A.Why is this Instructional Memorandum being
issued?
This
IM describes procedures for travelers, their supervisors, and for personnel
involved in reconciling accounts.This
IM replaces IM No. OPS 2000-01.
B.When do these procedures take affect?
This
IM is effective with all travel beginning after June 17, 2000.
C.What is the legal authority for this IM?
The
Travel and Transportation Reform Act (Public Law 105-264) was passed on October
19, 1998.It applies to all types of
temporary duty travel and the house hunting and en route portions of permanent
change of station (PCS) travel. The provisions of the Act covered in this IM
are:
1.Mandatory use of the government issued travel
charge card for official government
travel.
2.Payment of late fees to employees who are not
promptly reimbursed for their travel expenses.
3.New procedures associated with employees who
are delinquent on their travel charge
card
accounts.
D.Mandatory Use of the Travel Charge Card
1.Employee’s
Responsibilities:
a.What are my responsibilities as a holder
of the travel charge card regarding mandatory use of the card?
- To obtain a travel
charge card and use it.
- To use the charge card
for transportation tickets, lodging, and rental cars.
-
To use the charge card to the maximum extent possible for all other
reimbursable
travel expenses.
- To certify on each travel voucher that you used
the charge card to the maximum
extent possible.
b.Can
I refuse to use my government issued travel charge card?
Refusal to use the card is considered
insubordination.Failure to use the
card will
result in supervisory
counseling and may result in a series of disciplinary actions.
c.Is any type of
travel exempt from mandatory use of the charge card?
Invitational travel and
travel by new appointees are exempt from mandatory use of the
travel charge card.In addition, if you have a charge card
application pending you are
also exempt from
mandatory use until the card is received.
d.What about foreign travel?
Although the government issued travel charge card is not accepted in some
foreign
locations, foreign
travel is not exempt from mandatory use.You must make reasonable
attempts to use the
travel charge card.
e.Are any types of
travel expenses exempt?
If a vendor does not accept the travel charge card then its use is not
required.In
addition, expenses you
incur with vendors that normally operate on a cash basis are also
exempt.Examples include:
- laundry and dry cleaning,
- parking,
- local transportation expenses, including taxis,
- tips,
- phone calls where the government phone card or
credit card is not accepted, and
- meals where use of the card is not practical,
such as group meals or fast food
restaurants.
f.How can I request an
exception to mandatory use of the travel charge card?
Exemptions to mandatory use of the travel charge card will be rare and
limited.To
obtain an exemption you
must justify the reasons for the requested exemption, have the
justification approved
by your supervisor and Regional/Assistant Director, and submit it
to OFM who will forward
it to the Assistant Secretary - Water and Science for his/her
action.This is a lengthy and expensive process that
will take several weeks to complete.
You will be notified of
acceptance/rejection of your exemption request by OFM.
g.What if I need an exemption to mandatory use of the travel charge
card after travel is complete?
Your travel voucher will be processed normally
and paid under the presumption that an
exemption will be granted.It is unclear at this point what the
consequences are if the
exemption is not granted.This IM will be updated once this is known.
h.What if I forget to use my travel charge
card?
Occasional non-use of the travel charge card is not a problem.The formal exemption
procedures (above) were
not intended for occasional non-use.
i.What
if I don’t have a travel charge card?
You should apply immediately.Charge cards can be delivered in 72 hours.Application
a.What are my
responsibilities concerning mandatory use of the government
issued travel charge card?
-to
ensure all employees who travel have a government issued travel charge card,
-to
ensure all employees use the government issued travel charge card as much as
possible,
-to
decide if employee exemption requests are valid and should be forwarded
forconsideration.
b.What are my
responsibilities in reviewing travel vouchers for mandatory use ofthe charge card?
You must review each travel
voucher to ensure that the government issued travel charge
card is used
to the maximum extent possible.Your
approval of the travel voucher
signifies that
you accept the employee’s statement that the travel charge card was used to
the maximum
extent possible.
c.What
if I don’t believe the travel charge card was used to the maximum extent
possible?
If you and the employee
don’t agree that the charge card was used to the maximum
extent possible then you
should have the employee initiate the exemption approval
process.Also, make a notation to this affect on the
travel voucher.
d.What
if an employee refuses to use the travel charge card?
An employee who refuses to use the travel charge card is insubordinate and
subject to
disciplinary
action.Consult your local personnel
office for advice on disciplinary action.
e.What
if an employee forgot to use the travel charge card?
If this is an isolated, infrequent lapse, then you should approve the
travel voucher and
make a notation on the
voucher concerning this occasional non-use.
f.What
if an employee requests an exemption for non-use after the travel is
completed?
You should approve the
travel voucher and make a notation on the voucher.The
employee should initiate
the exemption process explained in D.1.f.
E.Late Payment of Travel Vouchers
1.Employee’s Responsibilities:
a.What are my
responsibilities concerning timely submission of travel claims?
