Travel Program – ​​​Updated Meal and Lodging Rates and Related Policy Effective for Travel on or after October 1, 2024

October 1, 2024. As a follow up to CalHR’s communications released on November 21, 2023, May 14, 2024, and September 13, 2024, the State is implementing the new business and travel expense reimbursement program that includes adopting the federal standard meal and incidental expense (M&IE) rates and lodging rates established by the federal General Services Administration (GSA) effective October 1, 2024. This new program shall also include:

  • Adopting the federal standard M&IE rate established by the GSA at time of travel for in-state and out-of-state travel.
  • Adopting federal standard and non-standard reimbursement rates at time of travel for in-state, out-of-state, and out-of-country lodging.
  • Simplifying current reimbursement policy and administration and providing up to 75 percent (75%) of the federal standard rate established by the GSA for M&IE on the first and last day of travel.
  • Eliminating the state’s long-term travel reimbursement rates and adopting the federal standard M&IE reimbursement rates for long-term meals, and receipted lodging shall be reimbursed up to the maximum federal standard and non-standard reimbursement rates.​

​​The new business and travel expense reimbursement program will be implemented on October 1, 2024 for excluded employees. CalHR has amended excluded travel regulations effective October 1, 2024.

 
Application to rank and file employees is determined by the bargaining process. Pursuant to the express terms of the Memorandums of Understanding and/or Side Letter Agreements, these same updates shall also be applicable to all rank and file state employees in all bargaining units.
 

Accordingly, CalHR has updated the following CalHR Manual Sections:

  • 2201 – Travel and Relocation Policy
    • Business and Travel Policy
    • Short-Term Lodging (including the updated excess lodging process for out-of-state and out-of-country travel)
    • Long-Term Travel
    • Out-of-State Travel Policy
    • Out-of-Country Travel Policy
  • 2203 – Allowances and Travel Reimbursements
    • Business and Travel Policy
    • Reimbursement for Meal and Incidental Expenses
    • Travel Timeframes
    • Lodging Reimbursement Rates

​Where applicable, the above-mentioned CalHR Manual Sections distinguish between language for:

  • Travel on or after October 1, 2024
  • Travel on or before September 30, 2024

​SCO is taking the necessary steps to implement this change in CalATERS. SCO will release additional communications upon completion of related system updates.

 
CalHR will notify departments about related form updates and other materials related to implementing the new program. To learn more about these changes to the travel program, please review the above-mentioned CalHR Manual Sections and CalHR’s Travel Frequently Asked Questions page.
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