Approval

Appropriate approval of Business Travel is required prior to commencement of the Business Travel as described in Financial Services Procedures on Business Travel.


FAQs

1. When is a Travel Request Form (TR) required? 

Please see Table 1 to determine if your trip requires a TR.

Table 1:  When is a Travel Request Form Required?

Trip:

Employee

Nonemployee

In-State Day

NO

NO

Out-of-State Day

YES

NO

In-State Overnight

YES

NO

Out-of-State Overnight

YES

NO

International

YES

YES

Booked through UMB Travel Agency

YES

YES

Includes car rental

YES

YES

2. Can I use a TR for a trip that does not require a TR? 

  • Yes. For example, a department may choose to require non-employees to complete a TR for all types of trips.

3. What is considered “In-State,” “Out-of-State,” and “International”? 

  • In-State includes destinations in Maryland and Washington, D.C.
  • Out-of-State includes destinations in any state other than Maryland.
  • International includes any destination beyond the United States.

4. What is a blanket TR? 

  • A blanket TR covers a period of time for repetitious trips (i.e., recurring trips that are similar — traveler(s), point of origin, destination, purpose, mileage, and funding source do not change). The blanket TR must be renewed at the start of each fiscal year and may not cover a period exceeding 12 months. The funding source(s) listed on corresponding Travel Expense Forms must be included on the approved blanket TR.

     

6. We have groups of students who travel out of state together. Some are employees and some are not. What should I do? 

  • Because some travelers are employees, we recommend that you complete a TR for all of the travelers for insurance purposes and for recordkeeping (i.e., the funding request will include estimated expenses for all of the travelers).

7. I am an employee planning a trip to New York, but the hosting organization is going to pay for my expenses. Do I need a TR? 

  • Yes. Employees still need a TR to document approved time away from their normal work site and to substantiate any insurance claims that might arise.

8. Does a non-employee need a TR if the non-employee’s employer is paying their share of the expenses? 

  • No. Non-employees whose costs are not expected to be paid by UMB are not required to complete a TR.

Scenarios

I. Charlie is an employee. He is planning a trip from Baltimore to Washington, D.C. He will leave Baltimore on Monday at 8 a.m. and return  Monday at 8 p.m. Charlie does not need a TR.   


II. Sally is an employee. She plans to travel from Baltimore to Washington, D.C. She will leave Baltimore on Tuesday and return Wednesday. Sally needs a TR. 


III. Joe works at the University of Maryland Medical Center and plans to travel with Sally to Washington, D.C.  Joe is a non-employee. Joe does not need a TR, but it is recommended that he complete a TR because he is traveling with Sally and the funding approver should be made aware of Joe’s costs.