9.85.050 General provisions.
(a)
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, all travel shall be approved by a Division Manager or above.
(2) Travelers are required to create and submit travel requests through the online tool for approval.
(3) Designated approvers are required to log into the online tool and approve travelers’ submissions.
(b)
(1) The General Manager shall approve the travel requests of the Deputy General Managers, the General Counsel, the Chief of Staff, or any other direct report to the General Manager.
(2) Department Heads shall approve the travel requests for directors.
(c) The Chair of the Commission shall approve the travel requests of the:
(1) Commissioners;
(2) Corporate Secretary;
(3) Inspector General; and
(4) General Manager.
(d) The Vice Chair of the Commission shall approve the Chair’s travel request.
(e) Division Managers or above shall be responsible for enforcing, within their areas of responsibility, these regulations.
(f) The Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer, or the Chief Financial Officer’s designee, is responsible for ensuring compliance with these regulations in the Commission.
(g) Exceptions to these regulations for a WSSC employee may be granted by a Deputy General Manager or above if the employee demonstrates, in writing when appropriate, that the application of the regulations results in:
(1) Significant difficulty in traveling to or from the destination;
(2) Failure to accommodate a traveler when the traveler requires specific accommodations such as handicapped accessible transportation and lodging;
(3) Increased costs; or
(4) A hardship from the strict application of these regulations.
(h) Exceptions to these regulations for a WSSC-approved consultant may be granted by the Deputy General Manager or above that oversees the department that the WSSC-approved consultant works with if the WSSC-approved consultant demonstrates, in writing when appropriate, that the application of the regulations results in:
(1) Significant difficulty in traveling to or from the destination;
(2) Failure to accommodate a traveler when the traveler requires specific accommodations such as handicapped accessible transportation and lodging;
(3) Increased costs; or
(4) A hardship from the strict application of these regulations.
(i)
(1) Exceptions to these regulations for Commissioners, General Manager, Corporate Secretary, and Inspector General may be approved by the Chair of the Commission based on the standard in subsection (g) of this section.
(2) Exceptions for the Chair may be approved by the Vice Chair of the Commission based on the standard in subsection (g) of this section.
(j) International travel may be approved as an exception to the regulations if the approver under subsection (g), (h), or (i) of this section determines that the international travel is in the best interests of the Commission.
(k)
(1) An appointee may request travel approval in addition to a stipend provided to the appointee.
(2) An appointee’s travel request shall be approved by the Division Manager or above that oversees the activities of the board or commission.
(l) Exception requests and approvals shall be in writing. (Document dated July 1, 2021; Document dated July 1, 2020; FIN-2018-2 § (e))