3.26 – Compensable Travel Time (Non-Exempt Employees)

3.26 – Compensable Travel Time (Non-Exempt Employees)

A.    Purpose

To establish standards for compensating non-exempt employees for time spent traveling on behalf of the college.

B.    Policy

The college shall compensate all non-exempt employees for time worked in compliance with the U.S. Department of Labor’s minimum guidelines for payment of travel time by non-exempt employees.

C.    Procedures

Non-exempt employees must record compensable travel time on their electronic time records and in accordance with the college’s policy regarding recording time worked. Generally, once the regularly scheduled work shift begins, time spent by an employee traveling as part of their activities on behalf of the college is compensable time. An employee’s normal commute from home-to-work and from work-to-home is not compensable time.

All employees must obtain appropriate approval before scheduling travel arrangements.

Special Assignments (Single or Multiple Day)

In limited circumstances, the time spent traveling from home-to-work, or vice versa, may be compensable. Time spent traveling on a special assignment to a location other than the college location where an employee typically reports for work, performed at the college’s request, is generally compensable time. Time that would constitute the employee’s normal commuting time is not compensable. Commute time determined to be above and beyond an employee’s normal commute time will be compensable.

Overnight Travel to Other Locations

For overnight trips out of town, at the direction of the college, all time spent traveling is work time when it corresponds with the employee’s normal working hours. This not only includes travel during regular working days, but also during an employee’s corresponding working hours on non-regularly scheduled working day.

Hours spent in travel outside of normal working hours as a passenger in a car, train, airplane, etc., are not counted as compensable time. However, if the employee is the driver of the vehicle, the employee must be compensated as driving is work time even if it is outside of the employee’s regular schedule.

Even if the travel time or hotel time would otherwise be considered non-compensable, an employee must be paid for the time if the employee is performing other work, e.g., preparing for a meeting, reviewing a proposal or other documents, making phone calls, etc.

Time spent in a hotel with freedom to use time for the employee’s own purposes is not compensable.

When the travel cuts across time zones, actual hours worked should be used in the calculation.

D.    Definitions

E.    Authority

This policy is maintained under the authority of the executive vice chancellor for administrative services.

F.    Related Policies

6.12 Direct Reimbursement for Permissible Expenditures

3.29 – Overtime Compensation (Non-Exempt)

G.    Implementation

Purpose, Procedures, Definitions, Authority and Related Policies sections approved and adopted by the chancellor’s cabinet on 04/21/20.

Policy approved and adopted by the Board of Trustees on 05/11/20.

Set for review in fiscal year 2026-2027.