IT Domestic & Local Travel

Attending a Conference or Training?

Before making any travel arrangements, you must first complete the IT Conference and Training Approval Request Form and receive approval.

A conference or event generally includes conferences, meetings, retreats, seminars, symposiums, or similar activities that involve travel and include one or more of the following:

Registration and/or registration fees
A published agenda
Scheduled speakers and/or panel discussions
Exhibitor and/or sponsorship fees

What Is Not Considered a Conference?

Events, meetings, or travel where you are performing work rather than sharing information are not considered conferences.

For example, traveling to another laboratory to conduct an experiment or to determine how a DOE project should be managed is considered work, not conference attendance.

Local Events

No expenses incurred:
If you attend an event at the Lab or another local venue and there is no paid registration and no travel or other expenses incurred, conference approval is not required.

Expenses incurred:
If you attend an event at the Lab or another local venue and expenses are incurred (such as registration fees, mileage, tolls, rideshare expenses, and/or parking), you must complete and submit the IT Conference and Training Approval Request Form before attending.

TREX Authorizations

To create and submit a travel authorization, go to TREX and select LBNL Trip.

After you submit your authorization, an LBNL Trip Number will be automatically generated. You will use this trip number to book flights through RezDesk, ADTRAV’s travel portal.

Travel Reservations

Once you have an LBNL Trip Number, you can book your flights through RezDesk, ADTRAV’s travel portal.

When lab-paid flights are booked directly through ADTRAV, they are reviewed to ensure compliance with DOE travel requirements. Your personal credit card will not be charged for these flight purchases.

You may also reserve hotels and rental cars through the travel portal at no upfront cost. Payment will be required at hotel check-in and when picking up a rental vehicle. After your trip is complete, you must claim these expenses on your expense report for reimbursement.

For assistance with travel arrangements, contact ADTRAV at 1-833-865-7794 (5:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. PT, Monday–Friday).

It is recommended that travelers purchase airline tickets through ADTRAV to take advantage of the following services:

Negotiated airfare discounts ranging from 2–25% with major airlines
Direct billing of airline tickets
Fly America Act guidance
Car rental rates, including insurance options
Hotel reservations
24/7 customer support
Tracking of unused airline tickets
Calculation of allowable airfares

TREX Expense Reports

Expense reports are expected to be submitted within 30 days after completion of your trip using Berkeley Lab’s TREX system.

Expense reports that are delinquent for more than 120 days may result in tax liabilities for LBNL-paid expenses, such as airfare booked through the travel agency. These expenses may be treated as taxable income rather than a non-taxable reimbursement.

For assistance with expense reports, complete the IT Travel Assistance Form. Your travel coordinator will enter and submit the expense report on your behalf.

Domestic & LocalTravel Assistance

IT Travel Assistance Form

Assistance with TREX or making travel arrangements, fill out the IT Travel Assistance Form

FAQs

When can local travel be input as a Domestic Travel Authorization (TA)?

There are a few situations when what really is local travel requires a TA or even lodging charges:

If you need to request a Pre-Payment Expense Report (ER), you will have to have a TA. Local travel does not allow for TAs, so they must be entered into TREX as domestic travel with notes in the comments section about why the local travel is being put on a domestic TA. Be sure to zero out lodging and M&IE for the trip on the ER as local travel doesn't allow for these except in those few situations for which it can be allowed (M&IE if the full day is over 12 hours and lodging with divisional approval).
If your trip is within 150 miles it is considered local travel, but sometimes due to the time of traveling, lodging at the business location is preferred. This is allowable with divisional approval from Kryshna Aviña, Division Operations. The ER will have to be processed as domestic travel since local ERs will not allow lodging costs and be sure to note in the comments about the approval.

If you have a traveler going on multiple local trips to the same location within one (1) month, you can combine then onto one Local Travel Expense Report. You must delete the rows on the leg screen for days which travel did not occur. Example: Traveler goes to Stanford on the 4th and 11th of Feb. 2015. Create a Local Travel Expense Report with a start date of 2/4/15 and end date of 2/11/15. Each day will show up as it's own leg, so remove the days for which travel did not occur.

Withholding's (taxes) on local M&IE: Travelers on local travel which exceeds 12 hours in a single day are allowed to claim up to 75% of the M&IE for the location. This is not considered a reimbursement, but additional income when claimed. Due to this, withholding's for income taxes are taken on the next paycheck after the reimbursement is paid.

Can I modify a domestic authorization once I submit it for approval?

Once you have submitted a domestic authorization, you are locked out and not able to modify as the system auto approves. Make the necessary changes on the expense report created from the authorization.

What do I do if I created a domestic Travel Authorization and forgot to submit it? Can I finish it when I return from the trip?

Yes. You may finish the authorization after the fact.

What do I do if I had created a domestic Travel Authorization or Expense Report and then the trip was canceled?

If no Lab purchased airline or train ticket was issued you can Cancel the document. If both Travel Authorization and Expense Report were created you must cancel the Expense Report prior to canceling the Authorization. If Lab purchased ticket was purchased you must submit an ER for the cost of the ticket.

How do I get reimbursed for local travel that has taken more than 12 hours, so I get the 75% of M&IE?

Use a domestic trip type and choose Trip Duration less than 24 Hours.

Does Local Travel require Authorization?

Local travel is conducted within 150 miles of Berkeley Lab, or the primary worksite is completed in one calendar day and does not include lodging, meals, or incidental expenses (M&IE). Local travel costs do include expenses for mileage, tolls, and public transportation. Therefore, no authorization is needed.

Contact:

Tonisha Garza, IT Travel Coordinator

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