Retreats and Campus Workshops for Faculty and Staff

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Policy No: 
6.14
Type of Policy: 
Administrative
Last Revised: 
April 2011
Review Date: 
July 2020
Policy Owner: 
Accounts Payable
Contact Name: 
Abbie Coker
Contact Title: 
Director of Accounts Payable & Travel
Contact Email: 
abbie.coker@business.gatech.edu
Policy Statement: 

Institute funds may not be used for food and lodging for employees, except as noted below, unless the employee has traveled beyond a 50 mile radius from both their home office and residence.
Contracts for conferences must be signed by Procurement Services or the Office of Legal Affairs.

Procedures: 

Day Workshops
The noon meal is allowable for an intra-institutional meeting or training session provided it adheres to the Georgia Tech Food Policy.
A copy of the workshop agenda should be submitted with an approved invoice or e-Payment Form and forwarded to Accounts Payable for payment. If a single invoice that is all inclusive (meeting space, meals, equipment, etc.) is provided from the conference location, the payment may be classified as a registration, using object code 727100.

Workshops That Include Overnight Lodging
Training sessions or workshops that include overnight travel are allowable if the workshop location is over 50 miles from the employee's home office and residence.
If an invoice from the conference location itemizes lodging and/or meals by person, reimbursement of travel expenses will be processed as an individual employee reimbursement using the TechWorks Employee Travel & Expense System. Employees should pay for lodging and meals and submit reimbursements via the T&E System. Daily meal limits must be adhered to if the invoice is itemized. (see "Meals and Incidental Travel Expenses")

If an all-inclusive meeting price is billed on a summary invoice, that invoice should be approved and submitted to Accounts Payable with the following documentation:

  • Copy of the workshop agenda, including time of arrival/departure.
  • List of participants.
  • Classify the total, all-inclusive meeting expense as a registration, account code 727100.

Reimbursement for Lodging and Meals within the 50 Mile Radius of Home or Office
On occasion, Georgia Tech sponsors conferences, trade shows, and other functions which require personnel to work at the event. Georgia Tech may sponsor employee workshops that require groups of employees to be present at an off-site location. In most cases, the employees involved in these activities reside or work less than 50 miles from the scheduled event site, therefore food and lodging would not be reimbursable to the employee.
The Senior Director of Business Services is authorized to approve overnight travel for persons who are engaged in activities as described above, provided the affected employees are required to conduct business activities at the site the following day. In addition to lodging, affected employees may be reimbursed for meals and mileage in accordance with the provisions of the Statewide Travel Regulations.
A detailed email must be directed to the Senior Director of Business Services for an exception approval prior to the event. Personnel deemed to be essential personnel or emergency personnel may also utilize this exception process in times of inclement weather or Institute emergencies.
It should be noted that this provision only applies to conferences and other Institute sponsored events that occur. This provision does not authorize persons to claim travel reimbursement for activities which are part of their normal responsibilities, nor does this exception apply to persons who are required to attend evening meetings, or local conferences, as part of their normal responsibilities.