SLA TRAVEL AND EXPENSE POLICY

I. Policy

It is the policy of the Special Libraries Association to assist with the payment of travel fares and normal daily expenses for Association leadership in the pursuit of Association activities.

 II. Purpose

That the Board members, with the exception of the President and President-Elect, whose employers do not provide travel expenses for attendance the Leadership Summit, Annual Conference and Fall meeting be reimbursed by the Association for an amount up to US$ 4,500/year for US-based and for Canadian Board members and US$ 5,000/year for Board members based outside of the United States and Canada. The cost of alcoholic beverages shall not be reimbursable. Board members are encouraged to seek reimbursement from their employers prior to submitting expenses to the Association for reimbursement. 

1. That the Association assist in paying travel fares and normal daily expenses for the following:

1.1 The Association President and President-Elect for Chapter visits, Board of Directors Meetings, Annual Conferences, meetings of the Association Office Operations Committee, and commitments at library schools, vocational groups, and library-oriented seminars, institutes, etc. 

1.2 In circumstances where the employer will not reimburse expenses incurred for: 

a. The Past-President, Secretary, and Treasurer to attend up to three meetings per year of the Association Office Operations Committee. 

b. The members of the Finance Committee to attend up to two meetings per year of this Board Committee.

2. That the Board members, with the exception of the President and President-Elect, whose employers do not provide travel expenses for attendance at Winter meeting, Annual Conference and Fall meeting be reimbursed by the Association for an amount up to US$ 4,500 per annum for the costs incurred in attending those meetings.

3. That the Association shall pay travel fares and normal daily expenses for the Chief Executive Officer and appropriate designated staff members when on official SLA business, including attendance at SLA Board of Directors meetings and at professional meetings of other appropriate organizations.

4. When circumstances merit, the President, President-Elect, or Chief Executive Officer may charge to her/his expense account appropriate expenses for professional hospitality of important visitors when necessary.  

5. That the Association will pay direct round-trip coach travel fares and normal daily expenses for a maximum of two days at the Annual Conference for designees to the SLA Hall of Fame, SLA Professional Award, John Cotton Dana Award, and Honorary Member designee(s), when necessary.

6. That specific amounts shall be included in the approved budget for each category (items 1,2,3,4 and 5) for normal business travel and related expenses. Expenses concerned with specific programs shall be charged to the appropriate program budget (for example, the travel costs associated with the Annual Conference will be charged to the Conferences and Meetings program budget.)

7. That no Association-level travel expenses shall be paid unless they have been provided for in the budget and are supported by original copies of adequate vouchers and receipts, together with an explicit SLA Expense Report. Normal expenses will be submitted to and approved by the Chief Executive Officer except those of the President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Chief Executive Officer will be approved by the Treasurer and the Treasurer's expenses will be approved by the President.

8. Travel expenses for members of the Association's units (such as Chapters and Divisions) may be paid from funds of the unit provided that there has been 01.00 prior approval of the appropriate unit governing body.

9. Travel and related expenses for Association speakers, consultants, advisors, etc., in accordance with related contracts and agreements, may be paid from program budgets as approved by the Chief Executive Officer. 

A. Adequate travel accommodations are considered to be by air (at the most economical class available) or by first-class accommodations on a train or bus (which could include overnight accommodations, if necessary).

B. If a personal automobile must be used, travel reimbursement will be at the standard IRS rate or by commercial carrier (at the most economical rate) whichever is cheaper. If a car must be rented, reimbursement will be for the actual rental cost plus mileage charges and payment for fuel purchases.

C. Personal daily expenses of up to $150 per day, whenever possible, for hotel, food, and local transportation will be reimbursed.

D. That an SLA Expense Report shall be submitted by all persons (see Item E) within 21 days of the event or reimbursement will not be made.

E. That a running expense record can be substituted for an Expense Account Form for Expenses of Association staff within Alexandria, VA and payment can be made from petty cash (up to a maximum of $50.00).

F. To minimize disruption of the Association's affairs due to accidents, the following restrictions should be followed as far as possible:

F-1 To ensure continued governance, members of the Executive Committee of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer should not travel on the same carrier. 

F-2 To ensure a quorum of the Board, no more than five members of the Board should travel on the same carrier.  

F-3 To ensure adequate signatories for bank accounts and other funds, no more than two of the signatories should travel on the same carrier. 

F-4 To ensure adequate continuity in the operations of the Alexandria, VA office, no more than two members of the Chief Executive Officer's Advisory Board should travel on the same carrier.

 The Treasurer, with the assistance of the Chief Executive Officer, shall be responsible for the administration of this policy.

Amended: June 2004
Approved: June 5, 1992
Supersedes: June 6, 1997

This document can also be found in the New Board of Directors' Orientation Manual and the Employee Handbook.