Overview
Employee travel to UCSF locations frequently asked questions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: The guidance allows reimbursement of travel expenses from home to UCSF locations, but my departmental budget or policy does not allow reimbursement of the travel. Is my department required to reimburse the travel expenses to UCSF locations?
A: No. The reimbursement of travel expenses to UCSF locations for employees working “fully offsite” are at the discretion of the employee’s department. The department approves all expense reimbursements before they are paid. Departments can choose to have more restrictive policies than the guidance.
Q: Can employees with job duties classified as fully onsite or “flexible” be reimbursed for travel from home to UCSF locations?
A: No. Travel to work at a UCSF location for these classifications is considered a commuting expense and cannot be reimbursed.
Q: Who has responsibility to verify the employee’s job duties are classified as “fully offsite” and how many times the employee has traveled from home to the UCSF location?
A: It is both the employee and the employee’s department to ensure that the travel is compliant with this policy.
Q: My job duties are classified as “fully offsite,” and I meet all the qualifications of the guidance. Who do I work with before I travel and seek reimbursement for the expenses?
A: All travel and expense reimbursements must be approved by the employee’s department. Work with your department on whether your travel can be reimbursed.
Q: If an employee lives in a state under California’s AB1887 travel ban exceptions, would their return home have to be paid by the employee?
A: AB1887 was recently repealed, so this is no longer a consideration.
Q: Does this guidance impact existing telecommuting agreements and how their job duties are classified?
A: This guidance does not change telecommuting agreements. The guidelines only set criteria for when an employee working “fully offsite” may qualify for reimbursement. Departments have discretion to not reimburse travel expenses to UCSF if an employee is classified as working “fully offsite.”
Q: What if an exception is needed, i.e., needing an employee in a “fully offsite” role to come onsite for more than four times in a 12-month period?
A: This guidance was created to the define criteria of when travel expenses may be reimbursed for employees whose job duties are classified as “fully offsite.” Employees should follow the guidance. For any exceptions to the guidance, consult with your department management. If there are extraordinary and rare circumstances for an exception, the expense reimbursement must be approved by the employee’s Control Point.
Q: Where can I see the primary work location of a role?
A: Primary work locations for employees in “flexible” or “fully offsite” roles are documented within the telework agreement. All employees in “flexible” or “fully offsite” roles should have a telework agreement in place. The manager can initiate the telework agreement in PeopleConnect.
Q: Can I change the primary work location of a role? How would I document this?
A: The primary work location for an employee’s role is designated by the manager/department. The change in designation should be based on a business reason or a long-term strategy by the department to have work done “fully offsite.” Any changes should be documented in the telework agreement. It is strongly discouraged for this designation to be changed solely due to this updated guidance.