20.916 Traveling expenses.

(1) Employees to be reimbursed. State officers and employees shall be reimbursed for actual, reasonable, and necessary traveling expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties in accordance with sub. (9). The officers and employees of any state agency shall, when for reasons of economy or efficiency they are stationed at any other place than an official location of such state agency, receive their actual, reasonable, and necessary traveling and other expenses when called to such official location for temporary service.

(1m) Reimbursement of volunteers. Except where reimbursement is required by law, an individual who volunteers his or her services to a state agency may, at the discretion of the appointing authority of the state agency receiving the services, be reimbursed by the state agency for actual, reasonable, and necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of the services. Reimbursement shall not exceed the maximum amounts established for state officers and employees under sub. (8).

(2) Reimbursement of job applicants. Subject to rules of the administrator of the division of personnel management in the department of administration, reimbursement may be made to applicants for all or part of actual and necessary travel expenses incurred in connection with oral examination and employment interviews.

(3) Furnishing of group transportation to place of work. The department of health services, the department of corrections, and the department of natural resources may, with the approval of the governor and the department of administration, provide group transportation, in the absence of convenient and public scheduled transportation, for employees to and from the Mendota and Winnebago mental health institutes and the centers for the developmentally disabled in the case of employees of the department of health services, to the Taycheedah Correctional Institution and the Fox Lake Correctional Institution in the case of employees of the department of corrections, and to and from its temporary branch offices located at the Nevin Fish Hatchery grounds in the case of employees of the department of natural resources. Any employee, if injured while being so transported, shall be considered to have been in the course of his or her employment.

(4) Use of privately owned automobiles.

(a) If any state agency determines that the duties of any employee require the use of an automobile, it may authorize such employee to use a privately owned automobile in the employee's work for the state, and reimburse the employee for such use at a rate set at least biennially by the division of personnel management in the department of administration under sub. (8), subject to the approval of the joint committee on employment relations.

(b) Upon recommendation of the head of the state agency and approval by the secretary of administration, an additional reimbursement at the rate of one cent per mile may be paid to any employee for the use of the employee's privately owned automobile when used as an emergency vehicle or under conditions that may cause excessive wear or depreciation, including pulling trailers or under conditions that require the installation of special equipment.

(c) For travel between points that are conveniently reached by railroad, bus, or commercial airplane without unreasonable loss of time, the allowance for the use of a privately owned automobile shall not exceed the lowest cost of the most practical means of public transportation between such points. The department of administration shall establish guidelines for the most practical means of public transportation. The cost of meals and lodging paid by the state and the cost of the use of a state-owned automobile not chargeable to an employee may not exceed the cost that would have been incurred had the most practical form of public transportation been used, at the most appropriate time, if a practical form of public transportation is available.

(d) All allowances for the use of a privately owned automobile shall be paid upon the certification of the amounts payable by the head of the state agency to the department of administration.

(e) When an assigned or pool state-owned automobile is available and tendered to an employee, and the employee exercises the option to use the employee's privately owned automobile on state business, the mileage allowance shall be at a rate equal to the approximate cost per mile of operation of state automobiles, including depreciation, as determined by the secretary of administration.

(4m) Use of privately owned motorcycles.

(a) In this subsection, “motorcycle" has the meaning given under s. 340.01 (32).

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, if any state agency determines that an employee's duties require the use of a motor vehicle, and use of a privately owned motor vehicle is authorized by the agency under similar circumstances, the agency shall authorize the employee to use a privately owned motorcycle for the employee's duties and shall reimburse the employee for the use of the motorcycle at rates determined at least biennially by the administrator of the division of personnel management in the department of administration under sub. (8), subject to the approval of the joint committee on employment relations. No state agency may authorize an employee to use or reimburse an employee for the use of a privately owned motorcycle under this paragraph if more than one individual is transported on the motorcycle. All allowances for the use of a motorcycle shall be paid upon approval and certification of the amounts payable by the head of the state agency for which the employee performs duties to the department of administration.

(5) Use of privately owned aircraft.

(a) If the use of a privately owned or chartered aircraft is more efficient and economical for the conduct of state business than commercial transportation, the head of a state agency may authorize an employee to charter an aircraft with or without a pilot; and may authorize any member or employee to use a privately owned aircraft and reimburse the member or employee for such use of a privately owned aircraft at a rate set at least biennially by the division of personnel management in the department of administration under sub. (8), subject to the approval of the joint committee on employment relations.

(b) The head of the state agency whose members or employees are authorized to use their own aircraft in their work for the state shall ensure that employees adhere to any license and insurance requirements prescribed by the department of administration.

(6) Payment for unauthorized travel prohibited. The payment of travel expenses not authorized by statute is prohibited. Any unauthorized payment made shall be recoverable as for debt from the person to whom made.

