Definitions per IRS:
Local Travel - Travel which can be completed in less than 12 hours, does not exceed 300 miles round-trip and does not include any air, rail or lodging expenses
Official Station - The location where the employee is officially assigned to perform their regular duties. The geographic limits of the official station are the corporate limits of the city or town where the employee is located, or, if not in an incorporated city or town, the reservation, station or other established area having definite boundaries where the employee is located, not to exceed 50 miles from the building or street where the employee is normally assigned. If the employee’s work involves recurring travel or varies on a recurring basis, the location where the work activities of the employee’s position of record are based is considered the regular place of work.
Travel status - The period an employee is traveling on official business. The period begins with departure from home, official station, or another authorized point and ends with return to that point.
Harvard related local conference or scientific meetings (within 50 miles from work location)
- Conference fees – Reimburseable
- Lodging – Not reimburseable unless in exceptional circumstances (REQUIRES PRIOR APPROVAL)
- Meals (Individual) – Not reimbursable when incurred locally
- Meals (*Business) – Reimbursable on federal awards for ONLY attendees on travel status, otherwise charged to nonfederal awards
- Transportation costs – Taxis, local train/bus and parking are allowed for business related travel
*Business meals are meals with faculty, staff, students, donors, or other external parties during which specific documented business discussions take place