-Submitting
your travel voucher for approval within 5 workdays of completion of the travel,
or every 30 days if in an extended temporary duty travel status.
-Submitting
your house hunting and en route PCS vouchers as each segment of the
move is completed.
-Signing
and dating your travel voucher on the date you submit it to your supervisor or
approving official.
b.What
if I don’t submit my travel voucher within the required timeframes?
Your travel claim will still be processed after
your travel voucher has been submitted.
c.What
if my travel voucher is returned by my supervisor or approving official?
You must resolve with your supervisor/approving
official any concerns with the travel
claim and resubmit, sign, and date the claim.
d.What
happens if I am not reimbursed for my travel expenses within 30 days?
You are entitled to a late payment fee if you
are not reimbursed within 30 calendar days
of your supervisor/approving official’s approval
of the travel voucher.If you are not
reimbursed within 120 calendar days you are also
entitled to an additional late payment
penalty fee.
e.How are the late
payment fees calculated?
-Late
payment fees will be calculated from 30 days after your travel claim is
approved.
-The
late payment fee is based on the following payment table developed by the
Department.It includes
an additional cumulative $20 late payment penalty fee at 30
day intervals beginning with the 121st day.Both fees will be reimbursed to you
separately from the travel voucher reimbursement.
Late Payment Fees
Amount of Claim
Number of Days to Receive Travel Claim
30-60
61-90
91-120
121-150
151-180
181-210
> 210
$1 - 500
$5
$10
$15
$40
$65
$ 90
$115
> $500.01
$10
$20
$30
$60
$90
$120
$150
f.What is the basis for
the late payment fee?
The late
payment fee ordinarily will be based on the “net to traveler” line of the travel
voucher.It will not be based on centrally billed
items (e.g., transportation tickets or
rental
cars).For PCS vouchers the basis for
computing the late payment fee will be your
net claims
for advance househunting trips and enroute travel.
g.How
will the late payment fees be treated for income tax purposes?
The late payment fee is
considered interest income and will be reported to you and the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Form 1099 if it exceeds $600 a
year.The additional
late payment penalty fee (the $20 fees) is considered wages and
will be included in your
income reported to you and the IRS on Form W-2.If you receive either fee you should
(a) What are my responsibilities with regard to timely
submission of travel vouchers?
§Promptly completing travel vouchers and obtaining necessary
signatures and approvals.
§Promptly performing the tasks
necessary to submit the travel voucher for interface to FFS.
§Calculating the number of days from submission of the voucher
(as determined by the supervisor/approving official) to the date the status of
the voucher is changed to approved.
(b) Why do I
need to calculate the number of days (E.3.a.(1)(a) above)?
If more than 22 days have elapsed
from the date the voucher is approved by the approving official to the date it
is changed to approved in travel manager, then the travel voucher may have a
late fee added to it.If more than 22
days have elapsed, E-Mail the travelers name, social security number, voucher
number, and the date the voucher was received or approved by the
supervisor/approving official to bwhite@usgs.gov
. OFM will determine if the late payment fee should be paid.If so, it will be charged to the account (or
predominant account) that the travel is charged to and issued separate from the
voucher reimbursement.
b.Vouchers Paid by OFM
(1) Travel Voucher Preparer’s
Responsibilities:
- Promptly
completing travel vouchers and obtaining signatures and approvals.
- Promptly performing the tasks necessary to submit the travel
voucher to OFM.
(2) What if a late payment fee is due?
OFM
will review each voucher received in OFM to determine if a late payment fee is
due.If so, OFM will compute the fee
and add it to the voucher amount.If a
fee is paid, it will be charged to the account (or predominant account) that the
travel is charged to.
c.Accounts Reconciliation
(1) What is different about this process?
If
the travel voucher is paid more than 30 days after submission it may have the
late payment fee paid.If the travel
voucher is paid more than 120 days after submission there may be an additional
late payment penalty fee paid.
(2) How will I identify these fees?
The late payment fee will be
charged to object classes 211U or 212U.The additional late payment penalty fee will come through the payroll
process.The object class for the additional
late payment penalty fee has not yet been determined.
F.Charge Card Delinquencies
1.Employee’s Responsibilities:
a.What are my responsibilities concerning
payment of my charge card account?
‑Paying the
undisputed individually billed transactions by the due date.
-Reporting erroneous, misposted, or disputed
charges to an Agency Program Coordinator or an appropriate administrative
contact in your office.
-Promptly restoring a delinquent account to
a current status and obtaining a new travel
charge card (if
applicable).
b. What do I
do if I’m on extended travel and unable to file travel claims or pay my
charge card bills?
If you are on
extended travel (e.g., extended travel to remote locations) and unable to file
your travel
vouchers every 30 days, then you are a candidate for “mission critical”
status.This status effectively suspends your
account from becoming delinquent during
the period of
extended travel.See
www.usgs.gov:8888/ops/acquisition/bcindx.html on
how to
receive mission critical status.
c. What
happens if I let my account become delinquent?
