RECOVERY OF OUTSTANDING TRAVEL ADVANCES - 8116.1

(Revised: 06/2020)

Departments must adhere to the provisions of Government Code section 19838 and SAM section 8776.7 regarding notification and collection of overpayments from employees. In addition, the following procedures which are specific to the collection of travel advances will be followed:

 

1. A monthly notification must be sent to request employees who have travel advances but have not submitted a TEC to substantiate the travel expenses and/or have not returned any excess travel advance amount.
2. If an employee does not submit a TEC to substantiate the travel expenses within 15 calendar days of the monthly notification date, the total amount of outstanding advances must be deducted from the employee’s next regular payroll warrant(s).
3. If an employee does submit a TEC within 15 calendar days of the notification date, but does not return any excess travel advance amount within the same 15 calendar days, the excess travel advance amount must be deducted from the employee’s next regular payroll warrant(s).
4. If the amount of the revolving fund check paid to the employee exceeds the amount of the State Controller’s reimbursement (due to claim correction by SCO), the employee must reimburse the revolving fund for the difference. The amount owed to the revolving fund must be returned no later than 15 calendar days of the notification date. If the employee does not clear the outstanding amount, it must be deducted from the employee’s next regular payroll warrant(s).
5. If an employee has payroll direct deposit, the notification must inform the employee that if the excess travel amount was not returned within the 15 calendar days of the notification, the direct deposit will be cancelled and the payroll deduction for the outstanding travel advance amount will be made in the next regular payroll warrant(s). 

An example of “deducted from the next regular payroll warrant” for items (2) and (3) above is as follows:

02/01/11          Travel advance is issued to the employee

02/10/11          Travel date of employee

02/17/11          End date of employee travel

02/27/11          TEC should be submitted and/or return excess travel advance

 

Actions for non-compliance:

02/27/11         Employee does not submit a TEC or return the travel advance

03/01/11         Employee is sent a monthly notification to request him/her to submit a

 TEC or return the travel advance by 03/15/11. (The 1st of the month is the department’s established mail out date for the monthly             notification)

03/16/11        Employee does not submit a TEC or return the travel advance. (This is 15

calendar days from the notification date). Outstanding advance amount will be deducted from the employee’s current regular payroll warrant

Note: For an employee who has direct deposit, the department accounting or personnel office must send a notification to SCO by the 15th of the month to cancel the direct deposit.