Section 12. Mileage Reimbursement Policy
12.1 General
Except where indicated below, the County does not reimburse employees for home to work and work to home travel. Any disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the mileage reimbursement policy shall be referred to the Human Resources Department Director whose decision shall be final. As soon as practicable after notification is received from the IRS of a change in its allowable mileage rate, the County shall change its rate to coincide with that set by the IRS.
12.2 Definition of Regular Work Location:
The County facility(ies) or designated area(s) within the County where an employee reports when commencing his/her regularly assigned functions.
Any County facility(ies) or designated area(s) to which an employee is assigned for a period in excess of twenty (20) consecutive work days shall ordinarily be considered a regular work location and, as such, not subject to employee mileage reimbursement. Temporary assignments which extend beyond twenty days may be considered for a mileage reimbursement eligibility extension not to exceed a total of ten (10) additional work days. All approval authority for extensions rests with the Human Resources Director whose decision shall be final.
An employee is entitled to mileage reimbursement under the conditions specified below:
- Once an employee arrives at his/her regular work location, any subsequent work related travel in the employee’s own vehicle shall be eligible for mileage reimbursement.
- Travel to Trainings and Conferences
- If an employee uses his/her own vehicle for travel to and from any required training program or conference, the employee shall be entitled to mileage reimbursement for all miles traveled unless the employee is leaving directly from his/her residence, in which case the total shall be less the normal mileage to or from the employee’s regular work location.
- If an employee uses his/her own vehicle for travel to and from any optional work related training program or conference the employee may, with department head pre-approval, be eligible for mileage reimbursement up to the limits specified in paragraph “a” above.
- An employee who is required to travel from his/her residence to a location other than his/her regular work location shall be entitled to mileage reimbursement for all miles traveled less the normal mileage to or from his/her regular work location.
For Example: An employee’s residence is in Burlingame and regular work location is in San Mateo. Distance from home to work is 8 miles. Because of an early morning meeting, the employee must travel from home to Redwood City, a distance of 21 miles. Based upon the above rule, the employee would be entitled to 13 miles of reimbursement. This figure is arrived at by subtracting 8 miles (normal mileage from home to work) from 21 miles (distance from home to Redwood City). - An employee who is required to engage in any work related travel at the conclusion of which the employee’s work day will be completed shall be entitled to mileage reimbursement for all miles traveled less the normal mileage from the regular work location to his/her residence. For example: An employee’s residence is in Palo Alto and regular work location is in Redwood City. Distance from home to work is 13 miles. The employee has a meeting at the Hayward City Hall (31 miles) which will not conclude until 5:00 p.m. and therefore, the employee will go directly home, a distance of 31 miles. Based on the above rule, the employee would be entitled to 18 miles of reimbursement. This figure is arrived at by subtracting 13 miles (normal mileage from home to work) from 31 miles (distance from Hayward to home).
Any exceptions to the above policy may be considered on a case by case basis by the Human Resources Director, whose decision shall be final.