You will:
‑Have your charge
card suspended if your account is more than 60 days delinquent.
‑ Have your charge
card canceled if your account is more than 96 days delinquent.
‑ Be assessed a $20
fee each month you have a balance that is 120 days delinquent.
‑ Be required to
reinstate your account to a current status.
- Be subject to
garnishment of your wages for the unpaid charge card balance.
You may also:
-Face disciplinary action if your
account is more than 60 days delinquent.
If you
anticipate a payment may be late then you should contact an Agency Program
Coordinator
and the Bank of America, which may provide you other payment options.
d. Will I be
prohibited from traveling if my government issued charge card is
suspended or canceled?
You will not
be prohibited from traveling, but you must do so on personal funds and file
for
reimbursement after-the-fact.(Note:
commercial transportation tickets must be
charged on
your office’s corporate account.)You may apply for a trip-by-trip travel
advance in
cases of extreme hardship.To apply for
such an advance you must justify the
reasons for
the request, have the application approved by your supervisor and
Regional/Assistant
Director, and submit it through OFM to the Assistant Secretary –
Water and
Science.The Assistant Secretary’s
guidance for approving these applications
is that
approval would be “short-term in nature and rare.”
e.How do I clear misposted transactions?
Misposted
charges will remain on your account until the transfer takes place.These
charges will
not affect your delinquency status if the transfer was initiated in adequate
time for the
bank to complete the transfer (usually 48 hours).If the bank does not transfer
the
transaction promptly and your account becomes suspended, notify an Agency
Program
Coordinator immediately to lift the suspension and resolve the cause of the
unsuccessful
transfer.
f. How do I
dispute incorrect transactions?
You must
formally dispute incorrect charges either by submitting the Bank of America
Dispute Form (a copy can be downloaded from
or a signed
letter with all the details of the incorrectly charged transaction to Bank of
America.Once the dispute is
formalized, the bank will issue you a provisional credit.During the period of dispute, these charges
will not reflect against your account balance.If the bank determines your dispute is not valid, the disputed
transaction amount will be reapplied to your account balance and become your
responsibility.Do not dispute
misposted transactions.
g. When will
garnishment of my wages occur?
When you are
60 days delinquent the credit card contractor can inform the Payroll
Operations
Division (POD) at the National Business Center to garnish your wages.The
POD will
inform you of this garnishment order and begin garnishing your wages in 60
days.The POD may also charge you a processing fee
plus the $20 credit card
contractor’s
fees (if applicable).
h. What if I
paid the charge card contractor in the interim?
The charge
card contractor will notify POD when your payment was received.However,
POD may still
charge you its processing fee.
i. Can I
negotiate a payment plan with the charge card contractor?
You can enter
into a fixed payment plan with the credit card contractor before garnishment
ofyour wages begins.However, the
credit card contractor will charge you a $20 fee for every month your account
is more than 120 days delinquent.The
contractor will waive further payment of this fee after three consecutive
payments are made.If you entered into
a fixed payment plan after the credit card contractor referred your account to
POD you may still be charged the processing fee.
a. What are
my responsibilities concerning employee delinquent charge card
accounts?
- Reviewing charge card
delinquency reports.
-Counseling employees who are delinquent or
are approaching delinquency on their
charge card accounts.
-Ensuring that employees who have their card
suspended or canceled are taking action
to get their account
restored.
-Deciding if an employee’s travel advance
request is an extreme hardship situation and
should be forwarded
for consideration.
b.
Instructional Memorandum No. OPS 2000-01 prohibited employees from traveling
and required disciplinary action when employees became 60 days delinquent.Is that still required?
No.Employees should not be prohibited from
traveling because their charge card
account is
delinquent.However, if their
delinquency is so severe that their charge card is
suspended or
canceled, then they must travel on their own funds.These employees are
eligible for
travel advances only in cases of extreme hardship.If an employee cannot or
will not
travel under these conditions then you may have an employee conduct or
performance
issue and should consult your servicing personnel office for advice.You
still have
the responsibility to counsel your employees about their charge card
delinquencies.You also have the option to take
progressively severe disciplinary action.
You should
consult with your servicing personnel office for advice on the appropriate
action.
3.Other Involved Personnel
How will the
garnished wages or processing fees appear in my cost center accounts?
The fees and
garnishments are deductions from gross pay.As such, they will not affect
costs for
purposes of determining funds availability.
G. Who do I contact if I have questions
about this IM?
Questions concerning charge card
applications or clearing misposted or disputed transactions should be directed
to one of the Agency Program Coordinators listed at http://www.usgs.gov:8888/ops/smartpay/bc-apcs.html
Questions of a personnel nature should be
directed to your servicing personnel office.All other questions should be directed to Susan Sheely at ssheely@usgs.gov or (703) 648-7602.
OPR: OFM