In order to claim travel expenses, you must fill out completely and sign the DIMACS Reimbursement Form. The DIMACS Reimbursement Form can then either be mailed (address below) or emailed with the following attachments:
We ask that you submit your reimbursement as soon as possible, preferably within 2 weeks of your return. Reimbursements requested more than 3 months after the event might not be able to be processed.
Air travel must comply with the Fly America Act. DIMACS is only able to reimburse travel that complies with the Fly America Act. In many cases this requires travel on US-flag carriers, regardless of cost. US-flag carriers are sometimes “code shared” with an international carrier for international flights. In cases where a US carrier is required, it is permissible to take code-shared flights if (and only if) your ticket is booked through the US carrier. Our funding agencies do not allow exceptions for convenience, preference, or availability of lower fares. Certain exceptions to the requirement to fly on a US carrier are granted through international “Open Skies Agreements.” Most notably, an Open Skies agreement between the US and the countries of the European Union allows for reimbursement of flights on EU carriers when they are between the US and an EU country.
All travel is subject to funding agency requirements for “reasonable costs”. We interpret these to be economy class airfares, standard airport limousines or taxis, and similar transport. Only coach-class travel by air or train can be reimbursed. (We, therefore, cannot reimburse travel on Amtrak Acela.) DIMACS will reimburse for at most “reasonable” expenses.
In order to be reimbursed for your flight, you must include a printed itinerary showing proof of payment for the airfare.
Travelers who combine DIMACS travel with other trips cannot be reimbursed for more than the cost of a round-trip, economy class, standard flight (to the DIMACS event from their home location). If your trip includes additional destinations, you will need to obtain documentation (such as a printed priced itinerary from a travel agent or on-line travel service) indicating what the total cost of a direct round-trip flight would be, and submit this along with receipts for your actual itinerary. We recommend you contact the DIMACS Financial Assistant in advance to ensure you are able to receive the maximum appropriate reimbursement.
Local expenses, such as hotel accommodations, meals, taxis, etc. must be documented with original receipts. DIMACS reimburses only your own meals, and only meals not otherwise provided. Where possible, you should document restaurant meals with itemized receipts containing only your personal expenses. Meal receipts showing charges for additional diners should be itemized, and you should specifically identify your own meal. If your receipt includes meals of others, then you must list their names on the receipt. Alcoholic beverages are never reimbursable.
For hotel reimbursement, you must provide an itemized bill and a receipt showing a balance of $0.00. Personal charges such as telephone calls, pay-per-view, laundry services, etc. are not reimbursable.
Use of rental cars is generally discouraged, unless there is a compelling business justification and the cost is less than other alternatives. For example, we cannot typically reimburse rental cars from Newark airport to the Rutgers campus. If you are considering renting a car, please speak with the DIMACS Financial Assistant in advance. Full documentation is required in order to obtain reimbursement.
DIMACS event registration fees are not reimbursable for any reason. The registration fees collected at each DIMACS event are used to cover catering costs, material costs, and staff support.
If you have any questions, please contact the DIMACS Financial Assistant before booking your travel.
You should mail the DIMACS Reimbursement Form along with all required receipts and documentation to the DIMACS Financial Assistant as soon as possible after your return. Reimbursements requested more than three months after the event may not be reimbursable.
Once we receive your reimbursement request, the DIMACS Financial Assistant will process it, get approvals within DIMACS, and send it to Rutgers Accounts Payable where it will go through further review and approval. If there are any issues in the documentation of expenses, we will contact you and work with you to see if sufficient documentation can be obtained. If you are not on Rutgers payroll, Accounts Payable will issue a check once your reimbursement is approved. The check will be mailed to the address you provide on the reimbursement form. The entire process usually takes 6 - 8 weeks, but it can take longer. Please note that funds cannot be electronically wired to a bank account, personal or otherwise. You will have 90 days to cash your check before it becomes invalid. Approved reimbursements to Rutgers employees will be paid in an upcoming paycheck rather than as a separate check.
If you have any questions regarding the reimbursement process or would like an update on the status of your reimbursement, please do not hesitate to contact the Financial Assistant at financial-assistant@dimacs.rutgers.edu.
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