10-4: Travel requests

Effective: January 15, 2024
Approved by: Van Christensen
References: Utah Code 63A-3-107, Administrative Code R25-7, Administrative Code R13-4, International Travel Policy

Purpose

This policy outlines how travel requests must be submitted, the order for required approvals, and who has the authority to approve travel requests.

Definitions

Agency – Any agency, board, bureau, office, department, or other administrative subunit of state government. This definition includes the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Chief of staff – The chief of staff to the governor.

Concur – Software used by the state to manage travel, reimbursements, and p-card transactions.

Designee – The person who has written permission from the executive director to act on their behalf. The executive director is responsible for selecting a designee who has the knowledge, skills, and experience to make decisions in the best interest of the agency.

Executive director – The executive leader of an agency.

International travel – Travel outside the United States or to Hawaii, Alaska, and U.S. territories. U.S. territories include Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and American Samoa.

Reimbursement request – The general term for requesting payment for travel expenses. In Concur, travelers add their expenses to a report. Travelers who cannot use Concur use form FI 51.

Traveler – Any person traveling on official state business for an agency or political subdivision. This definition includes employees, non-employees, board members, elected officials, vendors, volunteers, grant recipients, and award beneficiaries.

Travel policy – All policies labeled travel policy established by the GovOps Division of Finance.

Travel request – The general term for asking permission to travel for state business. In Concur, the state’s travel software, travelers add their expected expenses to a request. Travelers who cannot use Concur use form FI 5.

Policy

A – Travel requests must be submitted in Concur

1 – Travelers must submit travel requests in Concur for out-of-state and international travel.

1a – The GovOps Division of Finance does not require travelers to submit travel requests for in-state travel except as stated in policy 10-5: Cash advances for business travel. Agencies may write their own policy requiring their travelers to submit travel requests for in-state travel.

2 – If travelers leave for an unexpected, urgent trip without submitting a travel request, they must submit a travel request after their trip. In the travel request, the traveler must explain why they were unable to submit the request before the trip.

2a – The executive director or designee must approve the travel request.

3 – Travelers must add all expected expenses to travel requests. Estimates for expenses must be reasonable and reflect realistic costs.

4 – Travelers should submit travel requests and supporting documentation for international travel at least 2 months before their departure date. Documentation must include and agenda for event and a memo with the following information:

The importance of the event
The reason the traveler must attend this specific event
Confirmation that a similar event is not available at a closer location.
Confirmation of which parties will pay for which portions of the trip and how much they will pay.
Confirmation that payment from outside groups does not violate state ethics laws, rules, or policies

B – Travel requests must be approved by an appropriate authority

1 – Travel for state business, whether reimbursed by the state or not, must be approved by an appropriate authority. Approval is also required for non-state employees when the state pays for travel expenses.

2 – The order for required approvals is as follows: budget officer, supervisor, division director (or agency equivalent), executive director. Situations that require different approvers are discussed in section C and section D.

2a – The executive director may delegate approval responsibility to a designee.

2b – Each approver has 7 days to approve travel requests.

C – Approval for types of travel

1 – In-state travel

1a – Travelers must receive either verbal or written approval for in-state travel from their assigned approver.

1b – Agencies and the GovOps Division of Finance may use the approval of a traveler’s reimbursement request as evidence that in-state travel was approved.

2 – Out-of-state travel

2a – The executive director or designee must approve out-of-state travel requests.

3 – International travel

3a – International travel includes travel to Hawaii, Alaska, and U.S. territories.

3b – If the traveler works for an agency that reports to the governor, then the chief of staff or designee must approve international travel requests.

3b.1 – If the traveler works for an agency that does not report to the governor, then the executive director or designee must approve international travel requests.

3c – To take state equipment out of the country or to Alaska, Hawaii, or U.S. territories, travelers must get approval from the executive director or designee and the chief of staff or designee. This rule applies to both business travel and personal travel.

3d – Travelers are strongly encouraged to record international travel with the U.S. State Department through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.

D – Approval for specific travelers

1 – The traveler is the chief of staff

1a – The governor or designee must approve travel requests for the chief of staff.

1b – For the chief of staff, any reference in travel policy to manager, supervisor, or executive director approval means the governor or designee.

2 – The traveler is an employee who reports directly to the governor

2a – The chief of staff or designee must approve travel requests for any employee reporting directly to the governor. The chief of staff serves as the manager and supervisor for all executive directors, cabinet members, or other state employees that report directly to the governor.

2b – For these employees, any reference in travel policy to manager, supervisor, or executive director approval means the chief of staff or designee.

3 – The traveler is an executive director who doesn’t report to the governor

3a – The board chair must approve travel requests for an executive director who does not report to the governor but instead reports to a board. For these executive directors, any reference in travel policy to manager, supervisor, or executive director approval means the board chair.

3b – The deputy director or finance director must approve travel requests for an executive director who doesn’t report to the governor or a board. For these executive directors, any reference in travel policy to manager, supervisor, or executive director approval means the deputy director or finance director.

E – Travel requests must be closed in Concur

1 – Once travelers are reimbursed for all expenses, they must mark their original travel request as closed.

F – Travelers who cannot use Concur

1 – Travelers who cannot use Concur must obtain the required approvals on form FI 5: Request for Travel Authorization.

2 – Form FI 5 is not required for in-state travel. Approvals of form FI 51: Travel Reimbursement Request, may be used as evidence that in-state travel was approved.

3 – If the executive director delegates approval responsibility to a designee, the delegation must be in writing and maintained for audit purposes.