UPDATE TO TRAVEL POLICY Effective 03/21/2025
The following updates have been made to the JSA Travel Manual.
Section 1.1 Travel Authorizations
For local travel (less than 50‐mile radius) that will have zero cost, no Travel Authorization is required. If you will be requesting any cost to be reimbursed (e.g. mileage, tolls, parking, etc.) a TA is required prior to actual travel.
Section 1.2 Medical Accommodations for Travel
A traveler's medical requirements may affect or restrict the ability to travel for Jefferson Lab. Additional travel costs will be authorized for travelers when they are necessary to accommodate travelers with a physical or psychological need that is substantiated, in writing, by Jefferson Lab’s medical officer or traveler's Doctor.
Section 1.5 Foreign Travel
Foreign travel is any travel outside the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands and the territories and possessions of the U.S., excluding the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands. No personal days allowed while on foreign travel.
Section 2.1 Domestic Travel by Air
Air travel must be conducted using coach-class service, unless other than coach-class service has been specifically authorized by Travel Services. The traveler must select the lowest changeable and non-refundable airfare offered.
Ideally, all reservations for Jefferson Lab official business travel should be booked through JSA designated travel agency or online booking tool, Concur. Use of the designated travel agency will provide you with:
• Direct billing of airline tickets to the lab
• Calculating allowable/reimbursable airfares
• Fly America Act/Open Skies agreement guidance and compliance.
In some cases, it may be necessary for a traveler to purchase airfare outside of the designated travel agency for domestic flights only. This is allowable; however, travelers must adhere to the following:
• Obtain lowest available airfare (coach class)
• Purchase must be made after Travel Authorization is fully approved
• You are expected to travel by the most efficient and economical mode of transportation, on the most direct route consistent with the business purpose of the trip
• Traveler will pay upfront for the flight and will be reimbursed after the trip has occurred
Third Party Booking Sites (Airfare):
Because commercially offered travel “booking”" typically do not always itemize expenses (Type of seat, up charges, baggage, etc..), no business-related travel should be booked through such vendors unless you have confirmed that each aspect of the Airfare ticket will be separately itemized and appropriate documentation provided for reimbursement. In the event travel plans are changed or canceled, third-party vendors are not required to issue a refund to you (May issue you a credit), and you may not be reimbursed for the cost until credit is used for a future business travel. Please make travel arrangements when possible with the Lab’s designated travel agency, to prevent any non-reimbursable costs that could occur. Travelers will be responsible for making any needed cancellations and/or changes to ticket if needed since outside of labs travel booking system.
Section 3.1 Expense Reports
Expense reports filed later than 60 days
from the end of travel by Jefferson Lab employee's will be treated as taxable income as per IRS Regulation PART I, 26 CFR 1.62-2(g)(2)(i).
Section 3.3 Lodging Expenses
Prohibitions regarding travel lodging include the following:
• Lodging that is bundled as part of a package deal that contains other services such as airfare, rental cars or conferences are prohibited and will not be reimbursed.
•Lodging booked through third-party sites (i.e. booking,com and similar) are prohibited and will not be reimbursed.
• Airbnb and other similar services are prohibited and will not be reimbursed.
• To ensure allowability of lodging costs, effort must be made to stay within published rates for the business or lodging location. Travelers must consult the Travel Services website for information on where to find current rates.
• Lodging will be reimbursed at the standard single room rate. Any lodging that exceeds per diem rates must be identified on the TA via the Actual Lodging Form (Form 402-6) and attached to the TA.
• Itemized receipts for all lodging expenses (foreign or domestic) are required. Without original receipts, the traveler will not receive reimbursement for lodging expenses.
UPDATE TO TRAVEL POLICY PERSONALS DAYS AND FOREIGN TRAVEL
Effective 06/14/2024 Personal days are not allowed in conjunction with Foreign Travel.
The policy allows for travel to begin two days prior to the start of business and traveler returns the following day after last day of business.
The lab will purchase round-trip airfare to cover the business needs only.
For questions, contact travels@jlab.org.
NEW TRAVEL POLICY AND MANUAL UPDATE
Effective 01/09/2024 Section 3.7 Parking and Baggage Expenses has been updated.
Travelers to utilize long-term or economy parking at common carrier terminals.
Valet parking or short-term parking for personal convenience are non-reimbursable.
For reimbursement, travelers will be required to provide a copy of the actual parking receipt.
For questions, contact travels@jlab.org
NEW GUIDANCE FOR FOREIGN TRAVEL TO SENSITIVE COUNTRIES
Effective Nov. 17, 2023, new guidance has been implemented in order to receive approval for travel to sensitive countries.
- Prior to entering travel into FTMS approval for a trip to a sensitive country must be obtained from DOE. Please be aware these request need to be submitted at least 30 days in advance of the expected departure date.
- Complete the International Travel Request Form and submit to Travel Services with a copy of the conference agenda. Personal days for non-business activities as part of this travel is normally not appropriate and would require strong justification from laboratory and approval by SC Deputy Director and SC AD/OD.
- Travel Services will submit request to lab leadership for approval.
- Once approval/or denial is received, travel services will inform Travel Coordinator of request status.
- If approved you can submit a FTMS request as normal and Travel Services will proceed with obtaining country clearance and FTMS approvals.
- All travelers will receive counterintelligence briefing prior to departure and a debriefing following travel.
- Upon return to U.S. travelers will provide a trip report
For questions, contact travels@jlab.org.
NEW TRAVEL POLICY AND MANUAL
Effective 03/01/2021, JSA has issued a revision to the Travel Policy located in Section 402 of the JSA Admin Manual. In addition, a new Travel Manual has been developed outlining the steps required for obtaining Travel Authorization and submitting Expense Reimbursement requests at Jefferson Lab. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the changes above. A Summary of Travel Changes page has also been developed outlining the major changes implemented with the most recent updates.