave the location the following day when public transportation is not available the same day.
       
  • Meals may be claimed upon presentation of itemized receipts, except for:
     
    • Meals included in the cost of the meeting/conference;
    • Same-day trips to any of the adjacent counties; and
    • Alcoholic beverages.
       
  • Airport parking
     
    • Reimbursement for airport parking is limited to the number of days of approved travel.
    • For Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the reimbursement rate is the rate in effect in Lot E, unless otherwise approved by the Chief Deputy Director of Administration or designee. 
    • Original parking receipts are required for reimbursement of airport parking cost.
       
  • Mileage and hotel parking
     
    • Claims for miles driven to and from the airport for the same day trips should be submitted on the online Mileage Authorization and Reimbursement System (MARS), rather than with the paper Mileage Claim Form.
    • Claims for hotel parking and miles driven to and from the meeting/conference that requires an overnight stay should be claimed using MARS. 
       
  • Porterage
     
    • Porterage includes fees or gratuities given to any airport porter or hotel bellhop for assistance with baggage.
    • Reimbursements for porterage are limited to travel approved for overnight trips and can only be claimed after the return from the approved travel.
       
  • Any gasoline purchased for the rental vehicle shall be reimbursed upon the presentation of original receipts.
Employees shall comply with all ordinances in the County Fiscal Manual relating to submission requirements of expense claims.
 
IV.  PROCEDURES
 
Procedures - Travel
 
V.  AUTHORITIES
 
Los Angeles County Code - Chapter 5.40
Los Angeles County Fiscal Manual - Chapter 13.1.0
Los Angeles County, Department of Auditor-Controller: New County Travel Services Program Memo, October 17, 2011
 
VI.  ATTACHMENTS
 
Expense Claim Form