5.6.6 Business Expense Reimbursements
Staff will be reimbursed for reasonable business expenses, in accordance with their position and duties. Employees must obtain approval from the person in charge before incurring any business expense. Reasonable emergency expenditures for business purposes defined by the location without pre-approval will also be reimbursed. Locations may set reimbursement limits for expenditures that have not received prior approval.
All requests for reimbursement must be supported by original, itemized transaction receipts or evidence of expenditures, in compliance with Internal Revenue Service and archdiocesan requirements. Credit card or bank statements, cancelled checks, account statements are not sufficient on their own.
Reimbursements to authorized persons (e.g. pastors of parishes or principals of schools) within established amounts need no further approval. All other reimbursements must be approved by established authorized persons.
Employees will be paid for classes or workshops and conferences that are required for their employment and that have been approved in advance by the person in charge. Employees will also be paid for personal or professional memberships or subscriptions required by the employer. All other personal or professional fees are paid by the employee.
Guidelines for Travel Expenses
Staff will be reimbursed for all reasonable travel expenses in connection with authorized, legitimate archdiocesan business. Only actual expenses will be reimbursed. Original receipts must be provided. Staff should travel by the most reasonable means in selecting class of travel, meals, lodging, ridesharing, taxis, car rental, etc. See below for further details.
Air Travel
The traveler should take advantage of available discount fares. The traveler is responsible for complying with airlines’ regulations concerning cancellations and should avoid the associated penalties whenever possible.
Mileage Reimbursement
Staff may be reimbursed for job-related use of their personal vehicles at the current rate per mile as established by the archdiocese. Mileage from home to the staff member's customary work site and back is never reimbursable, even if the staff member makes more than one trip home and back in the same day. If a staff member is required to drive his or her vehicle for work, reimbursement is provided only for mileage in excess of the mileage from home to customary work site and work site back home.
For example:
- Normal commute to work is 10 miles one way
During the work day the staff member has to drive to and from a parish 15 miles away from the customary work site
Reimbursable miles are 2 x 15 miles = 30 miles
- Normal commute to work is 10 miles one way
Staff member drives directly to a parish 15 miles from home without stopping at customary work site first
Staff member goes home after parish visit
Reimbursable miles are (2 x 15 miles to parish) minus (2 x 10 miles normal commute) = 10 miles
- Normal commute to work is 10 miles one way
Staff member drives directly to a parish 15 miles from home without stopping at customary work site first
Staff member drives from parish 25 miles to customary work site
Reimbursable miles are (15 + 25 miles to parish and work site) minus (2 x 10 miles normal commute) = 20 miles
- Normal commute to work is 10 miles one way
Staff member drives directly to a parish 5 miles from home without stopping at customary work site first
Staff member goes home after parish visit
Reimbursable miles are (2 x 5 miles to parish) minus (2 x 10 miles normal commute) = no reimbursement
Appropriate logs or other documentation must be provided to receive reimbursement. Staff members who use a personal automobile for business are required to have on file at their work location the name of their insurance company, the policy number and expiration date, as well as a copy of a current valid California driver license.
Rental Car, Taxis, Rideshare or Car Services
The cost incurred for a rental car is reimbursable only if the nature of the trip or location of the place of business warrants it. The costs of taxis, rideshare car services, and other transportation to and from places of business, hotels, and destination airports are reimbursable.
Lodging
Hotel reservations should be made in advance so the most reasonable economical rates can be obtained. All lodging expenses must be supported by hotel receipts, regardless of the amount. The cost of lodging does not include the cost of room service, health clubs, in-room movies, in-room mini-bar services, etc. These costs are not reimbursable.
Meals and Entertainment
Staff will be reimbursed for the reasonable out-of-pocket costs of meals consumed while on work-related travel and for reasonable preapproved work-related entertainment at actual cost.
Cell Phone, Electronic Device Use and Communication Services Reimbursement
The archdiocese makes electronic devices available for employee use through the C3 initiative.
Employees who, nonetheless, are required by their location to use a personal telephone or cell phone or other elecctronic device to conduct archdiocesan business are entitled to be reimbursed by the location for the cost of that business use. The person in charge should instruct employees to use the landline provided to them to conduct business and avoid using their personal communication devices because it is easier or more convenient. Locations may choose one of two methods of reimbursement:
Reimburse the employee at a "reasonable percentage" of the overall cost for the service if an employee cannot accurately determine the cost of actual employer-mandated use (as in the case of an unlimited calling or data plan). The percentage should be set and made known to employees before requiring them to use their personal devices and services for business purposes.
Provide devices and communication services to employees who are required to use electronic communications in the course of performing their job. This option is preferred, especially in situations where the
Acceptable Use and Responsibility Policy for Electronic Communications (Archdiocesan AUP) requires communications to take place over archdiocesan-managed communications channels. Employer-provided devices also provide more control and reduce the risk of fraud.
When a location provides devices and services, the following principles apply:
The primary purpose of a location-issued device is to support an employee in carrying out a job. Personal use of issued devices is allowed but is subject to the
Archdiocesan AUP. Abuse of this benefit may result in a written warning, a termination of privilege, or other actions as deemed appropriate by the location.
Installation of software, apps, or other digital content for personal use is done at the employee's own risk, must comply with the
Archdiocesan AUP, and will not be supported by technical staff. Only approved software and content will be supported.
The location and archdiocese reserve the right to remotely disable, reset, and delete all content on location-issued devices.
Employees do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their use of a location-issued device.
State law requires drivers to use hands-free equipment while talking on their cell phone. State law prohibits drivers from texting, emailing, or instant messaging while driving (defined as the engine of the car is turned on).
Upon separation, the employee is to return to the location, in working order, the device and all original accessories.
- 3-26-21, 5-26/2022