Employee Conference/Travel Reimbursement

The Board of Directors recognizes that continuing education is an expected activity for employees holding various job classifications and is an encouraged activity for employees throughout Central Arkansas Library System (CALS). CALS will attempt to defray part or all of the expenses for one or more staff members to attend local, state, regional, and national conferences and workshops as funds are available and/or grant professional leave time in order to attend conferences or workshops.

Procedures for allocation of funds, designation of permitted expenditures, and documentation and reimbursement of expenses, will be determined by the Executive Director or the Executive Director’s designee, who will inform staff of application procedures to attend and application procedures for requesting reimbursement for costs of attending conferences/workshops.

In instances where several employees are attending the same conference or workshop, CALS may choose to combine individual costs and make one payment to the conference provider. In general, employees should expect to make and to pay travel and conference costs themselves and receive reimbursement if awarded a grant. Advancement of funds may be made to employees. In such cases, a Conference/Travel Expense Form is to be signed by employees receiving advance payments. Employees are to file this form with accompanying original receipts within one week of the employee’s return to work.

CALS conference/travel grant money may be used to pay costs related to lodging, transportation (including taxi and parking expenses), food, or conference registration. Transportation costs when using personal automobiles to travel to the conference site may be reimbursed at the per-mile rate paid by the Federal Government. All business-related expenses incurred on CALS’s behalf under guidelines established by the Executive Director will be reimbursed separately from grant money awarded.

CALS conference/travel grant money may not be used to pay costs related to car rental (unless authorized in advance by the Executive Director), entertainment, gifts, non-business related telephone charges, or the purchase of alcohol.

Policy Information

Board Policy #101
Board Approval: 08/23/89
Revision: 04/25/02, 07/25/19