The North Carolina Government's Official Travel System

　　 Legal definition " Official status "

North Carolina on official business travel on business The policies and regulations are embodied in the G.S.138 clause of the North Carolina law. First, North Carolina has classified management of official travel personnel, including government employees, government officials, parliamentary staff, board of directors, committees and staff members of the Council.

Second, the law defines the "business status" of public servants, that is, "business status" means that they are far away from the normal working place or home of employees, and must fulfill their official official activities.

Third, the law defines the "official business" strictly, that is, state public affairs activities refer to the approved work related training activities of the state government employees, and the formal requirements of the state government to provide state level service activities at the request of the state government. Travel activities that are not directly benefited by any state government will not be considered as Official activities The expenses will not be reimbursed.

Fourth, the law clearly stipulates that the duty of the public travel personnel must be undertaken, that is, the official business traveler should be equally cautious and rational when travelling on official business. In the course of official business trips, any excess expenses, circuitous routes, delays, luxurious accommodation, unnecessary expenditures, unreasonable expenditures, and expenditures for convenience or public preference alone are strictly prohibited.

Fifth, the North Carolina civil servants use credit cards during official business trips. These cards are distributed by the department heads. For abuse of credit cards, the state government will terminate the credit cards of public servants.

　　 Allowance standard: detailed to baggage handling fees

The North Carolina government employees apply for the daily living allowance standard for their official business trips, including two parts: accommodation and meals (including tips). The highest standard of daily living allowance is 103.20 dollars per day in North Carolina and 117.70 US dollars per day. (see Annex)

The state budget office regularly revisions subsistence allowance based on the urban consumer price index. In addition, the North Carolina law stipulates that sales tax, accommodation tax, local tax or service charge related to official travel accommodation are not included in the standard of accommodation allowance, and can be reimbursed as an additional accommodation fee. At the same time, as long as the cost of accommodation and meals on that day does not exceed the standard of subsistence allowance, official travel personnel can exceed the upper limit of the accommodation standard without approval.

Reasonable tip fee is allowed, but excessive tip will not be allowed to be reimbursed. The law of North Carolina states that the standard of determining whether a tip is reasonable is that a reasonable tip is the level of tip that a rational individual pays when dealing with his private business or spending his own money. The law stipulates that the following criteria should be considered when paying tips.

1. Airport: baggage porters, each baggage of not more than 2 dollars; driver, each piece of luggage does not exceed $2.

2. parking: on behalf of parking personnel, each vehicle does not exceed $2; taxi drivers, taxi fare 15% tips and 1 to 2 dollars per piece of luggage.

　　 Accommodation requirement: accommodation is only 35 miles away.

First, accommodation permits. The overnight stay of a business traveler must be approved in advance by the department head. According to the laws of North Carolina, the cost of travelling is not allowed at least 35 miles from the day's office or family (whichever is the nearest person).

Second, expense reimbursement. Employees on business must submit applications for reimbursement within 30 days after the end of the business trip. Reimbursement for accommodation must be accompanied by a specific commercial residence receipt and no more than the required standard of accommodation.

Third, super standard accommodation. If the existing standard is unable to meet the needs of accommodation due to objective reasons, the accommodation exceeding the prescribed standard must be approved by the head of the Department in advance. Generally speaking, for the high consumption area and the existing standard which can not guarantee the normal normal accommodation or the personal safety of the business traveler, after approval, they can exceed the required standard accommodation.

Fourth, third party accommodation. Unless approved by the state budget office in advance, it is not allowed to lodge in the rental apartment buildings permitted by third party, state or local laws. The application for third party accommodation must provide evidence that the state government can save money. In the case of third party accommodation, the applicant must provide all details of the financial personnel and the budget office, including the cost of the payment, the time to stay and the specific contact information. When the cost of lodging is lodging, the signed rental agreement and the approval documents of the unit's finance and budget management office must be produced before the reimbursement is allowed.