(7) Personal use of state vehicles and aircraft. With the approval of the secretary of administration, a state officer or employee may use a state-owned motor vehicle or state-owned aircraft for personal use. An officer or employee shall reimburse the state for personal use of a state-owned motor vehicle at the same reimbursement rate provided an employee by the state for the use of his or her privately owned automobile on state business as approved in the schedule under sub. (8). An officer or employee shall reimburse the state for personal use of a state-owned aircraft at a rate determined by the secretary of administration that covers all costs associated with the operation of the aircraft.

(8) Uniform travel schedule amounts; allowances.

(a) The administrator of the division of personnel management in the department of administration shall recommend to the joint committee on employment relations uniform travel schedule amounts for travel by state officers and employees whose compensation is established under s. 20.923 or 230.12. Such amounts shall include maximum permitted amounts for meal and lodging costs, other allowable travel expenses under sub. (9) (d), and porterage tips, except as authorized under s. 16.53 (12) (c). In lieu of the maximum permitted amounts for expenses under sub. (9) (b), (c), and (d), the administrator may recommend to the committee a per diem amount and method of reimbursement for any or all expenses under sub. (9) (b), (c), and (d).

(b) The approval process for the uniform travel schedule amounts under this subsection shall be the same as that provided under s. 230.12 (3) (b). The approved amounts for the uniform travel schedule shall be incorporated into the compensation plan under s. 230.12 (1).

(9) Reimbursement for travel expenses.

(a) Definitions. In this subsection, unless the context otherwise requires:

1d. “Appointing authority" has the meaning given in s. 230.03 (4).

1m. “Employee" means any officer or employee of the state and any legislator or board member entitled to actual, reasonable and necessary expenses.

2. “Headquarters city", “headquarters village" and “headquarters town" include the area within the city, village or town limits, if any, where an employee's permanent work site is located and the area within a radius of 15 miles from the employee's permanent work site.

3. “Reasonable" means not extreme or excessive.

(b) Lodging. Subject to the limitations under sub. (8) and s. 16.53 (12) (c), all reimbursement claims for lodging must be accompanied by a receipt.

(c) Meals. Subject to the limitations under sub. (8) and s. 16.53 (12) (c), employees shall be reimbursed for all reasonable amounts expended for their own meals incurred in the performance of their official duties. Receipts for meals are not required except for claims in excess of the maximum amount, which must be accompanied by a receipt and full explanation of the reasonableness of such expense.

(d) Other allowable travel expenses. Employees shall be reimbursed for actual, reasonable, and necessary expenses, including specifically laundry, telephone, facsimile, porterage, and tips, when traveling on state business, but not to exceed any limitations or maximums established by the administrator of the division of personnel management in the department of administration under sub. (8) and s. 16.53 (12) (c).

(e) Expenses in an employee's headquarters city, village, or town. Employees who are headquartered in a city, village, or town in which the expense occurs shall be reimbursed for their actual, reasonable, and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of official duties only on the approval of the appointing authority of the state agency at which the employee is employed. This does not apply to travel between an employee's residence and the city, village, or town in which the employee is headquartered, which shall not be reimbursable.

(f) Transportation. Employees shall be reimbursed for their actual transportation expenses when traveling in the performance of their official duties, subject to the following limitations:

1. `Scheduled air travel.' Reimbursement for air travel shall be limited to the lowest appropriate airfare, as determined by the administrator of the division of personnel management in the department of administration. An employee may be reimbursed for air travel at a rate other than the lowest appropriate airfare only if the employee submits a written explanation of the reasonableness of the expense.

2. `Train.' Travel by train shall be limited to coach, if available, unless overnight, where accommodations should be limited to roomette.

3. `Reimbursement.' Receipt limits for all claims for reimbursement of transportation expense shall be established by the administrator of the division of personnel management in the department of administration in the compensation plan under s. 230.12.

(10) Applicability. This section shall not apply to officers or employees of the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.

History: 1971 c. 261, 270; 1973 c. 51; 1973 c. 90 s. 560 (3); 1973 c. 333; 1975 c. 39; 1975 c. 189 ss. 16, 99 (1), (2); 1975 c. 224, 421, 422; 1977 c. 418 ss. 192m to 195, 924 (18) (b); 1979 c. 221, 328, 355; 1981 c. 317; 1983 a. 27, 140, 495; 1985 a. 34; 1989 a. 31, 107; 1989 a. 125 ss. 2 to 8, 14; 1991 a. 39, 316; 1993 a. 12, 246; 1995 a. 27 ss. 1187, 9126 (19); 1995 a. 37; 2001 a. 16, 103; 2003 a. 33 ss. 708 to 713, 9160; 2003 a. 117; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2007 a. 146; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 20 ss. 2365m, 9448; 2015 a. 55.

The department of administration may not impose a requirement of demonstrating automobile liability insurance coverage and possession of a valid operator's license upon state employees as a condition for entitlement to reimbursement for travel expense. 59 Atty. Gen. 47.